Houdini LIVED in Appleton last week

The Society of American Magicians held its National Convention in Appleton, Wisconsin, last week. The convention honored Houdini and the 100th Anniversary of his death in his beloved adopted hometown. I can honestly say it was the most fun I've ever had at a magic convention. It helped that Houdini was everywhere.

The convention was too big for me to cover here. I also kept my focus on Houdini events and Appleton activities, so I didn't attend all the lectures and shows the convention had to offer. For that, I recommend listening to Scott Wells' thorough coverage at The Magic Word Podcast. Here, I'll share my own Houdini highlights.

I should say up front that everything I did was in the company of Joe Notaro (who you all know from his blog Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence) and Narinder Chadda. Narinder has been a long-time reader of my blog and a patron who came all the way from England for this event. It was such a pleasure meeting him and sharing this incredible adventure together.

Narinder, Joe, Harry, and I are ready for action!

I arrived in Appleton on Tuesday (June 30). As soon as I walked into the Hilton Paper Valley Hotel, my heart stopped at the sight of several original Houdini posters in the lobby. These came from the Tom Boldt collection and were breathtaking. I then met up with Joe and Narinder, and we instantly went to Houdini Plaza, which was just a block from the hotel. The last time I was in Appleton was in 1998, before the plaza's renovation. The new plaza is terrific. Apart from this, Appleton seemed largely unchanged to me. My hotel room looked out over the city and a beautiful church that stood when the Weiss family lived here from 1878 to 1882.

That evening was a pre-convention event with Dorothy Dietrich and Bruce Kalver discussing the Houdini seances. Bruce also discussed how he once staged a Lizzie Borden seance in the murder house itself. Always great to see Dorothy and Dick Brookz. A perfect way to start.

DAY 1 (July 1)

This was the first official day of the convention. The morning events were devoted to SAM business, so Joe, Narinder, and I made a beeline for the History Museum at the Castle. Admission was free for all convention attendees. The museum had put up an extra Houdini display in a glass case in the lobby with their early Houdini scrapbook, tools from Houdini's Trunk No. 8, an artifact from the days of Rabbi Weiss, and other treasures. Very nice.

Special display at the History Museum at the Castle.

The museum's AKA Houdini exhibit was terrific and told Houdini's story very well with interactive displays. I particularly like the cut-out Milk Can, accurate to the size of Houdini's can (which the museum had in the 1990s). You can experience what it's like inside, and it's tight! Check out the photo on the right. As Houdini might say, "Look how poorly I fitted."

I have to say, all the hubbub about the museum's "exposure" of Metamorphosis is overblown. It really doesn't expose anything. It has a side door on the box so kids can slip in and out when the curtain is drawn. It's harmless fun, IMO.

I then had the pleasure of meeting Dustin Mack, the museum's Executive Director. Dustin and I have exchanged emails, but this is our first face-to-face meeting. He is young and enthusiastic, and has a lot of love for Houdini and plans for the future. Likewise, Erin Comer, the Education & Collections Manager, is conducting new research on Houdini and Appleton. I'm so happy to see a new generation with a passion for Houdini running the History Museum at the Castle. It's in good hands.

Speaking of good hands, Dustin removed the Houdini scrapbook from the display case and let me page through the entire thing as he, Joe, and Narinder looked on. This scrapbook spans 1894 to 1900 and is packed with incredible newspaper clippings and images. We made discoveries, and I found a few images that I just have to add to my new book. (I'm in the process of doing that now.) Seeing this scrapbook was a highlight of the trip. Thank you, Dustin!

Dustin Mack, PhD, with the Houdini scrapbook.

In the museum lobby, we ran into Dean Gunnarson and Terry Roses and had a great conversation. I know Dean from email, but we always miss each other while shooting various TV interviews. So it was great to finally meet him in person. 

Meeting up with Dean Gunnarson and Terry Roses.

Joe, Narinder, and I then went to find the new location of Richard C. Wolter's Metamorphosis sculpture, which once stood in Houdini Plaza. We then took a walk along the Fox River, where young Ehrich Weiss is said to have almost drowned. It was a hot and humid, but still a beautiful day in a beautiful city.

Metamorphosis

The Fox River

We arrived back at the hotel for a "Harry and Bess Welcome Party." I also hit the dealer's room for the first time. There, I greeted friends such as Larrian Gillespie, who was there with her book Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice. This was the official release day for the book, and I'm excited to read it. Kent Cummins was there with his new book, I Want To Be Like Houdini. Mike Caveney had a table selling his books, including our own Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. (He sold out.) There was a table devoted to a new Houdini documentary being made by the SAM called Houdini Unbound. It was also great to see Houdini family members Jeff and Debbie Blood had a table.

