tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post4949054375782978045..comments2024-03-18T20:46:10.605-07:00Comments on WILD ABOUT HARRY: The hidden meaning of Houdini's iconic suitJohn Coxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-50924632630678920792020-06-02T06:12:58.033-07:002020-06-02T06:12:58.033-07:00I thought I was the only one who noticed that cand...I thought I was the only one who noticed that candy cane striped shirt. :) Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-83793277399968505292020-06-01T07:53:27.075-07:002020-06-01T07:53:27.075-07:00Yes, the striped shirt becomes the standard shirt ...Yes, the striped shirt becomes the standard shirt he seems to always wear with this suit. You'll see it in almost all the pics starting in 1914.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-394384772045426642020-06-01T07:19:09.395-07:002020-06-01T07:19:09.395-07:00Interesting you pointed that out Lisa. Harry seems...Interesting you pointed that out Lisa. Harry seems to be wearing the same white dress shirt with candy cane stripes in the Jack London California photo and in the famous Siberian Chain Escape photo.Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-3115177510648312292020-05-31T22:04:12.907-07:002020-05-31T22:04:12.907-07:00"It just might be the collar and bow tie are ..."It just might be the collar and bow tie are different."<br /><br />Bess probably told him to change his shirt after a while. "Wait, is that....is that the same shirt you've been wearing everywhere?" "Yes?" "Okay, we need to get you another shirt out." "*reluctant sigh*" "Well you don't wanna be known as One-Shirt Harry. do you?"Lisa Hansenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07328936828614661896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-90946449410069012052020-05-31T05:56:10.658-07:002020-05-31T05:56:10.658-07:00By the way, in the HH/Jack London photo London is ...By the way, in the HH/Jack London photo London is wearing a shirt and tie that looks modern. I didn't know the regular shirt and tie, still standard today, was around by 1915. A bit earlier than I thought.Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-13633343387068869252020-05-30T17:04:13.712-07:002020-05-30T17:04:13.712-07:00It all fits. That Hull shot is pre mama death. And...It all fits. That Hull shot is pre mama death. And pinstrips! See, he was lively in his dress before THE event.<br /><br />I wasn't sure of the suit first appearing in 1913, but now you've shown it may have. I think maybe it's just a different collar in 1913. But it is black. And once 1914 hits, he's in that suit for the long haul. You'll have fun now at just how much you John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-1659512787057140542020-05-30T16:18:06.173-07:002020-05-30T16:18:06.173-07:00Lol, You can't trust LOC dates. So forget abou...Lol, You can't trust LOC dates. So forget about p221. But the image on page 220 is dated 5 September 1913. And yes, the TR picture is the first one I checked out in my search. British Tours has some great images in 1913 and 1914; There is a Kevin Connolly photo on p195 signed by Houdini on 29 January 1913 while he was at Hull, but that suit is pin-striped. Joe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-9651546266277545392020-05-30T16:03:30.035-07:002020-05-30T16:03:30.035-07:00Oh, yes, page 220 is great. That very well could b...Oh, yes, page 220 is great. That very well could be the first appearance of the suit. And on that same page you can see that fantastic shot of him in Southampton before his mother's death. A whole different Harry fashion wise.<br /><br />But the image on page 221 is not the suit. I wonder how certain we can be that's the Imperator in 1913? I think that might be him on the Imperator in John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-25249989754459772272020-05-30T15:37:27.666-07:002020-05-30T15:37:27.666-07:00Check out LOC images on page 220 and 221 of The Br...Check out LOC images on page 220 and 221 of The British Tours. Here is a link to one dated 5 September 1913: https://www.loc.gov/item/2005684961/Joe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-68645527989700188812020-05-30T15:13:07.433-07:002020-05-30T15:13:07.433-07:00I just had another look at the Dec. 1913 Monte Car...I just had another look at the Dec. 1913 Monte Carlo pics in Henning and he IS wearing the hat in one of them. And he might be in this suit, but it's hard to tell. It just might be the collar and bow tie are different.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-6730735629206636542020-05-30T15:05:20.514-07:002020-05-30T15:05:20.514-07:00Oh, I'd love to see those pics as I don't ...Oh, I'd love to see those pics as I don't think I found any 1913 shots. I was looking at the pics of him and Bessie in Monte Carlo and while he's in black, it doesn't appear to be the same suit.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-12150115098457894892020-05-30T14:53:19.048-07:002020-05-30T14:53:19.048-07:00Very intriguing. Conducted my own search to see if...Very intriguing. Conducted my own search to see if I could find him in that suit prior to his mother’s death, July 17, 1913. The earliest I found him in that suit was photos taken September 1913 when he was traveling on board the SS Imperator to perform at Apollo Theatre in Nuremberg. This was the first time he was able to work again after his mother’s death. So far, so good, John. :)Joe M. Notarohttp://harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-77985139276364526022020-05-30T14:26:47.478-07:002020-05-30T14:26:47.478-07:00It's in the collection of Dr. Bruce Averbook.It's in the collection of Dr. Bruce Averbook.