If you want to know the secret behind the Charlie Chaplin Floating Head trick, then head over here.
This pocket-size magic trick made in India, does not evoke any great astonishing magical illusion.
It is designed for fun and laughter, particularly to entertain kids.
Some may regard this levitation trick as some sort of a toy magic trick.
- Definition of a toy magic trick: It is a simple pocket trick for amusement, and mostly to entertain kids, family members or close friends. No difficult secret move, or sleight of hand skill is required. It is not a grand illusion, but its effect is still magical, if you do not know trick works. Usually it is available in novelty shops selling toys, gifts, gags and pranks.
Anyway it is still a magic trick.
In your mind’s eye, you perceive and experience an illusion of impossible happening (head moves up and down by itself).
If you are a collector of the legendary silent movie comic actor Charlie Chaplin, then you should have this prop in your collection.
In fact there is another similar close up trick called the “Pocket Floating Lady”.
I would also share the secret working of this levitation effect.
Again, I would explain briefly the psychological aspect of this trick.
Welcome to another post from the Info Ruckus Magic Trick Secrets Revealed series.
Where I answer the popular question: how are magic tricks done?
How magic tricks work, or what is the secret behind magic tricks?
The magicians refer to it as the method; the secret technique uses to create the illusion of a magical effect.
Effect:
The performer displays a picture card of the iconic comic actor and filmmaker Charlie Chaplin.
Silent movie star Chaplin sits on a chair, with his chin resting on top of both his hands, holding his bamboo cane.
The performer gestures, and gradually you can see Charlie Chaplin’s head apparently moving upward by itself.
Yes, mysteriously his head is floating or levitating towards the top of the card.
Then the head of Charlie Chaplin slowly moves down back to his body.
In fact, you can get Charlie’s head magically floats up and down again.
After the floating head effect, he shows both side of the picture card to his viewers.
Watch Roberto of Magic Patagonia performing this delightful gag magic trick:
Charlie Chaplin Floating Head Trick Explained
From what I can see this close up trick is made of either a sturdy plastic or cardboard plate.
After viewing Roberto’s video, this is what I guess how the levitating head effect is done.
To conform that my speculation of the trick could be correct, I also referred to pictures from different magic store websites.
Self-working Gag Magic Trick
It is a self-working magic trick.
Meaning the gimmick is included in the card itself.
All you need to do, is move your forefinger or index finger behind the picture card.
It operates with a simple mechanism, using a thread to pull the Charlie Chaplin cut-out head picture up and down the card.
Not like the mechanical Tenyo trick T-91 Floating Lady by Hiroshi Kondo, the brain behind T-142 Lancelot, T-123 Billscape, T-170 Pillars Of Thor, etc.
- Definition of a self-working magic trick: It is also know as self-contained magic trick. It means a magic trick that don’t require sleight of hand skill. You just present the trick as the procedure instructed. It could be the props with built-in gimmicks, gaffed cards, or card tricks that rely on mathematical principles, like Jim Steinmeyer Nine-Card trick. Some even consider optical illusion and scientific demonstrations as a self-working trick. Karl Fulves wrote a self-working magic series of ten short books.
Stripes To Camouflage Trick
You can see there are lots of lines or stripes in the background of the picture of Charlie Chaplin.
They are not there as a design feature or for aesthetic value.
Like many stage illusions, these straight lines or stripes are part of the trick secrets.
They used them to camouflage the trick gimmicks.
I have highlighted and explained them in “Doug Henning Vanishing Elephant Illusion“, “Doug Henning Walking Through Brick Wall Secrets“, and “Through Steel Illusion By Tim Kole Secret“.
As for this case, the printed stripes is to hide the thread that moves the head.
Two Tiny Holes & Thread
First there are two tiny punctured holes.
One at the top of the card, and the other.
There is a fine thread (highlighted with orange line) running between these two small holes.
Probably it is a clear nylon thread
This is the thread that controls the movement of Charlie Chaplin’s cut-out head picture.
Charlie Chaplin Floating Head Trick Gimmick
How do I know the cut-out head of Charlie Chaplin picture is controlled from back of the card?
At 0:20 when Roberto of Magic Patagonia turns the card around to show its back view.
I noticed this white raised disc at the top part of the back of the card.
This is the disc gimmick (slider) that drags the Chaplin cut-out head piece up and down the card, like a lever.
The back side of the card is printed with scattering of white round motifs of various sizes all over it, besides the stripes and Chaplin’s headshot.
It is to camouflage this round slider (as indicated) and also the thread in the picture below.
Likewise there are two small holes that work like pulleys, for the fine thread that links from the front.
When the white round slider is at the top, Chaplin’s cut-out head piece is down at his shoulders.
To move Chaplin’s head cut-out piece as if it drifts away from his shoulders, drag the slider downwards slowly.
Then to bring the Chaplin’s head down to his shoulders, glide the slider upwards to the top of the card.
This is what I believe how the Charlie Chaplin Floating Head Trick works.
A simple sliding device with the help of a fine thread that does the levitation trick.
The Pocket Floating Lady Trick
The method of the Pocket Floating Lady Trick is the same as the Charlie Chaplin Floating Head Trick.
The sliding device with the fine thread is attached to the cut-out lady picture.
Similarly, the thread is also camouflaged by the striped background.
This is the close up view of the two holes and thread on the front of the card.
Again, the backside of the card is printed with stripes and circular motifs of different sizes to conceal the slider and the thread.
This is the close up view showing the disc gimmick piece (slider), two holes and the thin thread.
Here is a blurred demo video clip of Pocket Floating Lady.
I reckon he uses his left hand middle finger to maneuver the disc gimmick or slider.
NOTE: The other popular Floating Lady pocket trick and Tenyo Floating Broom use the invisible thread to do hovering effect.
The method is based on Ben Harris’ creation, “Cosmosis” (Original Floating Match).
- Definition of a pocket magic trick: It is also known as a hand trick. It is those small trick props which you can carry around inside your pocket. Usually they are easy-to-do tricks without sleight of hand skill is required. Just pull it out from your pocket and do a little trick for a simple amusement. Magic items like the paddle magic stick, Tel-A-Vision, or Lady To Lion card trick.
Charlie Chaplin Floating Head Trick Psychology
No doubt it is simple gag magic trick, but if you do not know it works, it appears funny and unexpected.
It still elicits the sense of wonder, as a result from experiencing the impossible (head moves by itself).
The floating illusion still distorts your perception is because of the contradiction what you have just witness (the floating head) and your expectation (it cannot moves by itself).
To know more, read the construction of impossibility based on conjuring tricks.
NOTE: Here is a free book from Internet Archive from Charlie Chaplin, titled “Charlie Chaplin’s Own Story.”