First off, this wasn't one séance. It was three. The first séance was held at 1:26 PM, the time of Houdini's death. Two more séances were held at 6:30 PM and 9:30 PM. Each séance was limited to 13 guests. All proceeds from the 1:26 PM séance went to the "Make cancer disappear" fund at Weill Cornell Medical College, while proceeds from the other séances would be split between the fund and the continued upkeep of Houdini's house. Every séance sold out. I'm pretty certain everyone who bought a ticket would say the experience was priceless.
The day before
I flew to New York on October 30 and arrived at the house in the late afternoon. This was my fourth visit to 278, and I'm always stunned that I'm actually walking up those famous steps and into Houdini's house. But now there's the added element that I'm also seeing friends: homeowners, Niro and Vincent (right), and their fantastic kids. Speaking of friends, Jessica Jane arrived just before I did. Jessica would be hosting the two evening séances and, like me, was staying overnight in the house. Jessica and I are both Houdini-obsessed nuts, and to be inside 278 together...well, you can imagine. We were pretty much in a state of euphoria for two straight days.
Niro and Vincent had prepared a nice lasagna dinner. Reynold soon joined us, having been a bit lost in New York searching for a new tuxedo shirt. Dorothy Dietrich, who would be leading the first séance, arrived to unload a mountain of her museum memorabilia, which we had explicitly asked her not to bring. But we quickly learned one does not get between Dorothy Dietrich and her Houdini séance. The last time I stayed overnight at 278 was during my "Ambassador's tour" in 2023, and at that time Vincent created a cocktail we called the "278." This time he came up with a new creation and dubbed it the "Cox." So the spirits were flowing early!
I had only slept a few hours the night before, and I was dead tired. Still, Jessica and I stayed up until 2:30 AM, gossiping and chewing over my new sleep-deprived theory that Houdini's spirit/energy might have been erased when 278 was converted from DC to AC current in the 1980s or '90s. Crazy stuff, I know. However, the next morning, when Jessica fired up some shower music, the song that came on was AC/DC from Starlight Express:
AC/DC, it's okay by me
I can switch and change my frequency
Question asked and answered. Thanks, Harry. Let the séances begin!
Halloween
The 1:26 PM Séance
The morning was a blur. In fact, from the moment I walked through that door, I felt like I was in a time vortex. We gathered in the kitchen for coffee, bagels, and more conversation. Dorothy, who had stayed with a friend on Long Island, arrived with, yes, more stuff! I set up and did some final work on my talk. Before I knew it, it was time to get into my tux and get ready for the first guests and the first séance.
The guests gathered in the front parlor, which in Houdini's time was his trophy room. This was the charity séance, and many of the attendees were important donors and friends of the homeowners. Among them was Houdini collector and good friend Randall Bell, who had grabbed a ticket at the last minute and jetted to New York. I was thrilled to see him. The house has a grand piano, and the homeowners brought in a friend and talented pianist, William TN Hall, to set the mood. His repertoire included tunes familiar to Houdini nuts, including Rosie, Sweet Rosabel, Asleep in the Deep, and Pomp and Circumstance, which he played as guests filed into the back of the parlor where Dorothy awaited them. In Houdini's time, this was his library, where his famous bookcase stood. It was his favorite place in the world, and the perfect place to hold our séances.
The room was now festooned with Dorothy's museum memorabilia, which I admit did add atmosphere, and people seemed to enjoy looking at it all. Best of all was her full-sized Houdini bust that looked out across the table. Wayne Allan, who would be attending the late séance, had stopped by and dropped off his Dunninger spirit trumpet and spirit slates, which we added to the table as well. It all seemed unreal. Could Houdini have ever imagined a séance like this would be taking place in his library?
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| Dorothy conducting the 1:26 séance. |
I welcomed the guests and introduced Dorothy, highlighting her 50-year commitment to the Houdini séance tradition, passed to her by Walter B. Gibson, and how this séance represented "history on top of history on top of history." This actually received a rousing hand. Then Dorothy got down to business. Dorothy's approach is informal and conversational. Not a traditional séance to be sure. Magician Joe Devlin, past President of the S.A.M. Parent Assembly #1 in New York, was there to assist Dorothy, and when 1:26 PM arrived, we fell silent. It was pretty amazing to be in this house at this moment, marking 100 years to the minute that Houdini died.
