Going ape over Houdini

Here's a fun clipping from the May 7, 1977, The Observer, about the growing popularity of magic. This was during the second year of my Houdini obsession, so I can attest to its accuracy. I even got one of those cool King of Cards posters! (Still have it.)

The Observer (La Grande, Oregon), May 7, 1977.

May 1977... What else happened that month to make kids go ape? Probably nothing.

In what era did you go "ape" for Houdini or magic? Let us know in the comments below.

Related:

• Everyone's first Houdini poster
• My first look at the real Houdini
• The Man From Beyond haunts Hollywood in 1971

Houdini traveling trunk rolls away with $48,000

The bidding was fast and furious at Potter & Potter's auction of Houdiniana and Magic Memorabilia today. As expected, the Houdini traveling trunk, which was featured on the catalog cover, was the top seller at a $48,000 (hammer price).

The real surprise was a 1925 challenge playbill from Gimbel Bros, which sold for a whopping $8000! Most challenges like this sell in the neighborhood for $400. I have no idea why this challenge went so high. Apart from the recognizable Gimbels name, I see nothing special about it. Maybe two deep-pocketed Gimbels collectors were competing?

Many of the Houdini lots in today's auction came from the Kevin Connolly collection. As always, congrats to the buyers.

Related:

• Houdini's spirit cabinet scares up $50K at auction
• This is Houdini's original sub trunk
• A Houdini birthday present from Kevin Connolly

Houdini's spirit trumpet on Ghost Adventures

If you watched the latest episode of Ghost Adventures: The Houdini Seance, you saw I brought a Houdini spirit trumpet to the investigation at the Winchester Mystery House. I did not do a very good job explaining it on the show, so I wanted to do so now, because this is an incredible artifact!

This trumpet belongs to Diego Domingo. Diego acquired this from George Hippisley in 1970, along with Houdini's seance flashlight. Hippisley received it directly from Edward Saint in 1936. When George listed items from his collection for sale in The Linking Ring, Diego got the jump on other collectors and acquired the trumpet and flashlight.

When the show invited me to come to San Jose for an interview, I reached out to Diego and asked if I could bring the trumpet. For this type of show, I knew I needed a good visual. I was thrilled when Diego said yes and grateful that he entrusted me with it. I also brought a signed Magician Among the Spirits and a program from Houdini's spiritualism lecture. But, as expected, the trumpet is what they really flipped for, especially Zak Bagans. For that one night, it was the star of the show!

I should clarify that this isn't the only Houdini spirit trumpet out there. Roger Dreyer's Houdini Revealed museum has a trumpet that best matches some Houdini photos. Fred Pittella has a Houdini trumpet the size of a person. Brandon Hodge has what he believes to be the Benninghofen trumpet. But Diego's trumpet has excellent provenance and shows the ravages of use. And what I said during the show is true. It has never been shown before. So I'm happy to have brought it into the light (so to speak).

As for the episode itself, I thought it was bonkers and an absolute blast! Our great friend George Hardeen was magnificent. I loved it when he said Houdini has been present at every seance; we've just been unable to perceive him. I also loved that they visited Houdini locations in San Francisco to collect "energetic trigger objects." And that photo from the seance and those voices they captured are pretty freaky! They know what they're doing as paranormal investigators and as showmen. Where the line is, I'm not sure. But it's great television.

However, I cringed when I heard myself say, "He was a believer in Spiritualism.” I think what I said was, "He was a believer in Spiritualism in his youth.” Because that is true. It's also true that Houdini always believed in the possibility of spirit communication, although he was very skeptical of people who called themselves mediums and the Spiritualist movement. Sorry Harry.

One thing that didn't make the cut is when we left the "Witches Cap," we became lost in the tangled maze of the house. Nothing to do with ghosts, but it was awesome. It was also near midnight, the very time Houdini himself visited the house.

I tried hard to get the Official Houdini Seance to bring their 2024 seance to Winchester Mystery House to mark the 100th anniversary of Houdini's visit. That didn't work out. So I'm happy to have had an amazing anniversary experience in the house, and I thank Zak Bagans and the Ghost Adventures team for providing that experience. And, of course, a huge thank you to Diego Domingo for allowing me to bring his incredible Houdini spirit trumpet along for the ride!

