The Gemini Tunnel by O’Dowd Mfg.

What a great item from Mike O’Dowd. Although Cube-A-Libre type effects are popular with collector’s and dealers I’m not sure how popular they are with most lay people – to my mind there are just too many blocks to keep track of. Which is why I love this effect. Just three blocks and the moves are easy to learn and understand.

After some more research this effect appears to be exactly the same as U.F. Grant’s 1-2-3 Blocks first released c. 1955.  I’ve included a photo from a couple of catalogs at the end.  The final photo, in particular, looks too close for comfort, so I’m pretty sure this is a revamped version of an idea by U.F. Grant with fresh patter. As usual when you find some obvious copy like this it is always a little sad that the manufacturer did not bother to credit the original creator.

This is quite different from other similar effects and works differently too.  It is easy to do though there are a few angle issues and this is not really a close-up effect, but a parlor effect.   But I think Mike squeezes a lot from this set-up and hopefully my Speed Demo will demonstrate that 🙂

(Notice: I added the painted wooden base as this it is best to perform this on a hard surface rather than a close-up mat, otherwise a few of the moves can sound suspicious.  Any wooden table or surface would also work.)

Effect: Performer shows two stacks of blocks, three blocks in each stack. The blocks are numbered 1,2, and 3 in each stack. Performer stacks one stack of blocks in 1-2-3 order in the Gemini Tube and the other stack is in 1-2-3 order in full view.

Performer rearranges stack in view and when the tube is lifted it reveals that the second stack has magically changed its order to match the visible stack.

This is repeated several times, changing the position of the blocks and even turning them around or upside down, still the stack under the Gemini Tunnel matches the order of the visible stack.

Patter Suggestion: There is a theory that another Earth exists on the other side of the Sun. Communication with that Earth is only possible with the help of the Gemini Tunnel, which this tube represents. Any event on our Earth is duplicated on the other Earth when the Gemini Tunnel is in position to act as receiver of the facts of the event. These three blocks will act as the transmitter on our Earth and will send impulses of their position through the Gemini Tunnel to these three blocks which would be on the other Earth. Whatever happens to our “transmitter” stack should be duplicated by the “receiver” stack. I shall demonstrate …

Gemini Tube size is: 9 1/2″ x 3″ x 1 7/8″

Found something wrong? Help us improve things by clicking here!