Fast Eddie and the Kid: BioVlog 97 of 384
Due to my gradually worsening eyesight I am obsessed with chasing after every first-hand exhibition of card-hustling I can experience. The top card man from the east is Ed Marlo. (Marlo was born on October 10, 1913, and was christened Edward Malkowski, a befitting name for a native Chicagoan from the north side…a man that has published more books on card magic and cheating techniques than anyone on the planet.)
J.C. Wagner is friends with Marlo and, after telling him about my work, Ed agrees to meet with me. So, I buy a ticket and I’m off to Chicago.
Ed kindly picks me up from the airport. When I finally meet him, as it turns out, our meeting is auspicious. He takes me to one of his favorite magician hangouts. First of all, Fast Eddie proves to be anything but fast. Marlo is as congenial as a raspy-voiced Dutch uncle. He is calm, friendly, and measured, with a cigar firmly planted between his lips and a deck of cards in hand. Smoke permeates the room, shuffles purr, and, hence, we bond and become fast friends. As we quietly sit together, we are like two boys in a candy store. We go over the finer points of false deals, mucks, shifts, and hops and I listen to every thought and concept with enthusiasm.