FREE international shipping on Escaping Obscurity

One of the big problems in the world of specialty magic publications these days is the cost of international shipping, especially for books the size and weight of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. That's why I'm excited to share the incredible offer from publisher Mike Caveney's Magic Words:

An Unprecedented Offer from Mike Caveney's Magic Words. Free postage to anywhere in the world. 

For a very limited time, we will pay the postage on this book no matter where you live. Postage to foreign countries can reach 70 or 80 dollars per copy but we've got you covered. No more excuses to not own this gorgeous book. 

See why David Copperfield called it "A Masterpiece." A. Taylor wrote, "Hearing Houdini's voice through his own words is spellbinding, and the production quality is next level. Stunning." J. Notaro wrote, "The book is a thing of beauty and a must have by all. The unbelievable array of rare photographs alone is worth the investment." Click here to read more about this landmark book. Then select domestic shipping and place your order.

Purchase Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 with FREE domestic and International shipping now at Mike Caveney's Magic Words.

Related:

• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• ESCAPING OBSCURITY: Reviews & Reactions
• Jessica Jane has a book to share

50 years ago: A new Houdini biopic in the works

Last month marked a different kind of anniversary. It was 50 years ago that Melville Shavelson and his crew filmed The Great Houdinis on location around Los Angeles and at the 20th Century Fox studio in Century City. Filming commenced at the Wilshire Ebell Theater on April 28 and wrapped at the Malibu Pier on May 24, 1976. I learned about the movie in the July 1976 issue of The Magic Magazine. Still have the clipping in my old scrapbook.

The Great Houdinis starred Paul Michael Glaser as Houdini and Sally Struthers as Bess. The amazing supporting cast included: Ruth Gordon (Cecelia Weiss), Peter Cushing (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), Bill Bixby (Rev. Arthur Ford), Adrienne Barbeau (Daisy White), Vivian Vance (Minnie Chester), Jack Carter (Hardeen) Barbara Rhoades (Margery), and if you look closely, you'll see Patrick Culliton as Franz Kukol. It aired on ABC on October 7, 1976.

This marked the first Houdini biopic since 1953's Houdini with Tony Curtis, and despite it being heavily fictionalized, I've always had a special fondness for it. It's my second-favorite Houdini biopic and a great example of 1970s television.

In the early days of this blog, I did a day-by-day breakdown of the production. If you're interested, give that review by clicking the link below:

Making the great Great Houdinis

Related:

• The Great Houdinis (1976)
• Watch The Great Houdinis (1976)
• Paul Michael Glaser is Houdini again!

Steve Baker's Houdini tributes

Here's an ad for Steve Baker's Houdini Tribute show in Eugene, Oregon, on Halloween 1974. I especially like the juxtaposed images of Steve and Houdini. Steve Baker once said in an interview that he was inspired to become an escape artist after reading Walter Gibson's Houdini on Magic at age 8. 

The Register Guard, Oct 31, 1974.

The Register Guard, Oct 25, 1974.

While Steve would sometimes boast that he was "better than Houdini" (a very Houdini thing to do), he frequently honored Houdini by recreating his escapes. Below is Steve doing a suspended straitjacket on Hollywood Blvd. in 1976.

Press Telegram, June 12, 1976.

On Halloween 1976, the 50th Anniversary of Houdini's death, Steve did the Water Torture Cell at the Mayfair Music Hall in Los Angeles. Below is a flyer I picked up at a magic shop in Tarzana, where Steve and his wife, Julie, lived. Did you know the Water Torture Cell was "the escape that brought about Houdini's death"? Now you do!

I wish I had gone and seen this. What a way to spend the 50th. But I was only 11, and Halloween was all about trick-or-treating back then. By the way, the Mayfair Music Hall was converted into a variety theater by none other than Milt Larsen.

You can dive a bit deeper into Steve Baker via the links below.

Related:

• Remembering Steve Baker
• Baker beats Houdini (sorta)
• Steve 'Mr. Escape' Baker launches blog

American Pinball releases Houdini Centennial game

Back in 2017, American Pinball released its acclaimed Houdini-themed pinball machine. Now the company has released an updated version to mark the centenary of Houdini's death. Below are details and a pic of the first machines awaiting shipment. Rumor is that one of these games will be available to play at the upcoming SAM convention in Appleton.

 

For more information or to buy a game, visit the American Pinball website.

Related:

• American Pinball unveils 'Houdini' in Texas
• American Pinball offering Houdini game artwork
• Catalina Island Museum will auction their Houdini Pinball machine

When dreams come true

This week I received my copy of A Strenuous Career: The Personal Challenge and Advertisment Scrapbook of Harry Houdini by Dr. Bruce J. Averbook and David Haversat. It's a beauty. In fact, I hated to take it out of the plastic!

