My Houdini window card turns 100

The original Houdini window card that hangs in my office turns 100 today. As you can see on the card header, it was on October 4, 1926, that Houdini opened at the Providence Opera House in Providence, Rhode Island. This was part of his second "3 Shows in One" tour. This engagement is generally seen as the beginning of a series of unfortunate events that would culminate in Houdini's death on Halloween. 

This is the only original piece of Houdini poster advertising that I own. I was lucky enough to acquire it from a rare discovery of Houdini window cards in Warwick, Rhode Island, back in 2021. Some of you might remember that wild adventure. I went all-in on restoration and framing, and I think it turned out beautiful.

You know, it's funny. I will spend days at David Copperfield's museum, surrounded by gloriously illustrated Houdini posters that fill entire walls. David has this window card. He has several! Yet, when I come home and see this hanging on my wall, I still think it's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Happy birthday window card! Now let the journey to Halloween commence.

Related:

• Homeowner discovers Houdini posters in her walls!
• Houdini arrives in Providence
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One

Houdini began his final tour 100 years ago today

It was 100 years ago today, on September 2, 1926, that Houdini began his 1926-27 "Coast to Coast" tour of 3 Shows in One at the Lyceum Theater in Paterson, New Jersey. The show featured some new illusions during the Magic section. In fact, advertisements emphasized the magic, stating: "As a MAGICIAN Houdini Starts where others leave off." 

Papers also noted that this was Houdini's first appearance in Paterson in 30 years. They were right. Houdini had last played Paterson with the "American Gaiety Girls" in December 1895. 

Here's a review of opening night from The Morning Call.

Houdini played the Lyceum for three days before moving on to Majestic Theater in Boston for a three-week run. The lasting legacy of this short run is the famous poster (above), which survives today in the Library of Congress.

The Lyceum was located at 123 Van Houten Street. A fire destroyed the theater on March 22, 1931. Below is the only image of the Lyceum I could find online.

Want more? I've uploaded a dozen advertisements and reviews of the Houdini Lyceum show to my Patreon.

Related:

• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Houdini's "3 Shows in One" turns 100
• American Museum of Magic shares collection online

Houdini concludes his first "3 Shows in One" tour

It was 100 years ago today that Houdini completed the first tour of his full evening "3 Shows in One" in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This was the second half of a split week. The show played two days in Akron before moving on to Harrisburg for the final three shows. The below from the Harrisburg Telegraph gives a nice taste of the show.

Harrisburg Telegraph, May 8, 1926.

This piece also provides some clues about what Houdini's 1926-27 tour would have looked like. It says he is booked in Harrisburg for a February 1927 return, and that the tour itself is already booked through March. Of course, this was never to be. Houdini died two months into his second tour on Halloween 1926.

Built in 1908, the Majestic stood at 323 Walnut Street in Harrisburg. In 1936, it was converted to a movie theater and was renamed the Rio. It closed on October 25, 1954, and was razed in March 1955. Today, Strawberry Square occupies the site.

Want more? Click below to view an original poster from this brief but historically significant 3-day engagement in Harrisburg from Mike Caveney's Egyptian Hall Museum.

Related:

• Houdini's "3 Shows in One" turns 100
• Houdini opens at the Alvin 100 years ago today
• Houdini has no time for love

The talk of Chicago

It was 100 years ago today that Houdini opened his "3 Shows in One" at the Princess Theater in Chicago for the start of what would be a remarkable 8-week run. For the occasion, I thought I'd rerun this post from 2022.

Here's one last post about Houdini at the Shubert Princess Theatre in Chicago in 1926. This 8-week run was longest single theater engagement for the 3 Shows in One and would prove to be Houdini's last appearance in the Windy City. Today I thought I'd share a collection of newspaper ads from the Chicago Tribune that pitched Houdini's show over the course of that record run.

This first ad from Match 4, 1926, shows the comedy play Young Blood with Helen Hayes preceding Houdini at the Princess. The Houdini show was playing the Bronx Theater in New York this week. Houdini flew by airplane to Chicago on March 7th. 

Coming!

Here's an ad for Houdini's opening night on Monday, March 8. You can bet he made sure the theater was ready, even if he had to do it himself!

Week 1

By the second week Houdini was "the talk of Chicago." I can believe it!

Week 2

Wonderful caricature artwork features on this ad for the start of Houdini's third week. If you've ever wondered what tickets cost back then, here you can see "600 Seats at $1 and $1.50 every night."

Week 3

More nice artwork for the start of Houdini's fourth week. "Have Houdini Give Your Friends a Spirit Message." I'm surprised spiritualism isn't played up more in these adverts.

Week 4

The famously prophetic Halloween artwork features on this fifth week ad. "Give yourself a treat. Bring the kiddies!" Any of those kiddies still around, I wonder?

