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My debut (and the debut of the Brothers Houdini) was in the big time of the day in the Imperial Music Hall in 29th St., New York City. The act started, I recall, with the flower in the buttonhole––Harry's buttonhole, of course. It included the trick of taking a handkerchief out of the flame of a candle, and some card tricks––Harry's card work was excellent even then. The act wound up with the substitution trunk––Harry called it Metamorphosis. I still think we have a pretty good act.
“The Brothers Houdini” increased their efforts to get engagements. They performed at neighborhood socials, lodge meetings, and Manhattan beerhalls. When an opening act didn’t arrive at the Imperial Music Hall, a harried booker called them in.There were few people in the audience for the first show. Harry touched his magic wand to the buttonhole of his jacket. A flower appeared. He reached in the flame of a candle and produced a red silk handkerchief. He began his card tricks. They were not as effective on a big stage as they had been in more intimate surroundings. Then Houdini announced his feature mystery “Metamorphosis.” Theo’s hands were bound behind his back. He was put in a sack, the mouth of the sack was tied, and the sack, containing Theo, was placed inside a large wooden box, which in turn was locked and doubly secured with rope. Harry then pulled a cabinet—a frame covered with cloth—around the box.
“When I clap my hands three times—behold a miracle!”
He darted into the cabinet. The audience waited expectantly.
There were no handclaps—and no miracles. Instead, after what seemed an interminable stage wait, the theater curtains swung closed and the orchestra struck up the music for the second act on the bill.
Inside the cabinet, a baffled Houdini had discovered that his brother was still a prisoner in the box. He worked feverishly untying the outer ropes, opening the two padlocks. He threw up the lid. A red-faced Theo, free of the sack, gasped that he had left the device which opened the box from the inside in his dressing room. The act was canceled. Thereafter, it was Harry, who was tied and locked in the box and Theo, who made the “Behold a miracle!” announcement.
Since the fiasco at the Imperial had obliterated their chances for other theater dates in New York in the near future, “The Brothers Houdini” left town to tour dime museums in the Midwest.
The fact that the brothers were engaged at the last minute and canceled after their first night could explain why they don't appear in any newspaper ads at this time. However, the Imperial didn't always list all their performers, opting instead to just promote "Vaudeville" as their week's attraction, which could also explain it.
Now, there are issues with both of these accounts. History records that The Brothers Houdini started with Harry and Jacob Hyman. Dash came later. So this could not be the debut of the act itself, as Hardeen says. And if we are to believe that Dash was the one making the escape, then Hyman did as well. So while I'm not sure of the details here, the fact that the Imperial is cited as the location in both accounts makes me think that much is true. I just wish I could nail down the exact date. (If any sleuths want to take up the challenge, please do!)
In 1896, the Imperial was leased by the popular comedy team Weber & Fields and became the Weber & Fields' Music Hall. When the act broke up in 1905, it was renamed Weber & Ziegfeld’s Music Hall. It was converted into a movie theater in the teens and demolished in 1917. Today, you'd never know this area once hosted The Brothers Houdini.
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