#OnThisDay in 1922, #SirArthurConanDoyle hosted a #seance in an attempt to convince skeptic #HarryHoudini. It didn’t go so well. #History #comics #historyComics
— Alex Robinson (@alexrobinson.bsky.social) June 18, 2025 at 8:57 AM
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Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Alex Robinson conjures "The Mama Message"
I'm wild for the mock-up comic book cover created and posted to Bluesky by artist Alex Robinson.
To be clear, this isn't a real comic book, just an imaginary what-if. However, there was a 1979 issue of Ripley's Believe It or Not! (#89) that is similar to this. You can see that and read the real story of "The Mama Message" via the related links below.
Monday, July 14, 2025
Houdini: The Man, The Myth, The Legend with Brett Oddly
Magician Brett Oddly presents Houdini: The Man, The Myth, The Legend, at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival July 16-27, 2025. Below are details.
Step into the world of the legendary Harry Houdini in this thrilling tribute to the master escape artist. Combining historical storytelling with daring escapes and mind-bending illusions, this show brings Houdini’s most famous feats to life — just as he performed them. Experience the suspense of his death-defying challenges, the wonder of his signature magic, and the drama of his relentless battle against frauds and fakes. Through gripping reenactments and authentic recreations, audiences will witness the legend as he rises to the world’s greatest illusionist.A spectacle of danger, deception and daring, this is more than a magic show — it’s a journey into the life and legacy of Houdini himself.
Visit the Winnipeg Fringe website to buy tickets and for more information.
Friday, July 11, 2025
Houdini book release dates
- June 7, 1928: Houdini: His Life Story by Harold Kellock.
- Aug 3, 1959: Houdini: The Man Who Walked Through Walls by William Lindsay Gresham.
- March 21, 1969: Houdini: The Untold Story by Milbourne Christopher.
- Dec 1, 1977: Houdini: His Legend and His Magic by Doug Henning and Charles Reynolds.
- Oct 31, 2006: The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman.
- Oct 31, 2010: Houdini The Key by Patrick Culliton.
No Silverman? Nope. I have never been able to find an exact release date for my favorite Houdini biography. But I know it was sometime in October 1996.
Regarding my own book, Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899, I'm happy to firmly establish the release date as June 25, 2025. That is the day publisher Mike Caveney picked the books up from the shipper, the day it first went live on his website, and the day of the first sales. June 25. Locked!
So what other Houdini events happened on June 25? Here's a list:
- 1894: The Brothers Houdini begin their second week at Vacca's West End Casino in Coney Island.
- 1896: Houdini escapes handcuffs at a police station in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
- 1898: The Welsh Bros. Circus plays Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
- 1906: Harry Thaw shoots Stanford White at the Madison Square Garden rooftop theater. (Not Houdini related, but HH was in NYC at the time and would have been following the news of this famous crime and scandal.)
- 1919: Houdini makes a personal appearance at Clune's in Los Angeles during the 9:30 showing of The Master Mystery.
- 1920: Houdini attends séance with ectoplasmic medium Eva C. at 20 Hanover Square in London.
- 1953: Paramount's Houdini premieres at the Des Moines Theater in Iowa.
I'm offering a copy of Escaping Obscurity, signed on June 25, on eBay. This is the first author-signed edition, and the only one signed on the day of its release. If you're interested, the auction can be viewed HERE. It ends on Wednesday, July 16.
You can purchase Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 from Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
Related:
Thursday, July 10, 2025
S.A.M. will honor Houdini in Appleton next year
I don't need to tell you that 2026 is going to be a big year for Houdini. Here's the first big event to be announced. The Society of American Magicians (SAM) will hold its annual convention in Appleton, honoring Houdini. Dates are July 1-4, 2026.
You're invited to return to where the magic began.Join The Society of American Magicians in Appleton, WI, Houdini's childhood home, for a once in a century gathering to honor the world's most legendary magician.Celebrate Houdini's life, artistry, and enduring impact on the art of magic, 100 years after his passing.July 1-4, 2026HOUDINI 100 Years Later: Honoring the LegacyRegistration and information: magicsam.com/page/appleton
This one sounds irresistible!
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Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Meet the Nudos
The book is out, but the discoveries continue!
In Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899, we did our best to decipher Houdini's frequently indecipherable handwriting. But we couldn't get it all. For instance, on page 43, you'll find this:
In the book, I speculated that Houdini could be referring to a trapeze accident, and the illegible word was likely the name of the act. Now, magician and all-around good guy Richard Hatch has puzzled out that the illegible word here is "Nudos."
The 3 Nudos were trapeze artists Marie, Richard, and Beth. Happily, this was not a fatal accident, as The 3 Nudos continued to perform into the 1900s.
You know, my initial temptation with this entry was to interpret "traps" as a reference to a magic trick. Thank goodness I didn't write that! I just wish I had discovered "The 3 Nudos" myself before publication, as that [illegible] is going to drive me nuts now.
I have launched a page where I will track Escaping Obscurity Discoveries & Corrections. If you believe you've cracked some of these illegible words, feel free to send them my way.