Ghost Adventures can be seen on Discovery+ and MAX. This episode is also now available on Amazon.com for $2.99 HD or $1.99 SD.

Want more? I've uploaded several high-resolution photos of Diego's Houdini spirit trumpet to my Patreon. You can also see photos of the Winchester Mystery Houses' own Houdini relics.

Related:

• The Houdini way to San Jose
• This is Houdini's seance busting flashlight!
• The Benninghofen confession

Now this is how you do a Houdini Seance!

Okay, this looks like a blast. You can catch me, George Hardeen, and maybe Houdini himself on Ghost Adventures: The Houdini Seance, airing tonight and tomorrow on Discovery. Episodes are also available on Amazon.com.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ghost Adventures (@ghostadventures)

Related:

• Ghost Adventures goes in search of Houdini
• Ghost Adventures: The Houdini Seance airs April 23 & 24
• A Winchester Mystery House mystery...solved?

I hate AI and the feeling appears to be mutual

WILD ABOUT HARRY has just crossed over 16 million pageviews. You know who isn't impressed by that? Google. 15 years, 5782 posts, 21781 comments, and 16 million page views. Yet when I asked Google's generative AI to recommend a good Houdini blog, here's the list I got:

Hey, at least Joe Notaro's Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence made the list. I can't argue with that choice. And to be fair to Google, my blog does very well in the traditional links. It can even land at #1. Which makes the AI results even more bizarre. But as Houdini would say, "Such is life."

Thank you for visiting and supporting WILD ABOUT HARRY over the years. Even you bots!

Related:

• Houdini A.I. is inaccurate, artless, and everywhere
• When AI generates your Houdini facts
• Google is just not into you (Too Clever By Half)

Houdini in Paris

In 1920, Houdini shot footage on the streets of Paris for a film he was planning about counterfeiting. Some of that footage appeared in Haldane of the Secret Service (1923), but a lot never made the cut. Now you can watch nearly 4 minutes of that unused footage on my Patreon.

This is not an exclusive. You can find and view this at Historic Films. But I make things like this easy for patrons!

Related:

• Unpublished Houdini: Street shoot
• Unpublished Houdini: Man of action
• Haldane was here

Who were the holdouts?

The Houdini community is fortunate to have many generous collectors who open their doors to researchers and biographers. I know I have benefited from this generosity. When Ken Silverman was working on his biography, Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss (1996), he was grateful for the help of collectors, and he thanked them in his book.

However, not everyone gave him access. In his sourcebook, NOTES to Houdini!!!, Ken shares the following:

Most collectors generously allowed me to see and quote from material they owned. (I thank them individually in the book.) But to my frustration, two collectors with sizable Houdini holdings gave me only limited access, and two others refused to let me see anything at all. May they live and be well, these folks.

Silverman was clearly miffed, but he was classy enough not to name these individuals. That just makes me all the more curious. Who were they? What were their reasons for denying him access? Ken Silverman was a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer, so he was clearly going to produce a quality Houdini book. And he did.

Below are the individuals that Ken thanks by name in Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss, so we know it's not any of these folks:

No less of my information about Houdini has come from the holdings of private collectors. Tom Boldt of Appleton, Wisconsin, invited me to read investigative reports prepared for Houdini by Rose Mackenberg and Stewart Griscom, Houdini’s account of his visit to Anna Eva Fay, and a hundred-page stenographic record of Houdini’s Philadelphia confrontation with J. Malcolm Bird. Mario Carrandi Jr., of Belle Mead, New Jersey, graciously allowed me to take notes on Houdini’s quarrelsome correspondence with Martin Beck, and to examine rare cabinet photographs of Houdini. From the large collection of the late Milbourne Christopher (1914-84)— magician and historian of magic—Mrs. Maurine Christopher permitted me to select for study manuscripts that include some of Houdini’s letters to Will Goldston, Harry Kellar, and others, and Houdini’s draft of A Magician Among the Spirits. David Copperfield gave me entry to his magic museum in Las Vegas, housing many of Houdini’s notes on tricks, his wax cylinder recording of patter for the Water Torture Cell, and many unique Houdini posters, lockpicks, and photos. I spent a full day at the home of David Meyer in Glenwood, Illinois, researching his choice scrapbook of clippings and personal memorabilia amassed by Houdini between 1900 and 1905. Stanley Palm of Brooklyn, New York, gave me unlimited consultation of a scrapbook gathered by Houdini in the 1890s and of Houdini’s first diary (ca. 1878-79)—key items in my account of Houdini’s early career. Most of Houdini’s other diaries—indispensable to writing his biography—are owned by a collector who generously allowed me to read them but wishes to remain anonymous.

