S.A.M. clarifies Houdini grave upkeep responsibilities

Matthew Crabtree, National President of The Society of American Magicians, has clarified who is responsible for the upkeep of Houdini's gravesite at Machpelah Cemetery, which, as I shared last week, is badly in need of cleaning. (Spoiler alert: it's not them.) Says Matthew:

In 2024, Dorothy Dietrich and Hank Feinberg started an nonprofit charitable LLC https://houdinigravesite.org/ and took over the care, upkeep, and restoration of the site. The LLC is working with the family to make sure it is done both legally and in accordance with Jewish traditions. It was at this time, they discovered that Houdini had left money for care and upkeep in perpetuity in his will to the cemetery.

The money for the Houdini Gravesite collected by The Society of American Magicians is earmarked to help offset the cost of repairs as voted on by the National Council in 2023.

With the information provided here, we would appreciate a clarification on your posting about the need for cleaning the site and who should be performing the upkeep.

Matthew Crabtree
National President
The Society of American Magicians 

This is a very helpful clarification, and it's great that Dorothy Dietrich is involved, as she has repeatedly demonstrated her devotion to maintaining the gravesite. The website for donations to the active Houdini Gravesite Fund can be accessed by clicking below.

Thank you, Matthew!

Related:

• Houdini's grave badly needs a cleaning (S.A.M.)
• Houdini's grave is in trouble
• The Houdini-Weiss exedra turns 100

Houdini's grave badly needs a cleaning (S.A.M.)

UPDATE: S.A.M. clarifies Houdini grave upkeep responsibilities

The 100th year is going gangbusters, with new books, documentaries, and plans for a seance at 278. But there's one blight on an otherwise celebratory year. Houdini's grave in Machpelah Cemetery has never looked worse. Mold is spreading across the excedra. It's heartbreaking that this year, when so many people are visiting the grave, photographing it, and filming there (such as the Dynamo special), it looks like this.

The good news is that mold is not hard to clean, and thanks to the generous donations to the Houdini grave fund, the SAM has the money to do so. So, along with honoring Houdini at their annual convention in Appleton this year, maybe the SAM can send a cleaning crew out to the grave ASAP. Let's make Houdini look his best for the 100th!

Thanks to Colleen Bak, author of Pins & Needles: Love Letters to a Dead Magician, for the pic.

Related:

• S.A.M. rededicates Houdini's gravesite
• The Houdini-Weiss exedra turns 100
• Houdini's grave is in trouble

Cover art for 'Houdini's Library' by Eric Colleary

Our good friend Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center, has revealed the final cover art for his upcoming book, Houdini's Library: Inside the Spellbinding Collections of the Great Illusionist. I'm very excited about this!

A landmark volume in the history of magic―the first-ever book on Houdini’s legendary personal collection, published on the centennial of his death

Harry Houdini (1874–1926) was not only a great magician but a great collector. Every corner of his townhouse at 278 West 113th Street in New York was filled with books, pamphlets, prints, clippings, playbills, and photographs documenting the history of magic and theatrical performance. “It would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection of evidence now in my hands,” Houdini wrote in 1908. “These programs, advertisements, newspaper notices, and crude cuts trace the history of magic as no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians, rising in this century of research and progress to claim the credit due them.”

This handsome oversize volume is published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, where much of Houdini’s library is preserved. It traces the growth of the legendary illusionist’s collections throughout his career and illustrates hundreds of his treasures―many for the first time. They range from a priceless copy of Reginald Scot’s 1584 volume Discovery of Witchcraft, the first book to reveal the secrets of sleight-of-hand; the irreplaceable collection of playbills and programs that Houdini obtained from the British conjuror Henry Evans Evanion; the travel diary of David Garrick, the eighteenth-century actor who defined modern theatre; and much more. Houdini’s Library will be a source of fascination for anyone interested in the history of magic and performance.

Houdini's Library (the book) will be released on September 15, 2026, and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Houdini's Library (the exhibition) opens at the Harry Ransom Center on August 29, 2026, and runs through January 24, 2027. 