Week 5

This week six ad takes aim at the pocket book. A .50¢ matinee? 300 seats at $1? No excuses now!

Week 6

Week seven saw a special added attraction -- reformed trumpet medium Annie Benninghofen.

Week 7

For his final week Houdini brought back some of his tried and true challenge escapes.

Week 8

Houdini's final two shows were on May 1st. He then traveled on to the Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio. Actress Eva Le Gallienne moved into the Princess with two Ibsen plays, The Master Builder and John Gabriel Borkman. Doesn't sound nearly as fun.

Last Day!

The Chicago Princess Theatre was located at 319 S. Clark Street. It converted to a movie theater at the end of the 1920s and closed in 1937. In 1941, the building was razed to make way for a parking lot. The Metcalfe Federal Building now stands on the site.

But let's not forget Houdini was here...for eight full weeks!

Clippings: Newspapers.com. 

Top photo: Houdini His Life Story by Harold Kellock.

Related:

• Houdini never ceases to surprise
• The Benninghofen confession
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One

"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

Houdini's last review

It was 99 years ago today that Houdini gave his final performance at the Garrick Theater in Detroit on October 24, 1926. Here is a review of that show that ran in the Detroit Free Press the following day. The reviewer, Philip N. O'Hara, was unaware of the drama that was unfolding backstage. But it's clear from his review that not all was right that night. A remarkable and, yes, somewhat spooky review in hindsight.

Houdini was booked for two weeks at the Garrick, but only played this one day. By the time this review appeared, he was at Grace Hospital fighting for his life.

Related:

• Houdini takes the stage for the last time
• The Garrick after Houdini
• Houdini's last backstage visitor (Patreon)

Houdini opens at the Alvin 100 years ago today

It was 100 years ago today that Houdini opened his full evening 3 Shows in One at the Alvin Theatre in Pittsburgh with a special Labor Day matinee. While Houdini had previewed the show in Cumberland, this marked the true start of his 1925-26 tour. Howard Thurston attended the opening show, perhaps to see what kind of competition he would be facing that season.

The Houdini show was extremely well promoted. He had arrived in the city early and threw down his famed $10,000 challenge for any proof of genuine membership. The show played the Alivn for two weeks. He was off to a great start! 

The Alvin Theatre was located at 119 6th Street in Pittsburgh. While no longer a theater, the building still stands today.

Want more? I've created a Google map showing every stop on both his 1925-26 and 1926-27 3 Shows in One tours, available exclusively on my Patreon.

Related:

• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Houdini's "3 Shows in One" turns 100
• Guest blog: Houdini in Pittsburgh by Zabrecky

Houdini's "3 Shows in One" turns 100

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Houdini's full evening 3 Shows in One at the Maryland Theater in Cumberland, Maryland, on August 31, 1925. Below is the ad for that very first show from The Cumberland Evening Times.

The 3 Shows in One was unlike anything Houdini had ever presented before. In many ways, it was the culmination of his career, with acts devoted to Magic, Escapes, and Fraudulent Mediums Exposed. The show played in Maryland for three days. This appears to have been a test run for the new show. After a week off, the show opened in its primary 1925-26 tour at the Alvin Theater in Pittsburgh on Labor Day.

This wasn't the first time Houdini played Cumberland. On September 24, 1898, the Welsh Bros. Circus played the city with The Houdinis as the feature of their concert. Houdini recorded in his travel diary that day: "Rain hard. No dinner." He'd come a long way!

Want more? To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 3 Shows in Own, I've created a Google map showing every stop on both his 1925-26 and 1926-27 tours. You can see that as a member of my Patreon below. My September reward will also be a review of the Maryland show.

Related:

• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Big Houdini news 100 years ago today
• Houdini debuts 3 Shows in One, but not where we thought

Big Houdini news 100 years ago today

If you were a Houdini fan 100 years ago, you would have woken up to some big news this morning, as reported in The New York Daily News.

New York Daily News, June 16, 1925.

After a 3-day preview in Cumberland, Houdini did indeed open his "3 Shows on One" at the Alvin Theater in Pittsburgh on Labor Day. As promised, it was an "all-Houdini show." However, it did include some jazz tunes and bare legs, thanks to Dorothy Young's "Radio Girl."

Want more? You can see a photograph of Houdini taken on his last day at the Hippodrome as a member of my Patreon below.

Related:

• Houdini's "Triumphant Return" and farewell
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Dorothy Young remembers her days with Houdini

Off to see Harry...

