"An Open Letter to Harry Houdini"

Repost from May 13, 2022, with an update.

Here's a curiosity from the September 11, 1925 Pittsburg Post. I'd love to know whether this "Open Letter" was the Aldine Theater manager's idea alone, or if he and Houdini cooked it up together as a nice bit of cross-promotion. Houdini was performing his "3 Shows in One" at the Alvin Theater in Pittsburgh this week.

The Pittsburgh Press, Sept. 11, 1925

Did Houdini take Mr. Sidney up on his offer? Afraid I don't know the answer, but I'm sure the medium-debunking theme of the movie would have met with his approval.

Despite being a work by Dracula and Freaks director Tod Browning, today, Wikipedia calls The Mystic "a little-known film with a cast of now-forgotten names."

UPDATE: The Mystic has now been released on Blu-ray as part of a special 3-film set of Tod Browning films that includes Freaks (1932) and The Unknown (1927). Below is a review from one of my favorite YouTubers. He does long and very technical reviews. The Mystic is the first of the three films he reviews.  Learning more about the plot, this certainly does seem to be a film that would have interested Houdini, and one he would have supported.

You can buy Tod Browning's Sideshow Shockers on Blu-ray and DVD at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• The Grimm Life Collective: Houdini in Pittsburgh
• Houdini helps a fellow Hungarian from beyond
• Hardeen among the celluloid spirits

Postcard fever

Every month on my Patreon, I share a different vintage postcard from my growing collection. I also share the Houdini history connected to each card. This month's card is one I just received and is a little different. It features a theater that played an important role in Houdini's early career.

You can see this and all the cards I've shared by becoming a member. Hope to see you inside.

Related:

• Gladys Weiss postcard collection turns up in Texas
• To Gladys from Bess Houdini
• To Gladys from Hardeen

Mystery and Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City

Today sees the opening of Mystery and Wonder: A Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City. The exhibition runs from February 12 to July 11, 2026, at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Shelby Cullom Davis Museum, Vincent Astor Gallery. Several Houdini treasures will be on show as part of the exhibition. Below are details.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a surge of magicians began to refine their art, finding larger audiences and building communities of practice. This period has come to be known as the Golden Age of Magic. The history of magic and magicians has long been documented through text and image as a form of theater by the Billy Rose Theatre Division at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts. Now, the exhibition Mystery and Wonder: a Legacy of Golden Age Magicians in New York City will display our rich and historic archival materials related to the art of magic and the fascinating lives of magicians performing in New York City during the Golden Age.

Magic performance in this period was deeply intertwined with the traditions of spiritualism, vaudeville, circus, and mainstream theater, and innovations in publishing, science, and technology were also a major influence. The exhibition explores how magic knowledge was passed down through communities and lineages of magicians within an evolving cultural and social context.

The exhibition showcases rare items from the collection of Dr. Saram Ellison, co-founder of the Society of American Magicians, as well as important books and artifacts that evoke an early 20th-century magic shop. Through a curated display of photographs, programs, correspondence, artifacts, and original posters the exhibition will also trace the lives and careers of such major magicians as Harry Kellar, Alexander and Adelaide Herrmann, Harry Houdini, Howard Thurston, Dell O’Dell and many others, exploring the wondrous world of the Golden Age of Magic.

This exhibition is organized by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts and curated by Annemarie van Roessel, Assistant Curator of the Billy Rose Theatre Division.

Our good friend Charles Greene III attended the opening yesterday and sent this image from the official program. Look what appears in their list of recommended reading. Honored.

For more information, visit the Mystery and Wonder page at the New York Public Library website.

Related:

• Houdini treasures at NYPL exhibition preview
• "America's Sensation!" on display at the NYPL
• NYPL Digital Gallery invites us into Houdini's backyard

Bess appears in 'Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared'

On this 83rd anniversary of the death of Bess Houdini, here's a unique book that brings her to life. Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared by Anna Hays tells the story of seven female magicians, including our Bess.