Other collectors who own and have furnished me with original Houdini material are Roger W. Barrett, Marie Blood, John Bryce, Jr., Mike Caveney, Kevin Connolly, James Crossini, Patrick Culliton, Frank Dailey, John Daniel, Paul Daniels, Edwin A. Dawes, David De-Val, Diego Domingo, Roger E. Dreyer, John Gaughan, Ron Hilgert, Edward Hill, John Hinson, Don Hinz, Volker Huber, Ann M. James, Gene Keeney, Dorothy Young Kiamie, Ken Klosterman, George S. Lowry, William Mcllhany, Arthur E. Moses, Henry Muller, Norm Nielsen, Fulton Oursler, Jr., Charles Reynolds, Tom Rozoff, Stephen Sparks, the late Manny Weltman, and Herb Zarrow. They all have my liveliest gratitude, although my exact debt to each is made clear only in the full notes.

Others from whom I received valuable information about Houdini include Barbara Belford, John Booth, Dick Brooks, Mildred L. Buckley, David Charvet, Ormus Davenport (Ira Davenport’s great-grandson), Dorothy Dietrich, Carol Durgin, Tom Ewing, Jack Flosso, Ken Force, Stephen James Forrester, Lewis Frumkes, Alfred Holden, Ricky Jay, Walter Johnson, S. T. Joshi, Frank Koval, Kathy Leab, Bill Liles, Norman Mailer, Brooks McNamara, Marion Meade, Joel Miller, Ona Nowina-Sapinsky, Dr. James G. Ravin, Mrs. Alfred W. Roberts, David Roth, Clarice Stasz, Ken Trombly, the late M. Samuel White (Houdini’s nephew). Dr. Richard Wresch, and W. Gordon Yadon.

You might notice that Sidney Radner is not on this list. But that's because he was given his own thank you paragraph. One person, now deceased, is conspicuously absent. I strongly suspect he was one of the holdouts. But absence from this list does not necessarily identify the holdouts. Heck, I'm not on this list! And some people who are active today might not have been active in the early to mid-1990s.

Anyway, I've often puzzled over this, especially as I travel many of the same roads that Silverman traveled. It's also an intriguing part of this important book's legacy as we near its 30th anniversary.

Silverman with Sid Radner in 1991.

Related:

• Kenneth Silverman, 1936 - 2017
• What is the best Houdini biography?
• Ken Silverman at the CJM: "Houdini was the first modern magician."

Expedition Files: The Real Cause of Houdini's Death

Well lookie here. Season 2 of the Discovery series Expedition Files with Josh Gates has an episode about Houdini's death. I was almost going to skip this one until I saw that it features this serious young man. 

For the record, I did not "discover a lost trove of letters hidden in Houdini's archive." This letter was in Wayne Wissner's The Houdini Correspondence File, and I first shared my thoughts about it HERE. But it is a legit, unreported aspect of Houdini's final days. It's just presented here with a bit of showbiz and cheese.

You can watch Expedition Files on Discovery. Seasons are also eventually uploaded to Amazon Prime.

Related:

• Did a contract clause kill Houdini?
• The Albany accident
• The Houdini Correspondence File

Ghost Adventures: The Houdini Seance airs April 23 & 24

Ghost Adventures season 21, episode 12, The Houdini Seance, will air April 23 & 24 on Discovery. Zak Bagans and the gang go in search of Houdini at the historic Winchester Mystery House with our friend George Hardeen. I was also along for the ride with a unique Houdini artifact courtesy of Diego Domingo. It was pretty wild!

On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini's midnight visit to the fabled Winchester Mystery House, Zak and a team of paranormal experts attempt to summon the legendary magician's spirit. Will escaping death’s grip be Houdini's greatest trick?

