Houdini: Back from the Dead is available now to watch on FOX Nation if you are a subscriber. If you are not, know you can get a 7-day free trial via Amazon.
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Friday, October 16, 2026
LINK: Houdini Back From The Dead - A Review
Our friend Dean Carnegie has reviewed all three episodes of the new AI-generated docudrama, Houdini: Back from the Dead, produced by Red Rock Films for FOX Nation. I consulted on it, so I don't feel right reviewing it myself, but I think Dean does a great job. Just click below to have a read at The Magic Detective.
A peek at the Premium Edition slipcase
This week I received a sample slipcase for the Premium Edition of Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900–1909, from the printers. It's a beauty! I'm not planning to reveal product images until next month, but I couldn't resist giving my patrons a video first look below.
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I've also created a poll on my Patreon asking which edition, Regular or Premium, you are considering buying (or not). This post is open to everyone, so feel free to vote by clicking below.
Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900–1909 will be available for preorder next month, with an expected shipping date in late December. It's getting exciting!
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- Patreon Priority Preorder
- End of the road (Patreon)
- Handcuff King wet proof (Patreon)
Thursday, October 15, 2026
Attend a magic show in Houdini's former film lab!
This month has an overwhelming number of Houdini events, but this one deserves a special shout-out. On October 30, Beni Coffee and Weehawken Gazette in Union City, New Jersey, will co-host a special "HOUDINI 100" celebration featuring an evening of magic and mentalism by David Corsaro. But what makes this evening extra special is that Beni Coffee is located in the building that was once Houdini's film lab and workshop! This is the first time any Houdini event or magic show has been held inside this historic space. I love this!
On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death, Beni Coffee and Weehawken Gazette invite you to a night of magic featuring David Corsaro, inside Houdini’s very own former photography lab. Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the legacy of the legendary escape artist in a truly historic setting!
Click here to buy tickets on Eventbrite. Beni Coffee is located at 216 19th Street in Union City, NJ. You can read up on Houdini's film lab and the building's history via the related links below.
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Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Listen to 'Inescapable' by Cora Parago
You can now listen to Inescapable, Cora Parago's extremely well-done profile of Houdini through the lens of loss and grief, on CBC Listen. I’m proud to have been included in this distinguished group of interviews. Click below and enjoy.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Guest Blog: Margery and Houdini: The Story I Had to Tell by Maryka Biaggio
Today I'm excited to share a guest post by Maryka Biaggio, an award-winning writer of historical fiction and author of the recently released novel Margery& Me. Take it away, Maryka!
Margery Crandon and Harry Houdini: The Story I Had to TellMaryka BiaggioI write historical fiction about real people, and I’m always looking for characters who might be interesting enough to warrant a novel. So when my editor at Doubleday mentioned I might consider writing about Margery Crandon, a spiritualist who did battle with Harry Houdini, my curiosity was piqued. Then she sent me a complimentary copy of The Witch of Lime Street by David Jaher. And I was hooked.Here’s what most intrigued me about the story: In the summer of 1924, Harry Houdini, the most famous escape artist in the world, sat in a darkened Boston parlor across from a woman in her thirties. She was glamorous, charming, and rumored to have the ability to summon the dead. Her name was Mina Crandon. The public knew her as Margery, and she was arguably the most famous psychic in the world.
I dug into the research and learned a great deal about the world of spiritualism, which was experiencing a renewal of interest in the 1920s. I acquired several books about Margery Crandon and delved into her background. If I was going to write about her, I needed to understand what made her tick.
Nothing in Margery Crandon’s early life suggested séance-room celebrity. She was born in 1888 to a farm family in rural Ontario. She and her brother, Walter, were apparently very close. He called her Mina. To her, he was the older brother she could confide in when their strict father punished them. When Walter came of age, he left the farm to work as a railroad worker in Buffalo, New York. A few years later, Margery moved to Boston, where she found a job working in the theatre. Before long, the lively and restless Margery met her first husband, Earl Rand, with whom she had a son.
When Walter died in a tragic trainyard accident in 1911, Margery was heartbroken. His death and their enduring bond would become a part of her legend.
In 1917, Margery experienced terrible abdominal pain, and Earl rushed her to the hospital, where she underwent surgery, possibly for appendicitis. Her surgeon was Dr. Roy Crandon, a wealthy and respected doctor. They met again while Crandon worked as a military physician at a Boston hospital and Margery volunteered as a military ambulance driver. Margery was unhappy in her first marriage and divorced Rand. She then married Dr. Crandon. She was his third wife, and his two divorces had apparently been acrimonious, so Margery may have worried about his constancy and her future with him.