Discover the amazing illustrated stories of seven women magicians who pulled off spectacular and death-defying illusions and acts, achieved global fame, and then simply...disappeared.

During the Golden Age of Magic from 1860 to 1930, seven women magicians in America defied Victorian conventions and created a unique place in history for themselves and future performers to come. There was Anna, the mindreader; Adelaide, who could float in midair; Talma, who could magically shower the stage with gold coins...and many more!

During a time when women were typically confined to the home, these trailblazers crossed oceans on steamships and traveled the globe bringing their imaginative brand of magic to audiences around the world. They followed their hearts and pursued their dreams of performing magic in the spotlight when women had neither a vote nor a voice in America.

They made history. Yet once their career ended, so did their legacy.

For decades their stories were hidden, or overshadowed by male counterparts, but now they've come to life in this vibrant and captivating book.

You can buy Vanished: Seven Women Magicians Who Simply Disappeared at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Thanks to our magical friend Janet Davis for the alert.

Want more? You can listen to Marie Hinson's wild and very personal recollection of her sister's death as a member of my Patreon by clicking below.

Related:

• Beatrice Houdini
• Happy 150th birthday Bess
• Bess makes her final journey

David Copperfield's Shark Tank shoot

History By Mail recently returned to the television show Shark Tank, and part of that episode featured a tour of David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts. Below is a terrific behind-the-scenes clip from the History By Mail Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by History By Mail (@historybymail)

Check out History By Mail's Houdini offering HERE.

Related:

• The Dream Big Folio: Houdini’s Illusion That Inspired David Copperfield
• 100 years ago Houdini vanished an elephant
• My incredible week inside the Copperfield collection

Did John Bengtson make one last Houdini discovery?

Earlier this week, I shared the sad news of the death of John Bengtson, historian, silent movie location expert, and all-around great guy. In 2012, John helped uncover many locations from The Grim Game. At the time, I asked John if he could identify some of the locations from Terror Island, particularly the rustic streets outside Harry Harper's home at the start of the film. John admitted that the location had him stumped.

Fast-forward to seven months ago, when John posted the video below about the locations for Harold Lloyd's The Kid Brother. John's video is well worth watching in full.

As you can see, much of it was shot on the Lasky Ranch in Burbank. While I knew the site of what is today Forest Lawn Cemetery was used to shoot the battle scenes for Birth of a Nation and was the original site of Universal, I never knew it was associated with Famous Players-Lasky. Of course, Famous Players-Lasky made Terror Island. So as soon as I saw this video, I wondered if the Terror Island town could have been shot at the Lasky Ranch?

Something that argues for this. There are several shots in which the street is visible through the window of Harry Harper's room. This suggests the room was an open set, which would best be built on a backlot.

I planned to email John to ask what he thought about this idea. But I delayed, and now that isn't possible. But what is possible is that the late great John Bengtson finally found the elusive Terror Island town.

Related:

• John Bengtson has passed away
• Discovering Terror Island
• Terror at the Hot Springs

POLL: Slipcase or savings?

I'm considering offering my upcoming chronology book in both slipcased and non-slipcased editions. If I do this, which one would you buy? I'm opening this Patreon poll to the public to get the best sample. Just click the image below. Thank you!

I will be selling this book through my new online store and publishing house, Wild About Harry PRESS, where I'm currently offering signed and discounted editions of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. If you haven't had a browse, please check it out!

Related:

• Wild About Harry PRESS is open for business
• ANNOUNCEMENT: I'M DONE WITH HOUDINI!
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY

Ruth Kavanaugh on "To Tell The Truth" in 1972

Here's a fun find. On December 26, 1972, Houdini's niece Ruth Kavanaugh (daughter of Bess's sister Marie) appeared on the show To Tell The Truth. For those unfamiliar with the show, the premise was that three people would all claim to be the same person, and a panel of celebrities would attempt to guess which was the real person. On this episode (#0892), the celebrity panel was: Bill Cullen, Peggy Cass, Orson Bean, and Kitty Carlisle.