Now, how one goes about watching anything on traditional cable these days is the real mystery. But you can start HERE.

Related:

• Ghost Adventures goes in search of Houdini
• The Houdini way to San Jose
• A Winchester Mystery House mystery...solved?

Philip Yordan, the man who wrote Houdini (1953)

While working on a recent installment of Deconstructing Houdini '53, I realized that I rarely mention screenwriter Philip Yordan by name, even though the series is basically all about his work on the movie. In fact, I never even looked him up to see what else he may have done. As it turns out, Yordan had a very full career with over 100 credits, including Dillinger, El Cid, King of Kings, and Broken Lance, for which he won an Oscar. But there was one factoid that instantly jumped out at me.

Philip Yordan died on March 24, 2003. Houdini's 129th birthday!

I also found an excellent profile of Yordan in the Nov/Dec 2009 Noir City Sentile. I've shared that on my Patreon.

Check out my series Deconstructing Houdini '53, in which I bring to light the many hidden accuracies of this first and, IMO, still the best Houdini biopic.

Related:

• Oscar's Houdini alumni
• A scene from Ray Stark's 'Houdini'
• 'Houdini' nominated for WGA award

Henry Marcus does the Overboard Box in 1907

Today, we have a new contender for who first did the Overboard Box.

On Aug. 6, 1907, the Cleveland Plain Dealer advertised that Henry Marcus would be nailed into a packing case and "thrown" into the lagoon at Luna Park. This is six years before Houdini's first overboard box and three years before Hanco did the stunt with a trunk in Australia. At this time, Houdini was just beginning to do bridge jumps as his main outdoor feat.

The Plain Dealer, Aug 6, 1907.

Did Marcus go through with the escape? Try as I might, I couldn't find any follow-up, nor could I find confirmation of Marcus appearing at Luna Park. It appears Luna Park was in competition with White City, another summer resort, which was featuring "Sensational Free Acts" by Capt. E.C. Wilson. Luna also advertised "Free Open Air Acts." Was the Marcus stunt one of those free acts?

The Plain Dealer, Aug 8, 1907.

Houdini was spending the summer months at home in New York when Marcus did this stunt. He would not play Cleveland again until March 1908. So if this was a one-off stunt, Houdini may have never learned of it. But he was aware of Marcus himself. In the April 15, 1907 issue of the Conjurers' Monthly Magazine, we read:

Marcus, "The man in the box," is featuring Houdini's packing case trick and is industriously seeking engagements. When last heard he was in Coxsackie, N.Y.

If someone wants to take up the challenge and try to find Marcus doing his overboard box anywhere else, I'd love to hear what you find. For the moment, we can add this to the mysterious origins of the Houdini Blackstone Hanco Marcus overboard box.

Related:

• Hanco scoops Houdini (or perhaps Blackstone)
• Houdini's overboard box footage identified at last!
• The Overboard Box

$5000 Houdini pen because why not

Here's more high-end Houdini-inspired merchandise for people with more money than...well, for people with money. I do think this is pretty cool, but at 5K, I'll have to stick with my Sharpie.

Step into the world of magic and illusion with the Montegrappa Icons Harry Houdini Limited Edition Rollerball Pen. Part of Montegrappa’s acclaimed Icons series, this enchanting limited edition celebrates the legendary illusionist and escape artist, Harry Houdini, known for his incredible feats of escapology. With only 150 pieces of this remarkable rollerball pen being produced, this is an exclusive opportunity to own a piece of history, ready to break free from the ordinary.

You can get more info and see more pics at Appelboom. Buy one for each day of the week!

Related:

• Dunhill's Harry Houdini Commemorative Pipe
• Houdini's Water Torture Cell 1 oz Silver Coin
• The 'Houdini House Pen' gets it write

Pins and Needles: Love Letters to a Dead Magician

The 2025 Houdini book boom continues with Pins and Needles: Love Letters to a Dead Magician, a chapbook of Houdini poetry by our good friend Colleen Bak. You can buy it for $10 from Bottlecap Press. Colleen loves Houdini and has always been a huge supporter of this site. Let's share the love!

Congratulations Colleen!

Related:

• A Braid of Frost and Felt
• Houdini's handcuffs come out of their case
• Houdini book of poetry from 1933

Dean Robbins chronicles 100 Wisconsin Idols

The new book, Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me, begins with author Dean Robbins talking about the hero who started it all.