Debbie and Jeff Blood

Treasures from the SAM Hall of Fame Museum

Across from the dealer's room was another room called the "museum." Here, the SAM displayed Houdini artifacts from its own collection (The SAM Hall of Fame), including three incredible handcuff boards made by Edward Saint for the Final Houdini Seance in 1936. I'd seen these under glass, but now I could get up close to them and to the Russian Manacle. Wow. Dorothy Dietrich and Tom Ewing also had treasures on display. The SAM had also brought in two Houdini pinball machines to play.

Narinder Chadda, Pinball Wizard

That evening was "The HER Show" with Julia Dryas, Tiffany Sauvage, Cydney Kaplan, Alyx Hilshey, and Lyn Dillies. It was a great show. I was intrigued to see Tiffany's revival of The Georgia Wonder act. I also really enjoyed the elegant and confident work of young Julia Dryas. Again, I'm very happy to see the blossoming of a new generation with a love for Houdini. The future is in good hands.

That night, Joe, Narinder, Dorothy, Dick, and I ate in the hotel restaurant, which had "Houdini" beer on tap (although we only discovered this later). Dorothy and I had a spirited conversation about spiritualism and conducted a few experiments at the table. But Houdini declined to join us.

Houdini on tap!

DAY 2 (July 2)

Today was officially "Houdini Day," as proclaimed by Appleton's Mayor Jake Woodford. It kicked off with a public event in Houdini Plaza that was well covered by the media. There was a world-record chain escape (which we missed – my fault), an escape from a water drum by Dean Gunnarson, and a 100-foot suspended straitjacket escape by Houdini II. Seeing these escapes in person is much more suspenseful and frightening than one expects. Houdini II arrived in a hearse, which I thought was a terrific bit of ballyhoo.

Houdini II's ride

Suspended straitjacket escape by Houdini II!

Dean Gunnarson's water can escape.

Dean brought his Milk Can, which he inherited from The Amazing Randi and performed for many years. This is also the Milk Can Fonzie escaped from on Happy Days, for those who remember that. We moved the can over to the Houdini bust and took pictures. Again, Dorothy suggested we try to contact Houdini. While we were having our moment of silence, a young man walked up looking for something he had left at the bust. Was he the sign? I asked him his birthday. March 22. So close!

Posing with Dean's famed Milk Can.

It was then time for the "Houdini Family Interview" with George Hardeen, Debra Hardeen Bloom, and Jeff and Debbie Blood. It was a wonderful panel moderated by Bruce Kalvar. Jeff and Debbie also showed photos from their collection, including some I have never seen before.

Houdini Family panel.

Rare image from the Blood Collection.

After this, Joe, Narinder, and I returned to the History Museum at the Castle for a Houdini Walking Tour led by Erin Comer. It was an excellent tour filled with information about Houdini in Appleton that I didn't know! For example, the Opera House where Houdini performed in 1897 stood across the street from the Weiss family's home in what is today Houdini Plaza. Erin also showed us the site of the police station where Houdini escaped handcuffs in 1897. It's all on the same two blocks. 

Site of the Appleton police station.

When we arrived at Temple Zion, we met up with another group being led by magician, author, and speaker Paul Draper. Until this trip, I didn't know that Rabbi Weiss had been invited back to Appleton to dedicate the Temple. This suggests that even though he had been let go, there were no hard feelings.

Temple Zion

We had to dash back to the hotel to catch a screening of The Grim Game with musical accompaniment by magician John Sturk. It's always a treat to watch that film with an audience and live music. After the screening, I asked George Hardeen what he thought. He smiled with that amazing family smile and said, "I thought it was long." Haha.

After the movie, I peeled away from Joe and Narinda and rested up before my presentation with Mike Caveney that evening. It was the last event of a very long day, but I was happy to see so many people still turned out. When I arrived, I saw the room had been rechristened the "Harry Houdini Theater." Or maybe it was this the entire time and I just never noticed it before.

Our talk was billed obliquely as "Houdini History and Interview." Mike and I talked about our Houdini adventures, especially the transfers we made in 2023 of the Houdini voice cylinders in David Copperfield's collection. I then surprised everyone by playing selections from the never-heard German voice cylinder. I hadn't told anyone, even the SAM, that I planned to do this. Only Mike and David Copperfield knew. I'm happy I was able to offer SAM members this special piece of Houdini history. 

I also revealed the cover of my new book, Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900–1909. I think the talk went over really well.

Mike and I doing our thing.