Related:

• Houdini’s Library coming to the HRC in Fall 2026
• Houdini’s Library will also be a book!
• Eric Colleary brings 'Houdini's Library' to Boston

The escapes of Karl Bartoni on YouTube

Escapologist Karl Bartoni has launched a YouTube channel featuring vintage film and television footage of his many escapes. There's some really great stuff here. Not only are some of Karl's escapes pretty wild, but they really capture the time and place (mostly Blackpool in the 1980s). Karl also has some video about his friend and mentor Murray, the famed Australian escapologist who retired to Blackpool.

The site is well worth a look, so click below and delve into...

Karl Bartoni - Escapologist

Related:

• Houdini in Blackpool's new "Showtown" museum
• Who coined the word "Escapologist"?
• Did Houdini escape from a lion's den?

LINK: Needling Houdini by Ben Winn

Our friend Ben Winn has written a superb article for the June issue of Genii Magazine about Houdini's clash with the Rigoletto brothers over the Needles trick. It's very well written and researched, as we've come to expect from Ben!

Click here or on the headline to read an excerpt at Genii Magic. For the full article, you can subscribe to Genii Magazine.

Related:

• Genii and Houdini
• Houdini's Needles pin down $2,574
• The time Houdini swallowed needles...for real

Friday Flair

Here's a little something I just found for all you folks who need some extra Flair.

American Press, October 8, 1973.

Don't get caught without! Like this loser...

Related:

• Fred Pittella's Houdini key bookmark and lapel pin
• New Houdini Pin from Castle Thunder Graphics
• Even I wouldn't go this far

Join the 100th Anniversary Séance at Houdini's home

How would you like to spend the 100th Anniversary of Houdini's death at a séance inside his actual house? For the first time in over 50 years, a series of séances will be held inside Houdini's private New York home (278) on Halloween. Click the ad below to go to the dedicated website houdini.nyc for more information and to purchase a ticket. Participation is very limited.

I am honored to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime event. I will be giving a short Houdini presentation at each session. So you know, this is not a show. This is a legitimate attempt to contact Houdini using psychic medium Jodi-Lynn, who greatly impressed participants of The Official Houdini Séance in 2022. This is a black-tie affair in the epicenter of Houdini's world. If Houdini was ever going to come back, I think this will be the time and place!

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

The event is being organized by magician Reynold Alexander and the homeowners. All proceeds benefit cancer research at the Anandasabapathy Lab at Weill Cornell Medicine and the restoration and preservation of Houdini's House.

I hope to see you on the inside.

Related:

• Inside Houdini's 278
• The haunting of Houdini's 278
• New 278 owners committed to preserving Houdini history

Three-part "Dynamo Vs Houdini" coming to SKY

This weekend, the magician Dynamo performed a death-defying escape that saw him bound in a straitjacket, locked inside a burning car, and suspended 100 feet in the air against the New York City skyline. It was a stunt worthy of Houdini, and that was the point.

Moments after the escape, Sky officially announced Dynamo Vs Houdini, a three-part series that sees Dynamo traveling across America, retracing Houdini’s footsteps and honoring his legacy 100 years after his death. Dynamo asks the question: What would Houdini do if he were alive today?

Shirley Jones, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at Sky, says: “We’re so excited to be working with Dynamo on a series that not only celebrates the enduring legacy of Harry Houdini but demonstrates the extraordinary skill, innovation, and jaw-dropping talent that has made him one of the defining magicians of his generation.”

I had the pleasure of filming an interview with Dynamo last week at Roger Dreyer's amazing Houdini Revealed Museum. He told me about this stunt, and I was more than a little anxious about the outcome. I'm thrilled to hear he pulled it off, and I can't wait to see Dynamo Vs Houdini!

Dynamo Vs Houdini is a co-production between Shine TV (part of Banijay UK) & Seventeen17. The showrunner and executive producer is Rowland French. The series is set to air on Sky and streaming service NOW later this year.

Related:

• Steven Frayne (Dynamo) will honor Houdini's 100th
• Roger Dreyer gets a peek (Patreon)
• Houdini's in New York

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 this 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 📚