The High Point Enterprise, Dec 26, 1972.

I asked our friend John Hinson about this, and he does remember watching it. But this was before home video, so he doesn't have a copy. And before someone asks, no, she did not bring the Mirror Handcuffs (Ruth owned them at this time). Does anyone else remember seeing this?

I would sure love to see this episode. There is a YouTube channel devoted to uploading complete seasons of To Tell the Truth, but it has yet to reach the 1970s.

Related:

• Meet the man who sleeps in Houdini's bed
• Remembering Celeste Evans
• AUDIO: Marie Hinson remembers her sister Bess Houdini

John Bengtson has passed away

I'm very sad to learn that the great John Bengtson has passed away. John was a giant among film historians and THE man when it came to finding silent movie locations. He was an incredible researcher and sleuth, and a true inspiration. He shared his discoveries in several books and on his YouTube channel, Silent Locations. He was also a very nice guy who was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge. In 2015, he hunted down several locations from Houdini's The Grim Game. I'll share links below. As a specialized historian, he seems irreplaceable. His work lives on through his books and videos, but he will be missed. 

Happy travels, my friend.

Hollywood Heritage

I encourage you to visit John's Silent Locations YouTube Channel, website, and pick up his books: Silent Traces, Silent Echoes, and Silent Visions.

Below are some of John's Houdini-related discoveries that I have shared here over the years:

John Bengtson uncovers Grim Game filming locations

More Grim Game locations identified by John Bengtson

John Bengtson finds Houdini's crash site

The Grim Game house

Houdini's great wall

The Grim Game jail break behind the scenes

The Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd (and Houdini!) alley

The Chaplin-Keaton-Lloyd (and Houdini) Alley video

LINK: Houdini solves a Charlie Chaplin mystery!

Houdini in the Cahuenga alley

Locating Houdini's lion

Houdini's Westlake leap

Searching for Houdini at "The Old Vic"

The Old Vic near its end. Strourbridge.com

I recently found an article in the April 5, 1958, Stourbridge News about the restoration of "The Old Vic" theater (aka Victoria Music Hall, aka Victoria Cinema) in Lye. The paragraph below is what caught my eye.

Stourbridge News, April 5, 1958.

Unfortunately, I have no record of Houdini at the Victoria in Lye or anywhere in Stourbridge. I am a bit skeptical. This was a very small theater, not affiliated with any of the music hall circuits Houdini played. And as far as I can find, it opened in January 1914. This doesn't leave much time for Houdini to have been there. I have two open weeks for him in 1914: January 5-11 and March 9-15. After that, he was back in the U.S. for the duration of the war.

One possibility is that Houdini could have made a personal appearance at the theater when it was showing The Master Mystery during his 1920 return tour of the UK. But now I'm reaching.

If any research bloodhounds are able to find Houdini in Lye, please give me a bark!

Want more? On my Patreon, I recently shared a list of dates for which I don't have a record of where Houdini was performing (if at all). You can did into that by clicking below.

Related:

• Derek Tait's new book is a Houdini ESSENTIAL
• LINK: Harry, Larry and Violet: Safe Bind, Safe Find
• List of surviving Houdini theaters

LINK: Houdini and the Weed Chain Tire Company

Here's a terrific post on The Autopian about the Weed Chain Tire Company and their famous challenge to Houdini in 1908. Click the headline or the image below to read "Harry Houdini Once Escaped From Eight Tire Chains, Two Steel Car Wheels, And A Crapload Of Padlocks."

 

I'm impressed they were aware of the Weed Chain rematch. Not many people know that Houdini did this challenge twice.