"I've been collecting personal heroes since second grade, when I saw a TV broadcast of the 1953 biopic Houdini. I marveled over the magician's penchant for busting out of sealed crates in coffins and, in homage, I spent hours wiggling out of towels I directed my sister to tie tightly around my wrists and ankles. With Houdini, I established a process I would follow with countless other idols: reading their biographies, hanging their posters on my bedroom wall, and trying to figure out what made them tick."

Unfortunately, and inexplicably, the book does not include Houdini on its cover, nor does he get a mention in the jacket blurb. But he is in the book as hero #51.

You can buy Wisconsin Idols: 100 Heroes Who Changed the State, the World, and Me on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Somebody's missing!

Related:

• Dean Robbins - Houdini in Wisconsin
• Wisconsinite Gene Wilder dies at 83
• LINK: Does Appleton or Milwaukee have the right to claim Houdini as its own?

The tragic death of Lyda Hyman

Here's an account of the tragic death of silent movie actress Dorothy Dale, whose real name was Lyda Hyman. Lyda was the wife of Jacob Hyman, Houdini's long-time friend and first performing partner. The paper even topped the story with a photo of the Houdinis and the Hymans.

Citizen News, May 14, 1957

Not to diminish the human tragedy here, but one can't help wondering if any precious Houdini mementos went up in flames or were among the items dumped "out into the driveway."

Below is the site of Lyda Hyman's home today.

Want more? This article appeared on the front page of Citizen News, a regional Los Angeles paper that served Hollywood and the valley. I've shared the full front page on my Patreon, along with an alternate photo of the Houdinis and Hymans.

Related:

• Uncovering the grave of Houdini's first "Brother"
• Jacob Hyman aka J.H. Houdini
• Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire

Champions of Magic get their Houdini on

This is fun. Some nice Houdini references, and I've had the pleasure of meeting three of these four magicians. Ladies and gentlemen, the Champions of Magic!

You can buy tickets and check out tour dates for the Champions of Magic at their website.

Doyle & Houdini comic from Spain

Doyle & Houdini is a new comic from Spain by Lluís Recasens (L'Avi), drawings by Manel Cruz, and text by Josep Lluís Martín Berbois. It runs 68 pages and is published by Amaniaco ediciones. It's the second in a series about Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

You can purchase Doyle & Houdini at the Amaniaco website, where you can also see sample artwork.

Related:

• The true story of Houdini & Doyle
• Houdini & Doyle - Episode Guide
• Houdini & Doyle S.A.M. banquet footage appears like magic

DIARY BOOK COVER REVEAL! (update)

Today, I'm thrilled to reveal the cover of my upcoming book annotating Houdini's first travel diary. I think you will all agree, this is magical.

Dear Diary: The Hopes, Dreams, and Secret Loves of Harry Houdini is at the printer and on track for a late summer 2025 release from Mike Caveney's Magic Words.

UPDATE: Just an April Fools Day joke, folks. But it is true that the book is at the printers and will be out this summer. 👏

Related:

• You will soon be able to read Houdini's first diary
• Listen to the new Houdini voice audio!
• The Magic Castle announces name change

Houdini and the wardrobe trunk

Did Houdini invent the wardrobe trunk? He did if you ask him! The full story behind this strange claim has finally come to light. I've shared it as a Patreon History Exclusive below.

Related:

• The saga of Houdini and Dr. A. M. Wilson
• LINK: Harry Houdini Was an Ingenious Inventor, He Just Didn't Want Anybody to Know
• Harry Houdini - Toymaker

Hardeen's last bow

We all know the details of Houdini's last performance at the Garrick Theater in Detroit. But what about Hardeen's last show? On what stage did he take his final bow? Until now, I only knew that it was in Ridgewood, New York, on May 29, 1945. So I decided to do a little digging and was surprised to find Bob Hope!

Brooklyn Eagle, May 29, 1945.

If you look carefully at this ad, which ran in several New York papers on May 29, 1945, you'll see "Hardeen & others" in very small print along the side. 

This points to the RKO Madison Theater, located at 54-30 Myrtle Avenue in the Ridgewood area of Queens. The below confirms that.