Not to play favorites, but this is the 2026 book that I was most excited to receive. That's because I knew this important scrapbook existed, but I had never seen it. It was owned by Sid Radner for many years. When Sid's son Bill inherited it, I heard talk that he was considering turning it into a book. This might have even been his father's idea that he wanted to carry forward. But it never happened. When Bruce Averbook acquired it, I got a quick peek at it at his museum. I was very excited when he said he now planned to turn it into a book (along with a certain diary).

This time it happened! Dreams do come true.

The book is a slipcased hardcover printed on very high-quality, full-color paper. Bruce provides an introductory overview of Houdini's career challenges, along with some rare photos from his collection. Apart from that, the scrapbook speaks for itself. Every page of the scrapbook is reproduced, and every challenge tells a story. It's also fascinating to see how meticulously Houdini chronicled his career. The front of the scrapbook contains an index of all the challenges handwritten by Houdini himself. The challenges span Houdini's entire career, so this isn't A challenge scrapbook; it's THE challenge scrapbook, which is one of the reasons it's so perfect to publish as a standalone book.

I've already spotted some rare gems, including what I believe is Houdini's first full-view straight jacket escape. The challenge doesn't actually say this, but given the timeline, I think I can see exactly what Houdini has in mind. I'm also very excited to finally see the Scottish Gibbet challenge!

The book is published and sold exclusively by David Haversat's 1878 Press, with a print run of only 300 copies. That's a pretty small, and I have a feeling this will sell out by Halloween, if not sooner. So if you are interested in owning Houdini's Challenge scrapbook, I wouldn't delay.

Thank you, David and Bruce!

Related:

• A Strenuous Career' available now from 1878 Press
• The 2026 Houdini Centennial Bookshelf
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY

Charles Greene III on Exposing Houdini (update)

Our friend Charles Greene III is the guest on Adrian Tennant's excellent The Magic Book Podcast. Charles tells the full story of how he acquired these unpublished Houdini images, which are featured in his new book, Exposing Houdini: 52 Lost Glass Plate Images. Click the image below to have a listen.

Exposing Houdini: 52 Lost Glass Plate Images is available now.

UPDATE: There has been some confusion over Charles' comments in this interview. To be clear, Charles DID win one of the two auction lots, but he didn't want to share this on the podcast. But he's given me permission to share it here.

Related:

• EXPOSING HOUDINI now shipping!
• Houdini glass negatives collection sells at auction
• The 2026 Houdini Centennial Bookshelf 📚

Talking Houdini on The AP Strange Show

I recently had the pleasure of being on The AP Strange Show podcast. We had a great talk about you-know-who.

On this week's episode of The AP Strange Show, Houdini historian John Cox joins AP for an in-depth discussion about the legendary magician, escape artist, and arch debunker of Spiritualist phenomena, Harry Houdini. 

In this conversation, he and AP discuss some of the lesser known history of Houdini in AP's hometown of Worcester, MA, including his last outdoor performance and the mystery surrounding the coffin he used during his "buried alive" performances. From there John talks about what got him into the rabbit hole of Houdini's life, the work he's done to attempt a balance between the legends and facts about the man, and the various projects he's worked on in preserving Houdini's legacy.

You can listen to The AP Strange Show on the official website, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, or via the embed below. Enjoy.

Related:

• Marking the 99th on The Magic Word Podcast
• America: A History: Who is Harry Houdini?
• And now for something completely different

More "Mystery & Wonder" NYPL events in June

These events at the New York Public Library keep sneaking up on me! Below are two more events coming up in early June. These are part of the NYPL's ongoing Mystery & Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians exhibition. Click the headline links to get tickets and more information.

The Art of the Illusion: Collecting and Conserving Magic Posters at NYPL

New York Public Library for the Performing Arts -Bruno Walter Auditorium
Tuesday, June 2 • 6:30 PM - 8 PM

Magic poster experts and conservators discuss the art of the illusion.

For more than 100 years, the New York Public Library has been building an extraordinary collection of rare color lithograph posters that promote the great magicians and illusions of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Forty-eight of these striking posters are currently on view in the exhibition Mystery & Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City. These posters illustrate magicians reimagining old tricks and inventing new ones, shaping each performer’s unique identity within a new visual language of magic as audiences became more international.

Esteemed magic historian and poster collector Charles Greene III will speak about the rise and importance of posters in promoting the Golden Age of Magic and the thrill of collecting these historic works of art today. NYPL paper conservators Denise Stockman and Juliana Cordero will share their stories about the fascinating process of restoring the posters included in the exhibition. Exhibition curator Annemarie van Roessel will lead a discussion and Q&A from the audience. 