Nevertheless, her marriage to Crandon provided her with two things she craved and hadn’t found with her first husband—prosperity and social recognition. Dr. Crandon was a distinguished Boston surgeon and Harvard man, well-connected and considerably older than Margery. Margery relished her newfound socialite status and welcomed many guests to their stately Victorian mansion at 10 Lime Street. Overnight, the Ontario farm girl became a fixture of Beacon Hill society, with a fashionable address, a wealthy husband, and the social access that came with them.
Margery launched her career as a spiritualist in the early years of her marriage to Crandon. Dr. Crandon wholeheartedly supported this endeavor and even had a carpenter build a special table for séances. The reasons Margery began holding séances are lost to history, but some say she relished her husband’s astonishment and admiration for the wonders she produced. Soon a voice began speaking through her—brash, joking, and irreverent. It said it was Walter.
Margery became a celebrity in Boston circles, and invitations to her séances were much sought after. Boston luminaries and colleagues of Roy Crandon were common attendees. A typical evening began at the dinner table, where the cook prepared excellent fare, and the doctor broke out wine from his cellar, which he’d managed to collect despite Prohibition. After the guests had enjoyed their sumptuous meal, the party trekked up to the fourth floor to sit around the séance table in a darkened room.
Dr. Crandon maintained careful contemporaneous records of all Margery’s séances, noting the extraordinary phenomena observed there: bells rang; tables tilted, and objects drifted. Walter whistled, cracked jokes, and delivered commentary in a gruff male voice. A Victrola played “Souvenir” and “Yes! We Have No Bananas.” Most startling of all, a live dove appeared and thumbprints were left in wax, prints that failed to match those of any person in attendance.
Margery was no shabby carnival act. She was a glamorous socialite. Her admirers included a magazine editor who wrote glowing accounts of her powers, and the press could not resist a story with so many enticing ingredients: a society beauty, a brilliant surgeon husband, and a dead brother. Unlike most spiritualists of the time, Margery did not charge attendees, which many took as a sign of her honesty and authenticity.
Yes, I had now decided that I would write about Margery, but how to tell the story? Should I have Margery narrate her tale? Should an omniscient voice hover over the whole story, giving the reader the inside scoop? I tried both approaches, and neither really took hold. I just wasn’t satisfied with either way of recounting this fascinating tale.
Then, surprise of surprises, Walter began speaking to me. He provided me with the first line of the novel: “Truth is, I understand Mina better than the whole lot of them, meaning those meddlers who wanted to know how the ‘Witch of Lime Street,’ as some dubbed her, acquired her psychic powers.” And I was off to the races. I won’t say the whole novel came as easily as that opening line, but it just made sense to have Walter tell the story. After all, he was a great wit who regularly appeared at Margery’s séances, and his salty repartee never failed to entertain the guests around the table. He and Margery had a close relationship, and he had access to her most private thoughts. Walter had a vested interest in Margery’s success, but he also worried about her.
Spiritualism had become wildly popular in the 1920s, but it had its detractors. Into the fray stepped the respected magazine Scientific American, which set out to test spiritualists and resolve the raging public debate. They offered $2,500 ($50,000 in today’s money!) for any medium who could produce a visible psychic manifestation under controlled conditions. The first several mediums the prize committee tested proved to be frauds. Then Dr. Crandon entered Margery into the contest. The committee expected her to be the first serious entrant.
The committee members devised all manner of tests, and Margery’s performance astounded them. But one member of the committee, Harry Houdini, insisted he be allowed to conduct his own tests. And Walter worried that Houdini would not give Margery a fair chance. The battle between Margery and Harry Houdini became the climax of my novel, and Walter did not disappoint at this crucial juncture.
I’m sure prospective readers wouldn’t want me to give away the ending, so I won’t. But in all my novels, I aim to stay true to the historical record. And the history of the epic battle between Margery and Houdini was worth all the struggles I encountered as I wrote the novel.
Maryka Biaggio is an award-winning novelist with a passion for history and the human spirit. She writes historical fiction inspired by real people—figures whose lives illuminate the complexities of their time. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Her novel Margery and Me, published by Regal House, has been hailed by distinguished author Valerie Martin as “a wry, lively, and wicked-good novel.”
Purchase Margery & Me from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk, or directly from Regal House Publishing.
Thank you, Maryka!