It appears this was a one-day performance at the Madison, which was primarily a movie theater. But while waiting for the new Bob Hope film to arrive, you could catch a day of old-time vaudeville. It's interesting to think of how Hardeen's career spanned the history of vaudeville, from its beginnings at theaters like the Imperial to its decline as a one-day novelty at theaters like the RKO Madison.

It was during this final show that Hardeen named Douglas Geoffrey his successor, "Hardeen Jr." The next day, he went into Doctors Hospital for an operation. He never came out.

The RKO Madison opened in 1927 as the Keith-Albee Madison Theatre. It featured vaudeville and movies. It dropped vaudeville as a regular feature in 1932 when it became part of RKO. But its large stage was still sometimes used for live performances. In 1966, escape artist Mario Manzini performed there. 

The Madison became a grindhouse in the 1970s and closed in 1978. But the building still stands today as the Liberty Department Stores. Where Hardeen took his last bow.

Related:

• Hardeen dies at Doctors Hospital in 1945
• The untold story of Hardeen Jr.
• The end of the road...

The Magic Castle reorganizes with Houdini's help

The Academy of Magical Arts and Magic Castle Enterprises have signed a new agreement to share in the responsibilities and profits of the world's famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. The deal was signed in the newly refurbished Houdini Seance Room using a Houdini House Pen. A good way to start!

A new era begins! ✨ It’s official—the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) and Magic Castle Enterprises (MCE) have signed the Resolution Implementation Agreement! This landmark agreement secures a vibrant future for the Magic Castle, preserving its legacy and ensuring that magic, artistry, and community continue to thrive for generations to come.

Photography by @danapleasantphotography from The Magic Castle Facebook page.

Related:

• The 'Houdini House Pen' gets it write
• Randy Pitchford purchases The Magic Castle
• Los Angeles fires temporarily threaten Magic Castle

Ghost Adventures goes in search of Houdini

Check out this promo for the upcoming season of the popular Ghost Adventures. Zak Bagans and the gang are going in search of Houdini at the historic Winchester Mystery House.

Prepare for the most intense season yet. Ghosts, witches, and a historic séance with a blood relative of Houdini. This is uncharted territory. A new season of #GhostAdventures Wednesday, April 16 on Discovery!

You can see that our friend George Hardeen is part of the action. I also traveled to San Jose to participate in the investigation. I'm not sure if I made the final cut, but we'll see. Did we encounter any spirits? You'll have to tune in for the answer!

Related:

• The Houdini way to San Jose
• A Winchester Mystery House mystery...solved?
• Houdini found at the Winchester Mystery House

Houdini turns 151

We just wrapped up Houdini's birthday celebration on Zoom with Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum and a great gathering of Houdini nuts. We went for five hours and I think everyone had a good time, especially the guy below.

Below are some links to new books we discussed, including The Cancer of Superstition, which releases today!

The Cancer of Superstition

The Amazing Exploits of Houdini 

Houdini Adaptations

Houdini The Ultimate Trivia Compendium

Houdini The Ultimate Trivia Compendium (Collectors Edition)

Growing Up With Houdini

Art of Escape 

Houdini and Me

Les mémoires extraordinaires de Harry Houdini

Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency

and

Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899

Thanks to Michael Albright and The Magic Castle Facebook page for the above image.

Come wish Harry a Happy Birthday on Zoom

Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz at the Houdini Museum in Scranton in association with the S.A.M will once again be holding a birthday celebration for Houdini live on ZOOM. You can join the fun on Monday, March 24, at 1:00 PM ET. Details below. Hope to see you there!

🎉 Houdini Birthday Celebration 🎂

March 24, 2025 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)  

Join Zoom Meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85603420717?pwd=meunY1A8vvBDUvWZLEuVwy0bVr8ubf.1   

Meeting ID: 856 0342 0717

Passcode: 653777

Deconstructing Houdini '53: Come in, spirits

Continuing my scene-by-scene dissection of Houdini (1953). Last time, we discovered what Houdini had been doing in seclusion for two whole years. Now, we join him in his strange quest to reach the Beyond...

