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| Ken Trombly Collection |
However, Hardeen's inheritance was not unconditional. Houdini's Will contained a curious stipulation that I rarely see discussed. Hardeen could only inherit the show if his sons were confirmed in the Jewish faith within three months. I recently came across an article in which Hardeen himself explained the reasons behind this.
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| The Herald Statesman, Nov 16, 1926. |
Hardeen appears to have adhered to his late brother's wish, and he began his tour on January 17, 1927, in Bridgeport, CT. He continued to perform as "Houdini Legal Successor" until his own death in 1945.
While none of Hardeen's children or their offspring went into magic, we are fortunate today to have his grandson, George Hardeen, son of Harry Hardeen, looking after the legacy of Houdini and his grandfather.
I wonder if it was because Hardeen's wife was not Jewish? Or was she? If she was not, then I can see Houdini's concern. If the mother is Jewish, I believe the children are automatically Jewish.
ReplyDeleteShe was not. It's my understand none of the brothers had Jewish wives.
DeleteThat must have been the reason why Houdini wanted his two nephews to keep the faith.
DeleteSince Judaism is passed through the maternal line, offspring would not have been Jewish by birth and would have had to go through a conversion. Maybe that's why Houdini wanted this?
DeleteAny ideas where the gold watch is that Wilhelm gave to Houdini…. Then Houdini gave to Hardeen?
ReplyDeleteThis is the first I've ever heard about.
DeleteMy interest has been the wristwatch given to Houdini by a NY newspaper as a gift for a weekly column he was writing for that periodical. I only have seen photos of him wearing that watch on one occasion, his August 1926 underwater stunt at the NY Shelton hotel pool. I would love to know what happened to it. I’ve sent the blurry photos to antique watch experts I know and they could not determine its manufacturer. They remarked that the very large crown made it a unique timepiece.
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