Monkey Bar (Deluxe) by Louis Gaynor, Tom Sellers

The Monkey Bar was invented as the Change-Over Ring by Tom Sellers c, 1954, and first marketed by Ken Allen c. 1955. However, according to a Genii article (October, 1978, pg. 615) The Change-Over Ring was actually a Jack Hughes invention. Jack gave the rights to Ken Allen in exchange for another effect. It was published as a Tom Sellers idea in The Magic Wand December 1954.  It also appears in Jack Hughes’ World of Magic Vol. 2. It was also sold by U.F. Grant at a similar time.

This beauty was created by Louie Gaynor and it was a significant step up in quality from the ones sold previously.

Effect: One of the all time comedy classic effects! A sucker effect second to none! For children-family shows. Easy to perform.

You demonstrate a MONKEY BAR with a Ring Tail Monkey hanging on one end (using a brass ring that is tied on to the rope to represent the monkey). You tell the kids that this is an ACROBATIC MONKEY and that he has the ability to jump from one end to the other and back again.

You demonstrate this great phenomenon by placing the MONKEY BAR behind your back and then bringing it out to show the ring has jumped to the other end! But, boy do the howls start coming as the kids are sure that all you did was just turn the bar around? After playing this up for all it’s worth…you ask the kids; “Well, where would you like the Monkey to jump too?” They all holler out.. “Put it in the middle!!”

The finale is that this time when you pass it behind your back and bring it back out….Viola…the ring has indeed now jumped to the middle! And there will be a hush in the audience when this happened! Funny great audience involvement! This truly is a timeless classic, that is very easy to pack and transport. If only you could get this much magic (pound for pound) out of other items!

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