Related:

• The Weed Chain Tire Grip challenge
• The Weed Chain rematch
• Houdini pitchbook with Weed Chain cover nabs $1,230

A special reward for my 100 patrons

It has finally happened! I've hit 100 paid members on my Patreon. As promised, I'm offering members a very special reward. It drops today at 1:26 PM.

Thank you all for your support. And if you're not a member, this is a fine time to join!

"I Want To Be Like Houdini!" book and launch party

Magician Kent Cummins has a new book called I Want To Be Like Houdini!, in which he shares stories of how Houdini influenced his life. Here's the cover and description.

"The Fantastic Kent Cummins" has loved magic for more than 75 years, and now he shares some amazing stories based on the greatest magician of all time, Harry Houdini! These are true stories from a professional magician that provide a fascinating peak behind the curtain.

There will be a launch party for the book on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at the Brass Peacock in Georgetown, Texas. Click the image below for more details about what sounds like a magical night.

You can purchase  I Want To Be Like Houdini! on Amazon.com. Kent will also soon be launching his own retail site Magic Words Press.

Related:

• Bess's coat among Houdini rarities on display in Austin
• David Blaine's Beautiful Struggle started with Houdini

San Francisco treats

Here are a few curiosities from the San Francisco Chronicle that I recently stumbled on. First is an ad for a television showing of Houdini (1953) in October 1969, describing him as "a cat with 9 lives." That's a new one! There's something that feels very 1969 about this.

San Francisco Chronicle, Oct 20, 1969.

Here's another one, this time from 1976. San Francisco had no shortage of adult theaters back then, and their offerings were advertised in the Chronicle. Notice the teaser copy on this ad: "The stars featured in DIRTY STORIES get into positions Houdini wouldn't dare!" Goodness.

San Francisco Chronicle, Jan 24, 1976.

Finally, there's nothing all that unusual about this 1969 clipping; I just like seeing a revival house screening of The Man From Beyond in proximity to one of my favorite James Bond films, On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Just don't make the mistake of seeing Paint Your Wagon!

San Francisco Chronicle, Dec 29, 1969.

Related:

• When Houdini (1953) came to TV
• Harry and Rudy (and Mel)
• And now for something completely different

Dive into Shark Tank, January 28

Ari Siegel of History By Mail has posted the following on his site:

On Wednesday, January 28 at 10pm ET/PT on ABC, History By Mail will be featured in a Shark Tank update segment. If you have followed our journey for any amount of time, you know this is a milestone we do not take lightly. 

This update is a look at what has happened since our original appearance. It highlights how the company has grown, where we are today, and what we are building next. It is also a moment to step back and appreciate something that is easy to forget when you are busy running the day to day. None of this happened in a vacuum. It happened because thousands of curious people chose to support an unusual idea and keep showing up for history. 

There is also a special celebrity cameo in the segment, and it is one you will not want to miss.

Who could this celebrity be? Well, if Ari isn't saying, then I won't either. But considering History By Mail's latest Houdini-themed offering, you may be able to guess.🗽

Related:

• The Dream Big Folio: Houdini’s Illusion That Inspired David Copperfield
• 100 years ago Houdini vanished an elephant

Happy 150th birthday Bess

Today marks Bess Houdini's 150th birthday. She was born Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner on January 23, 1876, in Brooklyn. Our great friend Janet Davis traveled out to Gate of Heaven Cemetery today and just sent me this lovely email and images.

I’m at Gate of Heaven right now, marking the sesquicentennial of Bess’ birth. I played “Rosabelle” and the stage patter recording (and made sure not to wear or bring anything yellow). I left this photo and her dates on the gravestone. You can see that someone else had left flowers recently; there were fresh footprints in the snow.

A peaceful, cold winter’s day for this special anniversary. Happy 150th, Bessie. You are remembered.

Janet

A beautiful tribute to Bess on this special day. Thank you, Janet!