I'm going to wrap up 2024 with a speculative journey. I often think about time travel. Well, more specifically, I think about time traveling to see Houdini. I know I'm not alone in this. So if time travel were possible, and, say, you could select 3 specific days in the past in which to see Houdini, what days would those be? Here are the 3 days I would program into my flux capacitor:

Saturday, May 14, 1898

On this day, the Welsh Bros. Circus was playing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The young Harry and Bess Houdini were traveling with the circus performing Metamorphosis in the circus concert tent, where Bess would also do her seriocomic songs. It's also possible I could find Harry doing his King of Cards act in the sideshow. While all this would be enough, this day marked Houdini's debut as a "clown on bars" in the Big Top show. "Went big and funny," he wrote in his diary. So, yeah, a chance to see so many aspects of the young Houdini and Bess and experience the entire Welsh Bros. show... What a day! Also, if the rules of time travel allow, it would be easy to approach and talk to him.

For my second date, it's very hard to not select March 17, 1904, as that was the day of the famed Mirror Handcuff Challenge in London. Very hard! But the Mirror Challenge was just one performance, and I want to maximize my Houdini time. Besides, I know Joe Notaro will choose the Mirror Challenge, so I can learn all about it from him. Instead, I'm going to...

Saturday, March 2, 1918

This time, I'm landing in New York City to see Houdini vanish his elephant and escape from an underwater packing case at the Hippodrome. In fact, I could see it twice as the Hippodrome had a matinee (at 2:15) and an evening show (at 8:15). After the evening show, I could zip over to Martinka's magic shop and, using a 1918 S.A.M. card borrowed from one of my collector friends, I could attend the 174th regular meeting of the S.A.M. which Houdini presided over as President. But there's more! This was the week Houdini was giving World War I soldiers lessons on how to escape from German handcuffs. So, disguised as a soldier, I could get a lesson in escapes from the Handcuff King himself! Although, a 60-year-old private might seem a bit suspicious. He might think I'm an imitator come to steal his secrets! Maybe I need to rethink this one.

My last choice has to be a performance of the 3 Shows in One. But which one? While it is tempting to see Houdini's final show in Detroit, I think it would be too upsetting. So I'll leave that to others. Instead, I'm going to...

Thursday, September 30, 1926

This was when Houdini was playing his 3 Shows in One in Worcester, Massachusetts. This is also the day of the Summerfield's Department store test, in which he was sealed in a glass casket for an hour propped up on view. Unlike his other outdoor stunts, which were over relatively quickly, this is one I could savor. I'd get to stand and look at the 52-year-old Houdini for an hour! Heck, maybe I could even strike up a conversation with Jim Collins. Maybe get a backstage pass to the show that night! And speaking of that show, Houdini was doing the onstage Buried Alive in Worcester at this time. So I can see exactly how he presented this still largely mysterious escape. Yes, this means I would not see the Water Torture Cell, but I want to learn during each jump. I would also get to see all the new and improved magic for the 1926-27 season, including Slicing a Girl. And how poetic to see Houdini at age 52 doing his King of Cards routine, just as I had seen him do it three days and 28 years earlier.

How about you? What would your three days with Houdini be? Let us know in the comments below. I've also launched a POLL on my Patreon.

Thank you for your patronage and support this year. It was a big year for centennials and celebrations, and I expect more of the same in 2025. Happy holidays. I'll see you all in the future!

The Houdinis 1924 Christmas Card.

2024 in Review:

January (23 posts)

February (20 posts)

March (20 posts)

April (20 posts)

May (21 posts)

June (19 posts)

July (11 posts)

August (18 posts)

September (19 posts)

October (22 posts)

November (19 posts)

December (8 posts)

Most Viewed New Post of 2024

Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire (Oct. 21)

Houdini wanted to sleep in a Haunted House

Attention Houdini fiction writers! Here's a hook for a story that also happens to be true. When Houdini brought his 3 Shows in One to the Academy of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, for the week of November 9, 1925, he took out the following ad in The Afro-American newspaper.

The Afro American, Nov. 7, 1925.

I've never seen anything like this before. Is it just a clever way to advertise his upcoming appearance at the Academy? For sure. But I also think if someone came forward with a "Haunted House," Houdini would have absolutely followed through and spent the night. He also would have mined it for all the publicity it was worth, and that would have been great! Unfortunately, I could not find any follow-up, so it appears a suitable house did not materialize. 

It's up to you fiction writers to tell the story!

Related:

• Houdini and the Omro possession
• Spooks ahead
• Discovering Houdini's Baltimore

Choices, choices...

On the evening of February 27, 1924, both Houdini and The 4 Marx Brothers were appearing in Cleveland, Ohio. Houdini was giving his spiritualism lecture at Engineers Hall while the Marx Brothers were appearing in their breakout hit, I'll Say She Is, at the Hanna Theatre. I'd love to think Groucho worked up a special ad-lib about Houdini being down the street that night. Maybe something about chasing ghouls instead of girls? (Give me your best Groucho quip in the comments.)