The History of Society of American Magicians

Harvey Fierstein Theatre Lab
Thursday, June 4 • 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM

Lecture presentation about The Society of American Magicians and Harry Houdini. The Society of American Magicians today is an outgrowth of what had initially been a Saturday night social tradition inaugurated in New York City in the 1890’s. Richard Cohn, magician, historian, author, consultant and Associate of the Inner Magic Circle will speak of the origins of the club. He will also talk of the role of Dr. Saram Ellison in the founding and establishment of the S.A.M.

Thomas Ewing, S.A.M. National Historian will focus on Harry Houdini and his efforts to transform what was originally a New York group into an international organization. This metamorphosis not only brought clubs located in other cities into the fold but hobbyists and amateurs as well as professionals in other regions into the fabric of what is today an international organization.

To keep up with all the events, keep watching the "Mystery & Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians" program page.

Related:

• Mystery and Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City

Harry Kellar: The Magician Who Inspired Houdini

Here's an excellent new documentary from PBS station WQLN about Harry Kellar. Great interviews and good Houdini content as well. Enjoy.

In the reenactments, Houdini is played by Howard Lang. Kellar is played by Aaron Pacy.

Related:

• Copperfield shares Houdini and Kellar
• Harry Kellar visits The Grim Game set
• Letter from Kellar to Houdini sells for $32,500

'Houdini Speaks to the Living' at House of Magic in Glenside, PA

Just a reminder that the acclaimed play Houdini Speaks to the Living will be at the House of Magic's Smoke & Mirror Theatre in Glenside, Pennsylvania, May 28-30. Click for tickets.

In Houdini Speaks to the Living, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini debate the true nature of magic, science and faith through a historically based, largely verbatim play from writer-director Beth Burns and writer-magician Patrick Terry, who also plays Houdini.

You can check out a trailer for the play on YouTube.

Related:

• 'Houdini Speaks to the Living' 2026 tour
• REVIEW: 'Houdini Speaks to the Living' at The Players
• The real story of Houdini & Doyle

'They Come To Watch Me Die' with Humphrey Cornthwaite

Magician Humphrey Cornthwaite will perform a one-man show,  They Come To Watch Me Die,  at Smith’s Alternative in Canberra, Australia, on May 27, 2016. Below are details.

They Come To Watch Me Die is a solo theatre performance by Humphrey Cornthwaite based on the life of Harry Houdini. During the performance Humphrey as Harry will break the fourth wall and perform routines made famous by the great escapologist Houdini.

Humphrey started his career as a street performer in London’s Covent Garden performing the strait jacket escape. From Covent Garden Humph has worked as an escapologist for many years travelling throughout Europe playing many venues and many festivals.

They Come To Watch Me Die is Humphrey’s first scripted solo show.

You can purchase tickets at the Smith’s Alternative website HERE.

Related:

• Houdini Plays
• The Man From Beyond down under
• When Houdini showed Australia that a man can fly

LINK: HHCE highlights from Magic Collector Expo

Our friend Joe Notaro has a full report on this year's Magic Collector Expo, with all the Houdini highlights. Click the headline or the image below to have a read of Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence.

Related:

• Magic Collector Expo 2024 aboard the Queen Mary
• A five star Magic Collector Expo in Cleveland
• LINK: HHCE highlights from Magic Collector Expo (2025)

Fred Pittella's Houdini key bookmark and lapel pin

Our friend and collector, Fred Pittella, has released two new pieces of Houdini merchandise memorabilia. The first is a high-quality bookmark with a replica Bean Giant Handcuff Key. "So your next page doesn't escape you!" says Fred. A mini trading card also comes loose in the package. With so many new Houdini books this year, a good bookmark is a must!

Next is a high-quality lapel pin depicting the Handcuff King in his prime. This is a beauty, and is going to be my new go-to lapel pin. Especially as it captures Houdini in his Handcuff King days.

The price of the bookmark is $40 plus $14 shipping. The lapel pin is $25. You can get them by contacting Fred at fredpstuff@aol.com.

Related:

• Fred Pittella inherits Larry Weeks estate
• Guest Blog: The Bobby Handcuffs come home
• New Houdini Pin from Castle Thunder Graphics

How about a review?

My new store and publishing imprint, Wild About Harry PRESS, is doing well. I've sold out of my stock of signed and sealed Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. Thank you to everyone who bought their copy from me. 

Copies are still available from Mike Caveney's Magic Words, but if you still want to buy a signed or discounted edition from me, let me know by clicking the "Notify when back in stock" button on the product page. If I get enough interest, I will restock.

I've also now added the ability to write a REVIEW. So if you've purchased the book from me (or from anywhere) and want to share your thoughts, just click the "Write a review" button on the product page. As an incentive, I will randomly select one of the first ten reviewers and send them a promo postcard for my upcoming book, Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900-1909.

All this is about me getting ready for that next book, so I appreciate everyone's help in getting the store up and running.

Related:

• Wild About Harry PRESS is open for business
• Escaping Obscurity reviewed by David Dellman
• ESCAPING OBSCURITY: Reviews & Reactions