Want more? I've marked Bess's 150th on my Patreon with a rare clip of her at a performance of the Southern California Japanese Amateur Magicians Society in Los Angeles in 1938. Just click the image below and watch Bessie get all the gifts.

Happy birthday, Bess.

Related:

• A birthday present for Bess
• The women who have played Bess
• Marking Houdini's 150th in Budapest

Houdini's Challenge Scrapbook to be published!

Last year, Dr. Bruce J. Averbook shared Houdini's first travel diary with the world. (I think I've mentioned that book here.) Well, he's back with another, and it's a big one!

David Haversat has just announced the upcoming publication of A Strenuous Career: The Personal Challenge and Advertisement Scrapbook of Harry Houdini. As the title says, this book reproduces Houdini's entire Challenge Scrapbook, which is another precious artifact from The Averbook Magic Art Museum & Library. The book will be released via David Haversat's 1878 Press Co. in May 2026.

I'm VERY excited about this. I've long known about this scrapbook, but I haven't yet had a chance to study it. Bruce did give me a quick peek at it a while back, and what I saw knocked my socks off! So I can't wait to dive into this book. (I also love the title.)

Are we spoiled yet?

Related:

• Read 'The Cancer of Superstition' TODAY
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• The Mother Scrapbook

Help unlock Houdini's voice

Want to hear one minute of Houdini audio that has never been released to the public? You can make that happen NOW by becoming a patron. The post below is open to everybody and explains the deal.

Related:

• Want to hear unreleased Houdini voice?
• ALL the Houdini wax cylinder audio has been saved!
• Announcing WILD ABOUT HARRY on Patreon

The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI, Vol. 3 released

Joe Notaro and Arthur Moses have the honor of being the first to publish a new Houdini book in 2026. Their third volume, reprinting the Kinema Comic series The Amazing Exploits of Houdini, was released on January 15. Details below.

The British Boys weekly “The Kinema Comic” ran a serial “The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI” (“Written by Houdini Himself” – or so it says) from April 24, 1920 to November 27, 1926. In these yarns, which no one should miss, the Master of Mystery chronicles his most amazing exploits. Surviving copies are almost impossible to come by these days. Joe M. Notaro and Arthur Moses have been tracking down these rare issues and are making them available to you in a book series by year (and months). 

In this newest offering, they have compiled the 1922 (Jul – Dec) weekly serials (27 issues) of “The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI” into a single book (with original illustrations).

You can purchase Kinema Comic 1922 (Jul-Dec) The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk in hardcover or paperback.

Related:

• The Amazing Exploits of HOUDINI, Vol. 2 released
• Now you can read "The Amazing Exploits of Houdini"
• "The Amazing Exploits of Houdini"

Wild About Harry PRESS is open for business

Today, I'm throwing open the doors of Wild About Harry PRESS. This is my new retail website (powered by Shopify) and publishing imprint. Here, I intend to sell my own books, notably The Ultimate Houdini Chronology, the first volume of which will be released later this year.

For starters, I'm offering my limited author's stock of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899, published last year by Mike Caveney's Magic Words. I'm offering a choice of SIGNED or SEALED. The book retails for $125, but as thanks for being my first customers, I've lowered the price of the sealed editions to $95. I'm pretty sure this is the lowest price for this book you'll find anywhere online. Supplies are limited.

I'm a one-man one-cat operation, so be patient with me as I learn the retail ropes. I'm looking forward to providing everyone with some great Houdini books!

Feel free to sign up to receive notifications when new books are added.

Related:

• Wild About Harry PRESS is coming soon
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• ANNOUNCEMENT: I'M DONE WITH HOUDINI!

Discover Houdini's legacy in Scranton

Here's a nice news report showcasing the famous Houdini Museum and Theatre in Scranton, Pennsylvania, run by our friends Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz. Enjoy.