DAY 3 (July 3)

I was incredibly tired on Day 3, so I stayed at the hotel and just enjoyed the convention. David Copperfield called me and asked how the presentation went. I was happy to tell him it went great and that everyone loved and appreciated his contribution. I then caught up with Scott Wells, and we did an interview. I always look forward to seeing Scott at conventions. I've linked to Scott's full convention coverage above, but I've excerpted my own interview for my patrons below.

The day seemed to fly by, and that evening we went back to the offsite theater for the big "Magic Opera" show with world-class magicians Christopher Hart, Shawn Farquhar, Puck, and John Shryock & Mari Lynn. The show was hosted by Mike Caveney, who did several of his best and most hysterical routines. It was FANTASTIC! It was like two Magic Castle parlor shows combined. One of the better magic shows I've ever seen. This is the quality of show Houdini would put together for the SAM. Bravo.

The only picture I took that day was the sunset from my room.

DAY 4 (July 4)

The day started with a "Houdini Fun Run" through Appleton. I decide to sit it out and work on some blog posts. But Joe, Narinder, Dorthy, and Dick hit the streets at 7:45am! Young people...

Joe, Narinder, and I then received a very special treat. Tom Boldt, Houdini collector, historian, Appleton native, and all-around great guy, gave us a personal tour of several new Houdini plaques. He showed us Houdini locations that were well off the walking tour, such as the courthouse where Rabbi Weiss was naturalized. Tom is being deal in Appleton, although he is too modest to admit this. But from the moment one touches down in Appleton, the name of Boldt (Construction) is everywhere.

Tom Boldt, Legend!

Tom really loves his hometown. He brought us to the Hearthstone Historic House Museum, where we got a VIP tour from the director himself. This was the first home in the United States with electric light powered by hydroelectricity. Fascinating. It also provided fresh insight into the German population in Appleton at the time of the Weiss family. The German-speaking Rabbi Weiss would not have been as handicapped by his inability to speak English as is commonly believed. Appleton was filled with German speakers and had three German-language newspapers at the time (it had only two English-language papers).

Tom then showed us some wonderful city features, such as the former paper mills and the Fox River locks. We happened to arrive when a boat had just gone through the locks, so I got to close the doors. I think I found my new calling. We then went to Telulah Park, which Houdini often mentioned. In fact, Houdini pasted a photograph of himself and Hardeen in the park in his 1904 diary.

Doing some honest work for a change.

Narinder, Tom, and Joe at Telulah Park.

Seems like I always end up in a cemetery, and that's where we ended this tour. But I was very excited about this. Tom took us to the grave of Rabbi F.J. Salomon in the old Jewish cemetery. This is the man who replaced Rabbi Weiss in 1882. The arrival of Rabbi Salomon (another German speaker, btw) led to the Weiss family leaving Appleton (cast out of paradise?) and falling on hard times, which helped shape and toughen young Ehrich Weiss. Rabbi Salomon is here with his wife and son. This is an unknown but very significant piece of Appleton Houdini history. Thank you, Tom.

The graves of Rabbi Salomon and wife.

Back at the hotel, we had a great conversation with Paul Draper about Rabbi Weiss and various Houdini topics. Narinder also paged through my entire book (I had a PDF on my computer). He seemed to like it!

It was then time for the big final banquet. Because I was part of the "talent," my table would be randomly selected for me. By coincidence, I wound up sitting with the Houdini family. During the banquet, SAM President Matthew Crabtree handed the gavel over to the new president, Michael J. Heckenberger. It was pointed out that the SAM membership was at an all-time high. I was also pleased to hear that this convention had sold out for the first time in many years. Did Houdini's name have anything to do with that? (I think so.) A show by Jonathan Neal finished up the evening.

George Hardeen gets into the spirit.

Following the banquet, Joe, Narinder, Tom Boldt, Paul Draper, and I had a final drink at the hotel bar and called it a night. But before I went to my room, I decided to walk to Houdini Plaza to say a private goodbye to Houdini and the city. It was largely abandoned, and I could hear fireworks still going off in the distance. When I walked near the spot where the Houdini home once stood (marked by a patch of grass), a rabbit suddenly appeared. It stared at me the entire time I walked the plaza.

As I said at the start, this was the best time I've ever had at a magic convention. From what I saw, everything came off without a hitch. A huge congratulations to "ICE" McDonald, who I know worked VERY hard to make this a fantastic convention. Ice and the SAM treated me like a king, and the attendees were among the friendliest I've ever encountered. I confess that when I went into this, I wasn't a member of the SAM. That has changed. I'm now proud member No. 50225. 

Magic – Unity – Might.

Want more? I will be sharing more photos, including pics of the many historic Houdini plaques, on my Patreon.

Related:

• Appleton S.A.M. convention surprise
• Appleton launches "Year of Houdini" celebration
• Let's all go to Appleton next year!