Then, something unexpected happened. The room has special UV lights for the plants, called "grow lights." They have no room switch. They only come on via a timer at 11 PM and stay on for 4 hours. As Dorothy was talking, one of the lights suddenly flashed on and off. No one seemed to register this, so I interrupted and asked, "Did someone just do that?" Now, with everyone's attention on it, Dorothy said, "Houdini, was that you?" The light flashed again! Now everyone was aware that something very unusual was happening. Then the light flashed a third time! By this time, Jessica had started filming. You can see the final flash on my Patreon below (I'm making this post public).
We were all perplexed and a little spooked. But Dorothy shook it off and resumed her stories. Then, one of the spirit trumpets on the table collapsed in on itself. After the light, this seemed less remarkable, and the way the trumpet was sitting on the table invited collapse. But in retrospect, this was pretty strange, too. I was starting to wonder if we had really made contact with Houdini!
The séance wrapped up, and the guests went down to the garden level and kitchen for wine, cheese, and hors d'oeuvres. The wines were paired with historical Houdini locations. The food was delicious. We were all still buzzing about the strange happenings. Champagne was poured, and a lovely woman and cancer survivor gave a beautiful toast that brought more than a few tears to the attendees' eyes. For me, this was the best moment of the 1:26 séance. It really hit me that I was among people who are literally curing cancer. Séances are fun. But what these people are doing is truly miraculous.
The guests then took chairs. Reynold did some magic, which everyone greatly enjoyed. I then gave my talk on Houdini and the history of the house, which I think went well. Vincent then gave guests his famous house tour, starting in the basement and reaching all the way to the top floor. We had the luxury of time between séances, so guests lingered, wandered, and had more food and conversation. The house was full of love, and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves.
Our break between séances lined up perfectly with Potter & Potter's "Houdini Returns" auction happening live at the Magic Castle in Hollywood. I brought it up on the TV, and we watched in amazement as some lots reached astronomical prices. Jessica even placed a few bids on her phone. Congratulations to Gabe Fajuri on another hugely successful auction.
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| Watching the "Houdini Returns" auction inside 278. |
The 6:30 PM Séance
Before I knew it, people in tuxedos were gathering outside for the next séance. It was dusk, so this session had a different feel. I had changed into a wingtip with a white bow tie to match the step up in formality. Some familiar faces came through that famous front door, and it was fun to see the thrill on their faces. I was happy to see my buddy Adam Glass and his wife, Mia. Adam is a very successful producer (Supernatural) and a big Houdini buff, who you may recall wrote the Rough Rider series. It was also great to meet collector Michael Mitnick in person for the first time. And my great friend Janet Davis, who has been my proofreader and editor on both Escaping Obscurity and Handcuff King, joined us as well.
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| Michael Mitnick and Jessica. |
Everyone looked fantastic in their formal wear. After some mingling, William played Pomp and Circumstance, and the guests made their way into the back parlor for the 6:30 PM séance.
This time the séance was conducted by Jessica. As many of you know, Jessica is a very successful magician and a huge Houdini fan. What some of you might not know is that she was "practically raised" by the late Rev. William V. Rauscher, and is well-versed in the tradition of séances. It wasn't planned this way, but I realized this séance very much represented the passing of the torch to a new generation. What better place for this to happen than inside 278. Once again we had history on top of history.
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| Jessica takes the séance reins. |
Jessica had created a fresh approach to a Houdini séance, starting with some magic ("a beautiful lie") to warm things up. Her séance was elegant and atmospheric, and suited the occasion perfectly. Also, since it was evening, we could do the séance by candlelight. Jessica employed the Houdini code, which she knows by heart, and even called out to Houdini in German, which I don't believe has ever been done at a Houdini séance. But German was the language spoken inside 278, and like Houdini's real name, Ehrich Weiss, which Jessica also used, it was a perfect way to reach out with sincerity and authenticity. Once again, the lights flashed, and a bell on the table, which is a magic trick, rang without Jessica's prompting. The bell was weird. The light...was starting to feel suspicious. Jessica wrapped up by singing Rosabel.
This time we decided to do the house tour right after the séance. This helped the timing. But no one was rushed. Each event ran about three hours. After the house tour, the guests gathered for wine, cheese, and hors d'oeuvres. Reynold did his magic, and I gave my talk. I choked up a bit at the end, as did a couple of attendees. There was a lot of emotion in that house! The guests left with gift bags containing a Barry Spector mini wand made of wood from the house, and a house brick. As they left, the next guests were already gathering outside. I was thrilled to hear the departing guests telling the next group they were in for "an incredible experience."