Related:

• Scranton honors Dorothy Dietrich and Houdini Museum
• "Haunted" Houdini printers block MISSING
• Ambassador's Tour

Houdini on Stage 4

Over the Christmas break, I found something that I have been on the lookout for a long time. A report in the September 24, 1952, San Antonio Express-News mentions that Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh are currently shooting the movie Houdini on Stage 4 at Paramount. Specifically, the scene mentioned is the Tony Pastors scene.

San Antonio Express-News, September 24, 1952.

While I knew Houdini (1953) was shot entirely on the Paramount lot in Hollywood, I never knew which soundstage they used. Now I do!

Of course, it's possible they used more than one stage as the movie utilized many large sets. But at least I know one.

Now, if we can just get Houdini (1953) added to the historic plaque listing the films shot on the stage.

Check out the links below for more Houdini-Paramount locations.

Related:

• Finding Houdini's 278 at Paramount
• Houdini rises at Paramount
• Bessie visits Paramount (and so do I)

Instructions for a Séance with Katie Bender

Here's our first Houdini play of 2026. Katie Bender is bringing her Houdini-themed Instructions for a Séance to OKC Rep Theater in Oklahoma City, January 22-24.

You’re invited. For one week in January Katie Bender—playwright, performer, mom—will host a series of séances at OKC Rep to contact Harry Houdini to teach her how to escape her life. And maybe you have things you want to escape from?

Instructions for a Séance is a playful yet poignant exploration of motherhood, artistic ambition, and the urge to escape. Inspired by the Houdini archives at the Ransom Center, Séance is a 70-minute theatrical gem: compact, gleaming, and utterly unforgettable.

For more information and to buy tickets, visit the official website.

Related:

• Houdini Plays
• Treasures of the Harry Ransom Center
• Harry Ransom Center reopens Houdini and magic collections

Interview in NEMCA's latest Discoveries

Last year, I was honored to receive the New England Magic Collectors Association Founders Award for 2025. You can now read an interview I did with them in the latest issue of their newsletter, Discoveries. I've not seen it yet, but I hear it came out well. We covered a lot of ground, and I shared images of a favorite Houdini collectible that has a New England connection.

Join NEMCA and receive Discoveries at their official website. Their next Yankee Gathering will take place in Nashua, New Hampshire, in November.

Related:

• October surprise
• NEMCA announces 2026 Gathering in Nashua

Houdini's Escapes escapes copyright

Over the past few years, Public Domain Day has become increasingly popular. On January 1st of each year, a new tranche of books, movies, and music falls out of copyright. This became big news when Micky Mouse (the Steamboat Willy version) became Public Domain. Admittedly, copyright is tricky and varies by country, but in general, this year sees anything from 1930 joining the Public Domain.

So are any Houdini books entering the public domain this year? Yes! Houdini's Escapes by Water B. Gibson was first published in 1930 and, presumably, is now out of copyright. The combo edition, Houdini's Escapes and Magic, also shows a 1930 copyright. However, later editions list a 1932 copyright for Houdini's Magic (released as a separate edition), which may complicate matters. But the solo Escapes has escaped!

I have a fond memory of this book. When I first became interested in Houdini, I would peruse bibliographies in the backs of my books to see what other Houdini books had been released in past years. I fixated on the title, Houdini's Escapes. There was a book just about Houdini's escapes!? That sounded like a dream book. But at the time, I had no idea how to find an out-of-print book.

Then, like magic, one day I walked into my local Waldenbooks, and there on the shelf was a gleaming new mass-market paperback called Houdini's Escapes. It took me a while to process that this was the same book from 1930. It was like it had been reprinted just for me! (By the way, the mass-market format is also essentially going away this year.)

Now, truth be told, I was a bit disappointed in the book back then. I had expected a highlight book about Houdini's most famous escapes and the stories behind them. Instead, this is largely a collection of escape concepts from Houdini's notebooks. And no pictures! That all came in the book Houdini's Fabulous Magic (1961), which had its own magical reprint around this same time.