Purchase Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 exclusively at Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
Thank you Richard!
Monday, July 7, 2025
Lucky Charm with Louise Casemore
A new immersive play, Lucky Charm, written and performed by Louise Casemore, will be part of Edmonton’s Found Festival, July 10-20, 2025. Below is the poster and details.
All performances are sold out, but you can sign up to receive updates on standby tickets and news about future performances at Common Ground Arts.
Related:
“Harry Houdini has died. Nevertheless, his wife would like a word…”Join us for the world premiere of Louise Casemore’s immersive new play, Lucky Charm. A Defiance Theatre production produced as part of Edmonton’s Found Festival, in partnership with Theatre YES.
From 1894 to 1926, Bess was married to the most famous magician in the world. That is, until he died under mysterious circumstances. Now, you’re invited to step on up! Satisfy your curiosity, don’t be disappointed!
“For the price of a personal token, you’ll be permitted to venture inside the home where Mrs. Houdini sleeps, eats, and does her damndest every single week to make contact with her dearly departed. Watch from the gallery, or have a seat at the séance table. Treat yourself to a spectacular display of grace, grief, and with any luck: a little terror and delight of the paranormal. Behold as we explore one of the greatest mysteries from the four corners of the earth: the palpitating possibility of LIFE AFTER DEATH.”
Inspired by the seances held by Bess Houdini following her husband’s death, Lucky Charm is an immersive exploration of grief and the magical possibilities in the unknown.
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Sunday, July 6, 2025
LINK: Joe Notaro reviews Escaping Obscurity
Joe has published several very important Houdini books himself. You can check those out in the related links below.
If you post a review of Escaping Obscurity on your website, please send it my way and I will share it here. Even the bad ones! (Well, not too bad.)
Thank you, Joe.
Saturday, July 5, 2025
Speaking of diaries
Here's a curiosity I just stumbled across in the December 11, 1951, issue of the Toledo Blade.
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| Toledo Blade, December 11, 1951. |
I believe this could be a reference to Houdini's 1916 diary (one diary), which somehow escaped the others. The "Hollywood lad" is likely Ray Muse, who wrote in the October 1950 Genii that he had received the diary as a "recent gift." Did he ever show it to Houdini (1953) producer George Pal? That I don't know, but I'd like to think that he did.
The diary was eventually acquired by Manny Weltman, who owned it for decades. (I got a look at it in 1980.) After Manny's death, it was auctioned by Swann Galleries in 2002. Today it resides in The Averbook Magic Art Museum and Library. Yes, Dr. Bruce Averbook owns two Houdini diaries!
While this 1916 diary is still under wraps, Houdini's precious first diary is now published as Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899, available exclusively from Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
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Related:
Friday, July 4, 2025
Escape to Patreon with 50% off new memberships
To celebrate the release of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899, I'm offering 50% off new Patreon memberships in July. This applies to the first month and is open to new members only. Just use promo code DIARY.
On my Patreon, you'll find a wealth of exclusive Houdini content, receive special monthly rewards, and get the scoop on my next book. And if we reach 100 members (only 9 members away), you'll hear something truly wild.
You'll also be supporting all the work I do here at WILD ABOUT HARRY and the creation of books like Escaping Obscurity. So why not join us (at 50% off) and go wild!
Thursday, July 3, 2025
Escaping Obscurity with Scott Wells (2024)
This is an on-the-spot interview I did with Scott Wells of The Magic Word Podcast during last year's MAGIC Live in Las Vegas, where I gave a preview of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. Now that the book is out, I've reposted this on my Patreon and made it public so everyone can listen and get a taste of what this book is all about.
Purchase Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 exclusively at Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
Related:Sunday, June 29, 2025
YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
It's here! I'm super excited to announce the publication of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. This book reproduces every page of Houdini's first travel diary from the collection of Dr. Bruce Averbook, which has never been made available to the public before.
I have annotated the diary so readers can easily follow all the wild ups and downs of Houdini's struggling days. When I was invited by publisher Mike Caveney to do this project, I had expected it to be a largely academic exercise. What I didn't expect to find was such an amazing story within this incredible artifact. That story is now yours.
Publisher Mike Caveney says:
Three things made me want to publish this nearly illegible diary. First, the great Houdini historian, John Cox, agreed to decipher and then annotate the text found on each and every page. Second, my friends in the magic collecting world stepped up with an unbelievable array of suitable photographs, many of which have never appeared in print. And lastly, my old friend and graphic designer extraordinaire, Michael Albright, agreed to assemble this complicated jigsaw puzzle into a beautiful, full-color book of 373 pages measuring 9 by 12 inches. The final result is nothing short of breathtaking.
The book is available exclusively from Mike Caveney's Magic Words in a Regular and Deluxe Edition. I hope you all love it.
UPDATE: The Deluxe Edition has already sold out, making it the fastest selling Deluxe Edition in Mike Caveney's Magic Words history. But there are still Regular Editions available. The print run is not huge, so it's possible the book could sell out entirely. Just saying.
Saturday, June 28, 2025
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