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Monday, October 12, 2026
Two new works of Houdini fiction
The centenary books keep coming! Here are two new independently published works for fans of Houdini fiction.
First up is Hunting Houdini's Ghost by Janson Davies, about a Houdini séance gone wrong. Let's be careful out there!
Harry Houdini escaped every prison built to hold him. Death was supposed to be the exception.One hundred years after his final performance, fraudulent medium Cassie Sparkowski attempts a livestreamed séance—and accidentally brings Houdini back. But he is not alone. Behind him waits an endless darkness filled with the restless dead…and something far worse. As Houdini unlocks door after door between worlds, ghosts begin returning to the people and places they left behind. Some come home in love. Some come hunting for vengeance. All of them carry a piece of the darkness with them.
Now Cassie and FBI agent Bradford Carter must stop the greatest escape artist who ever lived before he completes his final act: opening the door that can never be closed.
You can purchase Hunting Houdini's Ghost at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
The next is I Am Houdini by Michal Sher'ril Knox. This one runs 77 pages. Description below.
I Am Houdini brings that man to life once more, just in time for the 100th anniversary of his death on Halloween 2026. I Am Houdini is a fictionalized historical drama inspired by the life, words, relationships, performances, investigations, and final years of Harry Houdini. Historical material and Houdini's own words are woven together with imagined conversations and scenes to tell the story not simply of the Great Houdini, but of Erich Weiss—the man behind the legend.This isn't just the story of Houdini's escapes.
It's the story of Harry, a man whose dramatic flair for life, determination, and relentless curiosity may inspire you to find your own way through life's impossible challenges and say:
“I Am Houdini.”
You can purchase I Am Houdini in hardcover or paperback at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.
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Sunday, October 11, 2026
Centenary countdown: The accident in Albany
It was 100 years ago that Houdini had his accident while performing The Water Torture Cell at the Capitol Theater in Albany, New York. Below are links to past posts that tell the story.
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| Image from Houdini The Key |
Friday, October 9, 2026
'Houdini: Back From The Dead' coming October 14
On October 14, FOX Nation will debut Houdini: Back from the Dead, from Red Rock Films. I have been quietly working as a consultant on this project for the past year. This 3-part series tells Houdini’s story in a way that is unlike anything that has come before. It falls somewhere between being a documentary and a biopic. The history is precise, and the living images of Houdini are haunting. This is one people are going to talk about. The full press release is below.
FOX NATION SET TO PREMIERE “HOUDINI: BACK FROM THE DEAD,” MARKING PLATFORM’S FIRST FULL-LENGTH PROJECT CREATED ENTIRELY WITH AI-GENERATED IMAGERYThree-Part Series Premieres Ahead of Halloween and 100th Anniversary of Harry Houdini’s Death
NEW YORK – October 8, 2026 – FOX Nation will premiere the new three-part series Houdini: Back from the Dead on Wednesday, October 14, announced Lauren Petterson, president of the platform. Marking FOX Nation’s first full-length, multi-episode production to rely entirely on AI-generated imagery, the series uses groundbreaking technology to bring the extraordinary life, daring feats and enduring legacy of Harry Houdini back to life, allowing the legendary magician to sit down and tell his own story. A trailer can be found here.
In commenting on the series, Petterson said, “FOX Nation is breaking new creative ground by using emerging technology to bring one of history’s most fascinating figures to life for a modern audience. We’re proud to showcase a new form of historical storytelling that allows viewers to experience Houdini’s remarkable life in his own words, while re maining rooted in extensive research and historical accuracy.”
Premiering ahead of the 100th anniversary of Houdini’s death on October 31, 1926, the series imagines the legendary magician performing one final impossible feat: returning from the dead to narrate his own story. Viewers will see Houdini step onto the set of a modern documentary interview, answering questions about his life, career, relationships, and greatest acts. His wife Bess, his mother, brother, friends, reporters, and business associates are also brought to life, speaking through words pulled from diaries, books, correspondence, and historical writings.
To achieve the series’ visual authenticity, the production licensed archival footage and more than 400 historic photographs, which served as source imagery for a team of AI artists. Actors portrayed the principal characters to capture authentic movement, cadence, and performance, while AI technology transformed their appearances to resemble their historical counterparts. The series’ scripts were written entirely by humans, with all historical claims supported by archival research and expert review.
