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
In 2024, Dorothy Dietrich and Hank Feinberg started an nonprofit charitable LLC https://houdinigravesite.org/ and took over the care, upkeep, and restoration of the site. The LLC is working with the family to make sure it is done both legally and in accordance with Jewish traditions. It was at this time, they discovered that Houdini had left money for care and upkeep in perpetuity in his will to the cemetery.The money for the Houdini Gravesite collected by The Society of American Magicians is earmarked to help offset the cost of repairs as voted on by the National Council in 2023.
With the information provided here, we would appreciate a clarification on your posting about the need for cleaning the site and who should be performing the upkeep.
Matthew Crabtree
National President
The Society of American Magicians
A landmark volume in the history of magic―the first-ever book on Houdini’s legendary personal collection, published on the centennial of his deathHarry Houdini (1874–1926) was not only a great magician but a great collector. Every corner of his townhouse at 278 West 113th Street in New York was filled with books, pamphlets, prints, clippings, playbills, and photographs documenting the history of magic and theatrical performance. “It would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection of evidence now in my hands,” Houdini wrote in 1908. “These programs, advertisements, newspaper notices, and crude cuts trace the history of magic as no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians, rising in this century of research and progress to claim the credit due them.”
This handsome oversize volume is published to coincide with a major exhibition at the Harry Ransom Center in Austin, where much of Houdini’s library is preserved. It traces the growth of the legendary illusionist’s collections throughout his career and illustrates hundreds of his treasures―many for the first time. They range from a priceless copy of Reginald Scot’s 1584 volume Discovery of Witchcraft, the first book to reveal the secrets of sleight-of-hand; the irreplaceable collection of playbills and programs that Houdini obtained from the British conjuror Henry Evans Evanion; the travel diary of David Garrick, the eighteenth-century actor who defined modern theatre; and much more. Houdini’s Library will be a source of fascination for anyone interested in the history of magic and performance.
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| American Press, October 8, 1973. |
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Moments after the escape, Sky officially announced Dynamo Vs Houdini, a three-part series that sees Dynamo traveling across America, retracing Houdini’s footsteps and honoring his legacy 100 years after his death. Dynamo asks the question: What would Houdini do if he were alive today?
Shirley Jones, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at Sky, says: “We’re so excited to be working with Dynamo on a series that not only celebrates the enduring legacy of Harry Houdini but demonstrates the extraordinary skill, innovation, and jaw-dropping talent that has made him one of the defining magicians of his generation.”
I had the pleasure of filming an interview with Dynamo last week at Roger Dreyer's amazing Houdini Revealed Museum. He told me about this stunt, and I was more than a little anxious about the outcome. I'm thrilled to hear he pulled it off, and I can't wait to see Dynamo Vs Houdini!
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