Chapter 21: Come in, spirits

Most people fault Houdini (1953) for creating the myth of (spoilers!) Houdini dying in the Water Torture Cell. But the far more pernicious myth to come out of the film is the idea that Houdini's mother's death is what led directly to his involvement in spiritualism. The truth is Houdini's interest in spiritualism goes all the way back to the beginning of his magic career, and his crusade against fraud mediums came ten years after his mother's death. As far as I know, he did not attend any seances immediately after her demise.

However, his mother's death provides such a perfect narrative link to spiritualism that screenwriter Philip Yordan fused the two, and later screenwriters and documentarians all followed suit. Thus, the idea is still ingrained in the minds of the public today.

Having got that bit of business out of the way, let's go to a séance!

We drop into the scene mid-séance as Harry, Bess, and reporter Simms sit around a table with an unnamed medium played by Mabel Paige. She intones, "Come in, spirits. Come in, spirits." And they do! Spirit hands, a tambourine, and a spirit trumpet all float through the air. A veiled entity whips past the sitters. Mr. Simms looks ready to bolt, but Bess tells him to remain steady.

Suddenly, the French doors burst open, and the spirit of a woman floats just outside the window. The strains of "The Golden Years," which we first heard when Harry and Mama danced in Germany, mysteriously plays in the room. This manifestation is the grand finale as the medium wavers and then faints, her head falling atop the table with a thunk.

After the lights come on, the attendees discuss what they saw. Bess says the spirit in the garden "did bear a resemblance to Mama," and Houdini notes that the waltz they heard was his mother's favorite song. The medium tells them they are fortunate, as most first sessions produced nothing. "It usually takes several before the receptive vibration is established."

I always found it amusing that they only discuss the music and apparition in the garden and not the far more baffling manifestations that preceded this. Of course, those were done via optical effects in post-production. I would be interested to know if they even appear in the script. They may have been added after the fact to provide the séance with some more spooky thrills.

The French doors burst open again. This time, Otto comes in holding a man, Kit Guard, who has the "Mama" spirit apparition on his head. Houdini then pulls a microphone down from the chandelier. He then fishes under the table with his foot until he finds the trigger that starts the music, which is supplied by a phonograph hidden in a chair. Busted!

A bemused Simms asks Houdini if all mediums are fakes. Houdini quickly answers, "No, I'm sure there are those who are sincere and believe what they're doing. I just haven't found them yet."

This sentiment isn't too far from Houdini's real statements. However, I sense this line is in the movie to head off potential controversy. If so, it worked. As far as I know, Houdini (1953) did not draw any ire from the Spiritualism community.

As they depart, the medium looks to her accomplice and whacks him hard, barking, "Take that thing off!" Funny.

So did this kind of thing happen? Absolutely. However, it happened far less than most people think. While Houdini attended hundreds of séances, he rarely exposed mediums on the spot. He would generally thank the medium but say that he hadn't seen anything "evidentiary" and depart. However, there were a few high-profile exposés that did play out on the spot and drew headlines as a result.

Speaking of headlines, we now get Montage #3, beginning with the "What's become of Houdini?" layout now filled in with his spirit exposures. Notice there are dates visible on these newspaper pages. The first is dated March 2, 1922, which is pretty accurate to the start of Houdini's public activities related to Spiritualism. 

If you look closely, you can see three illustrations from Houdini's Margery pamphlet on the page below. So, technically, the famous Margery does appear in Houdini '53!

We then see a headline touting Houdini's $25,000 challenge for proof of contact with the spirit world. This one is dated August 28, 1924, and is generally accurate, although Houdini's personal bounty was $10,000.

We end with a headline in Billboard dated September 11, 1925: "Houdini Returns to Magic: Goes on Tour." Notice the cigar in the astray and the shadow of the telephone, suggesting this is the desktop of a showbiz bigshot. Martin Beck or E.F. Albee maybe?

While the date here is accurate to the launch of Houdini's first "3 Shows in One" tour, spiritualism remained a big part of his life and act. But as far as Houdini '53 is concerned, his time among the spirits is now over.

Want more? I have a special epilogue to this installment on my Patreon. Click below for a quick trip to the afterlife.

Click to see all chapters of Deconstructing Houdini '53

Related:

• The Cecil M. Cook exposé
• The Pecoraro Files
• Mama's death and the birth of a myth