But I still have my Houdini Escapes Bantam paperback (right), and when I eventually found a first edition hardcover from 1930, I flipped for that cover! And today I value the book as a glimpse inside Houdini's mind and a record of unusual escapes that could have been.

For a full list of new copyright-free properties, check out the Public Domain Day 2026 website.

Related:

• "Had Houdini lived he would have written this book"
• Walter Gibson interviewed in 1973
• Full bibliography

Wild About Harry PRESS is coming soon

Over the holiday break, I got down to business and created my new online store and publishing arm, Wild About Harry PRESS. This is where I plan to sell my upcoming Ultimate Houdini Chronology books. I've done a soft launch today with early access for my patrons. I'll be opening the store soon for everybody. You can sign up to be notified when by clicking below.

www.wildaboutharrypress.com

Related:

• ANNOUNCEMENT: I'M DONE WITH HOUDINI!
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• Early access to my new online store (Patreon only)

Houdini Voisin model creator Ian Satur passes away

Sad news out of Australia. Ian Satur, who built the one-third-scale model of Houdini's Voisin biplane for the 2010 Centenary of Flight celebrations in Diggers Rest, has passed away. The below was posted over the weekend on the Diggers Rest Facebook page. Funeral services were held today.

Below are links where you can see more of Ian's work.

Related:

• Building Houdini’s Voisin
• Model of Houdini's plane is safe for now
• Houdini's plane has nowhere to land

LINK: Escape To A Magical New Cafe In Houdini’s Old Haunt

Here's some great news that I received over the Christmas break. The building that once housed Houdini's Film Developing Corporation and later his magic workshop is now a cafe called Beni Coffee. The building had been private, but now anyone can visit the famous space and have a coffee at the same time! I'm super excited about this. 

Click the headline or any of the images below to read a nice report by Susie Felber at the Weehawken Gazette.

At the moment, Beni Coffee is only open on weekends. It's located at 216 19th St Union City, NJ 07087. Tell them Houdini sent you!

Thank you Susie Felber for the news.

Related:

• The saga of Houdini's Film Developing Corporation
• Houdini in his workshop
• It's now the "Houdini Studio" in New Jersey

Houdini & Me 2026 by Trudy Monti

Our friend Trudy Monti has released a new Houdini datebook, Houdini & Me 2026: 100th Anniversary Edition. Below are details.

Unlock the mysteries of one of history's most fascinating figures with this one-of-a-kind journal that documents over 425 milestones from Harry Houdini's incredible life. This book offers a window into the mind of a master escape artist. Interspersed with these historic events, you will find space for your own reflections, allowing your personal journey for posterity with that of Harry Houdini. Fill the pages of this journal with your own adventures and make it your own personal saga. This isn't just Houdini's story it's Houdini's and yours.

I have Trudy's 2025 book. I keep it with my other Houdini books as a collectible. But this one I'm actually going to use to journal this memorable year. I think that will make it an even better collectible!

You can buy Houdini & Me 2026 on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. If you'd like a signed copy, you can contact Trudy on Facebook.

Related:

• Houdini & Me 2025 by Trudy Monti
• Trudy Monti's new edition of The Zanetti Mystery

Welcome to the Harry Houdini Centenary year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, and welcome to another year of WILD ABOUT HARRY. Of course, 2026 is no ordinary year. This year marks the 100th anniversary of Houdini's death on Halloween in 1926. As such, there will be various Houdini celebrations, several new books, a major new documentary, and more that's yet to be announced. If you were around in 1976 and experienced the 50th anniversary, you're about to experience it all over again. But even more so!

I'm super excited that this will be the year I launch my new e-store and publishing arm, Wild About Harry PRESS, where I will soon be offering the first volume of The Ultimate Houdini Chronology. My commitment to this new enterprise may result in fewer posts here on WAH, but I won't let anything major slip past.

So strap in for what promises to be one WILD year!