Bonjour Robbie, Bonjour to all MMDs.  As a French man, I am very
proud of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, a clever compatriot who invented
illusion shows.  (Be sure not to mistake him with Harry Houdini,
another master of illusion who was the American "King of Escape"!)
We understand that his early knowledge of physics, chemistry and
clock-making helped him a lot.

Lots of videos are on YouTube.  You can have a short glance at
Robert-Houdin's life at  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzNpEMsBUU8
 
In this video you will see his famous Antonio Diavolo, an automaton
who could perform acrobatics on a trapeze.

A few days ago I discovered a video of a new automaton of Antonio
Diavolo, named by the creator "Dante the Daring".  It is not a new
video as it was posted on YouTube in April 2008:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44UBXBlGmik
 

This is a beautiful and a good job which shows what was the
performance.  I enjoyed the video and when the automaton took his
hands off the bar of the trapeze, just in equilibrium on his bottom,
I was really amazed.  As long as the automaton kept his hands on the
bar the trick seemed obvious, but with the hands off it just became
incredible -- it was so impressive that I was about to congratulate
the builder.

I looked again and again at the video until I found that there
was a cut in the video just before the drop of hands and another
one, just after.  I was so disappointed and could not believe that
it just could be a video trick!  I tried to contact the builder,
just a pseudo, but I have no answer yet.

Help me to keep on dreaming!  Did anyone see the live performance
of this wonderful automaton?  Does anyone know the man who presents
the replica?  I would be very glad if someone could certify that the
performance is all true and I promise to direct as many people as
I can on this video.

Anyway, it's a very clever clock-making work, isn't it!

Kind regards to all of you,

Jean Nimal
France

 [ Continue à rêver, Jean -- keep on dreaming!  The modern builder is
 [ Mr. Kevin Wright.  Visit http://kevinwright2.tripod.com/index.html 
 [ where you will be reassured that he does not employ video trickery
 [ but he truly is a master builder of automatons and illusions in the
 [ tradition of Jean Robert-Houdin.
 [
 [ Robert-Houdin wrote in his "Mémoires": I carried my young artist of
 [ wood in my arms, as I would have done with a human being.  Then I put
 [ him on the trapeze bar and asked him a few questions which he answered
 [ by head movements.  "Aren't you afraid of falling?"  Non.  "Are you
 [ prepared to perform your exercises?"  Oui.  The secret is revealed at
 [ http://www.automates-boites-musique.com/index.php?file=hishoudin 
 [
 [ The "Orange Tree Illusion", featuring another famous automaton by
 [ Robert-Houdin, is expertly performed by Paul Daniels on BBC TV at
 [ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ht_afydffk&feature=related
 
 [
 [ -- Robbie