Across three episodes, Houdini: Back from the Dead explores little-known chapters of the magician’s life, including a childhood accident in which he was shot in the hand; his relationship with his mother; a staged rivalry with his brother; his brief ambition to abandon the stage after becoming a pioneering aviator; his fascination with death and near-fatal attempt to escape from a grave; his complicated marriage to Bess; his relationship with author Charmian London; and his crusade against fraudulent spiritualist mediums that resulted in threats against his life.
Houdini: Back from the Dead is produced for FOX Nation by Red Rock Films. Red Rock Films specializes in responsible AI production and works with partners across the production process, including emerging creative technologies, workflow development, rights and clearances.
FOX Nation is a direct-to-consumer on-demand streaming service designed to complement the FOX News Channel experience with a members-only destination for its most passionate and loyal super fans. Launched in 2018, FOX Nation is available at foxnation.com and via app for iOS devices, Android devices, FOX One, Fire TV, Apple TV, Google TV, Android TV, Roku, Xbox One, FuboTV, Vizio TVs, and Samsung TVs, as well as DIRECTV, DIRECTV STREAM, YouTube TV, Comcast Xfinity, Cox Contour, The Roku Channel, DISH and SLING.
Check out the trailer below. And watch for the series to debut on FOX Nation October 14.
Thursday, October 8, 2026
'Inescapable' on CBC Radio, October 12
UPDATE: You can now listen to this HERE.
Cora Parago explores Houdini through the lens of loss and grief in Inescapable on CBC Radio on October 12, 2026. I love seeing our good friend Colleen Bak, author of Pins and Needles: Love Letters to a Dead Magician, on the contributor lineup.
The Great Houdinis turns 50
I thought the best way to mark this anniversary was to link back to all the posts I've done on The Great Houdinis over the lifetime of this blog. And I know what I'll be watching tonight!
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| Syracuse Herald Journal, Oct. 8, 1976. |
Want more? I've shared an extra on my Patreon that nicely captures the time below.
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Wednesday, October 7, 2026
The Linking Ring honors Houdini on October cover
This month's The Linking Ring, the official magazine of the IBM (International Brotherhood of Magicians), has a beautiful portrait of Houdini on its October cover. That's what we like to see! Inside is a terrific article by editor Samuel Patrick Smith on "Houdini's Obsession" (his collections).
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This somewhat makes up for Genii's cover snub this month. MUM, you're up!
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Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Escaping Obscurity reviewed by David Byron
David Byron has reviewed Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897–1899 on his recently revived blog, Baroque Potion. This is the review of my dreams! I just wish I could have characterized the diary and its importance in the book as eloquently as David does in his review. Sample below.
Ehrich Weiss did not keep this travel diary because he was already important, a person whose deeds merited chronicling, someone whose salad days should be documented for posterity and biographers. No, it’s just that printers like The Detroit Free Press routinely manufactured and sold these double-season showbiz diaries, and Houdini bought one and used it to track his bookings because that’s just what itinerant entertainers did, and he wanted to be a pro. Besides, promos from the printer itself insisted that such a date book was “indispensable to theatrical folk.” Precisely because it’s completely free of pretense and hype, this diary offers a vivid, uncontrived look at the genuine daily grind of the Not-Yet-Great Houdini.
I'm currently sold out of the book at my own store, but you can still buy Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897–1899 from Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
Thank you, David!
Monday, October 5, 2026
Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice - The Murder Box Edition
I predicted that Dr. Larrian Gillespie's Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice would be "the spiciest Houdini book of the year," and that has certainly proven to be the case! But for those who like it hot, Larrian is serving up a new dish: The Murder Box Edition.
I will let you discover for yourself what this special edition contains. Just click the image below to begin the investigation.
Sunday, October 4, 2026
My Houdini window card turns 100
The original Houdini window card that hangs in my office turns 100 today. As you can see on the card header, it was on October 4, 1926, that Houdini opened at the Providence Opera House in Providence, Rhode Island. This was part of his second "3 Shows in One" tour. This engagement is generally seen as the beginning of a series of unfortunate events that would culminate in Houdini's death on Halloween.
This is the only original piece of Houdini poster advertising that I own. I was lucky enough to acquire it from a rare discovery of Houdini window cards in Warwick, Rhode Island, back in 2021. Some of you might remember that wild adventure. I went all-in on restoration and framing, and I think it turned out beautiful.
You know, it's funny. I will spend days at David Copperfield's museum, surrounded by gloriously illustrated Houdini posters that fill entire walls. David has this window card. He has several! Yet, when I come home and see this hanging on my wall, I still think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
Happy birthday window card! Now let the journey to Halloween commence.
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