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| Brick anyone? |
The 9:30 PM Séance
It was now late on a New York Halloween night, and I wondered if this would be a more raucous group. But this group was very much like the last. Lovers of Houdini, thrilled and grateful to be in his house for this experience. Again, I was happy to see familiar faces, such as magician Paul Draper, whom I last saw in Appleton. I was also happy to finally meet magician Wayne Allen in person. We kept to the same schedule: gathering in the front parlor followed by the candlelight séance with Jessica and, yes, the lights flashed again. This time the emotion hit Reynold. I've been to a lot of Houdini séances, but I have never been to one that brought tears to anyone's eyes. This entire experience was on another level.
After the séance, Vincent gave the house tour. Wine and hors d'oeuvres followed. We ended with Reynold's magic and my talk. This time it was all a little looser, with a lively Q&A and some laughs. Because it was the last event of the evening, Niro invited people to remain as long as they liked and enjoy the rest of the food and wine.
Near midnight, Paul suggested doing the Mourner's Kaddish for Houdini, which I thought was a beautiful idea. A small handful of us gathered back inside the dining room/seance chamber, and relit the candles. Paul faithfully recited the ritual. This time, it was Jessica's turn to tear up. Paul invited me to blow out the candles. And with that, the 100-Anniversary Houdini séance event came to an end. A perfect way to end this historic night.
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| Paul Draper and Jessica getting into the spirit. |
It was well after midnight, and I was dead tired. So I said goodnight to the few remaining guests, went back to my top-floor room, and pretty much collapsed. I could hear Jessica and Reynold come upstairs at some point, still chattering about Houdini, but I was too tired to join in, and I fell into one of the deepest and best sleeps I've ever experienced.
The day after
I had arranged for a later flight back to Los Angeles, because I thought I might want to take a trip out to the gravesite. I slept in until 9 AM, which is extremely unusual for me. But I just felt enveloped in comfort in that house, with such a clear head and spirit. It really does feel like home. I decided I had no desire to leave this wonderful space. The grave is nice to see, but I couldn't get closer to Houdini than I was right now.
I noticed I had a message from Jessica, who had an early flight and left the house at dawn. Another song, this time U2 playing in her Uber as she pulled away from the house:
You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
I did eventually find my way down to the kitchen, where Niro had made a wonderful breakfast. Vincent had to take the kids to activities, so Niro and I went through a large bag of 278 materials passed to them by the former owner, Fred Thomas. Inside were photographs Fred took inside the house when he first bought it. These images were wild, and it took some work to figure out exactly where some of the photos were taken.
I was also interested in some of the paperwork, such as plans for an electrical installation (the AC conversion?), and information about the historic plaque on the front door. There were also old keys and letters sent to the house during Fred's time. He didn't answer many, but he did keep them. There was even a note that Patrick Culliton had left on the front door.
Before I knew it, it was nearing 3 PM, and I needed to leave for the airport. Not only was it Halloween weekend, but the New York marathon was on this day, so the city was a little busy! Niro, as always, invited me to return anytime and stay as long as I like. She also extended the invitation to Jessica, whom they fell in love with and who distinguished herself in every way. I packed up, said my goodbyes, and walked back through those magical doors, returning to the real world.
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| Hey, look, I've been in New York this whole time! |
Now, you might be wondering about those lights. Well, after the third séance, I received an explanation. It wasn't Houdini. It also wasn't intended to be a deliberate deception. It was just a bit of fun. It was Halloween.
Goodnight Harry
While I'm sad this event is behind me, I am happy to be on the other side of the 100th. I've had more than enough talk (and arguments) about Houdini's tragic, painful, and untimely death. I'm hoping to turn the conversation back to his amazing life. I also wonder if I might be done with Houdini séances, at least any that profess to take it seriously. Because I don't think séances are the way to talk to Houdini. I think séances belong to the 19th century. If you want to talk to Houdini, or any loved one who has passed, just talk to them. They hear us.
Thank you to everyone who made this event possible and to everyone who attended. This was a dream come true for me, and I hope it was for you as well.
If you would like to contribute to cancer immunotherapy, please send a check payable to Weill Cornell Medical College to the address below and include in the memo line: "make cancer disappear fund."
Mailing Address:
Weill Cornell Medicine
Attn: Hailey Kieltyka
Office of External Affairs
P.O. Box 22497
New York, NY 10087-2497
Photos courtesy of Randall Bell, Paul Draper, and Reynold Alexander.