The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Feb. 27, 1924.

I've covered Houdini's spiritualism lectures extensively, so let's talk about The Marx Brothers and I'll Say She Is. Like Houdini, the Marx Brothers began as vaudevillians. But in 1923, they decided to try their luck with a full evening musical comedy, I'll Say She Is. It made them superstars.

I'll Say She Is was never made into a Marx Brothers film. In fact, for the longest time, precisely what the show contained wasn't well known. But the great Noah Diamond has a particular passion for I'll Say She Is, and he recreated the show from his own research. He also penned the excellent book, Gimme a Thrill: The Story of I'll Say She Is, The Lost Marx Brothers Musical and How It Was Found.

This wasn't the only time Houdini and I'll Say She Is played the same city. At the end of 1924, I'll Say She Is was at the Missouri Theater in Kansas City while Houdini was at the nearby Mainstreet Theater. And when I'll Say She Is settled in for its long run at the Casino Theatre in New York City, Houdini appeared at the New York Hippodrome during the show's final four weeks in early 1925.

The Marx Brothers followed up I'll Say She Is with The Coconuts in 1925. Once again, we find Houdini and the brothers playing New York City simultaneously. In fact, The Coconuts and Houdini's 3 Shows in One opened on Broadway within a week of each other. The Coconuts opened at the Lyric Theatre on Dec. 8, 1925, and Houdini opened at the 44th Street Theater on Dec. 14th.

New York Daily News, Dec. 7, 1925.

I've always wondered if Houdini and Bess ever saw I'll Say She Is or The Coconuts. I would love to think that they did. Houdini and the Marx Brothers would eventually appear at the same charity event at the New York Polo Grounds in 1926, but that's another story.

You can buy Noah Diamond's Gimme a Thrill on Amazon. I'd also highly recommend Four of the Three Musketeers: The Marx Brothers on Stage by Robert S. Bader, also available on Amazon.

Related:

• Houdini and the Marx Bros at the Polo Grounds
• When Groucho met Houdini
• A tour of Houdini's Cleveland

Banner day for Houdini at auction

A large banner poster (42¼ × 108¾") advertising Houdini's "3 Shows in One" sold yesterday at Potter & Potter's Ricky Jay Collection Part II auction for $14,400 (with buyers premium). A reasonable price for a Houdini poster. I've always loved this artwork as the Halloween imagery makes it eerily prescient.

Another standout was a 4-page flyer from early 1900 advertising Houdini "Assisted by Mme. Beatrice Houdini," which sold for $9,600 (with buyers premium). The auction notes it as "the first example we have encountered." 

Congrats to the winners!

Related:

• The last Houdini poster
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Martin Beck and the nine Houdini "knockers"

Cleveland calling

This week I'll be attending the Magic Collectors Expo in Cleveland. Cleveland is a great Houdini city. How great? I will be discussing exactly that during my talk "Houdini in Cleveland" on Thursday. Hope to see some of you there!

The above ad is for Houdini's "3 Shows in One" at the still standing Hanna Theatre in Cleveland in 1925. If you want to see a unique preview image from my talk, check out my Patreon below.

Related:

• Magic Collector Expo 2023 in Cleveland
• The next stop
• Boxcar straitjacket escape mystery (SOLVED!)

The Foolers channel Houdini in Akron tomorrow

Just a reminder that our great friend and fellow Houdini Nut Jessica Jane Peterson will hanging above the same stage as Houdini tomorrow, February 26, when The Foolers play the historic Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio. Jessica joins magicians Matt Donnelly, Vinny Grosso, and Alex Ramon in the new Penn & Teller production.

As you can see below, Houdini played his "3 Shows in One" at the Goodyear for three days in May 1926. On his final night he was challenged by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. to escape from a packing case.

You can find more information and book tickets at The Foolers official website.

Related:

• See The Foolers in a Houdini theater!
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One
• Houdini sheet music

See The Foolers in a Houdini theater!

Our great friend and fellow Houdini Nut Jessica Jane Peterson will be appearing in the new Penn & Teller production The Foolers this month. Jessica joins magicians Matt Donnelly, Vinny Grosso, and Alex Ramon in the show. The tour kicks off at the Pabst Theater in Milwaukee on February 24. It then moves to Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University in Indianapolis on February 25.

But it's the final stop in Akron, Ohio, on February 26 that has me most excited. That's because The Foolers will be playing the historic Goodyear Theater where Houdini himself appeared with his "3 Shows in One" for three days in May of 1926. So if you are in the Akron area, this would be The Foolers show to see! And how exciting for Jessica to be doing her escapes on the same stage as Houdini.

You can find more information and book tickets at The Foolers official website.

Related:

• Houdini sheet music
• Did Houdini return?
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One