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-74422847995343055502020-05-30T14:16:23.812-07:002020-05-30T14:16:23.812-07:00Thanks for the info in Notes! My copy of Notes is ...Thanks for the info in Notes! My copy of Notes is currently boxed away. Since that 1916 diary is no longer in the Manny Weltman Collection, where is it now?Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-83544602514077739022020-05-30T14:02:16.983-07:002020-05-30T14:02:16.983-07:00Ah ha! Okay. The tennis reference is sourced to Ho...Ah ha! Okay. The tennis reference is sourced to Houdini's 1916 diary (which at that time was still in the Manny Weltman Collection). He doesn't source his reference to golf, but I bet it's this pic.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-86934738617533690282020-05-30T13:58:36.488-07:002020-05-30T13:58:36.488-07:00Yes, that's him. And the hat is the same one w...Yes, that's him. And the hat is the same one we see in these other pics.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-33689476985521910512020-05-30T13:56:07.141-07:002020-05-30T13:56:07.141-07:00To be clear: In the 1916 exedra dedication photo H...To be clear: In the 1916 exedra dedication photo Harry is standing to the left of the two Rabbis with his arms folded behind his back and wearing a fedora type hat? Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-79919297582983190782020-05-30T13:06:15.004-07:002020-05-30T13:06:15.004-07:00The tennis reference is on page 205: Houdini was p...The tennis reference is on page 205: Houdini was playing recreational tennis and golf, and had stayed trim. With the old boyish eagerness, he once again began tough training for swimming and staying underwater.<br /><br />The water training was prep work for his role as Captain Nemo in Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. But that movie deal never got past the brainstorming stage.Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-41573908911687413492020-05-30T09:19:37.439-07:002020-05-30T09:19:37.439-07:00Always wondered where Silverman got that. Do you h...Always wondered where Silverman got that. Do you have a page number for that reference? It might be in the Notes book.<br /><br />Lisa -- I too have trouble imagining HH playing golf for some reason. Jon Oliver, who owns this pic, told me when Milbourne Christoper saw it he said, "That's staged!" It's possible Houdini wasn't actually playing golf that day and just picked up John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-26171307021165938582020-05-30T09:15:24.045-07:002020-05-30T09:15:24.045-07:00Heck, he had new stationary made rimmed in black! ...Heck, he had new stationary made rimmed in black! If there was a way to show his grief (and in his mind pay tribute to his mother), he'd do it.John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-69836827815040388582020-05-30T09:13:01.384-07:002020-05-30T09:13:01.384-07:00The whole Houdini as sloppy dresser thing I think ...The whole Houdini as sloppy dresser thing I think came into being in the 1920s. Before 1914 (when he starts wearing this black suit) photos show him to be a pretty sporty dresser. He has walking sticks and diamond tie pins, etc. And remember that nifty all-white suit that we see him wearing in Australia in 1910.<br /><br />The thing that really sold me on this being a mourning suit is the fact John Coxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04391313393222271260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-84345338832544148212020-05-30T08:08:21.248-07:002020-05-30T08:08:21.248-07:00If you are right about your premise, it shows Houd...If you are right about your premise, it shows Houdini couldn't just wear a black arm band or other similar notice of mourning, but had to wear it on his entire suit. When Houdini mourned, he MOURNED.Diegohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12379490800174666211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-11047538222275763342020-05-30T08:04:48.049-07:002020-05-30T08:04:48.049-07:00John your premise is very plausible. Others could...John your premise is very plausible. Others could say this is circular reasoning finding dots to connect to make it so. Others have written he cared little for his appearance/clothing, looking as if he had slept in his clothes. The photo of a wrinkled, wrongly buttoned Houdini, with the dapper, precisely attired Conan Doyle is telling. Or he could have been a creature of habit, wearing Diegohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12379490800174666211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-57923152015526375222020-05-30T01:44:02.744-07:002020-05-30T01:44:02.744-07:00According to Silverman he also played tennis.According to Silverman he also played tennis.Leo Heviahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12990057178465581105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732721553418878547.post-3118420661204692882020-05-29T19:44:17.895-07:002020-05-29T19:44:17.895-07:00Maybe he was wearing it when he got the news that ...Maybe he was wearing it when he got the news that she died and decided to continue wearing it since it was the last outfit he had on while she was still alive. For whatever the reason, he looked good in it so I have no complaints (other than I do prefer more stripes, lol).<br /><br />Also....I can't even get my brain to picture him actually golfing. Holding a golf club, sure. But actually Lisa Hansenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07328936828614661896noreply@blogger.com