Ghost burster

The website lavanguardia.com has an article about Houdini and Margery by John William Wilkinson. It's in Spanish so I don't know if it's any good, but this animation by Martin Tognola that tops the story is terrific!

Is it just me, or have things been a little quiet on the Margery front these days? Below are a few Margery goodies from the past.

Related:

• The Margery Files
• Interview with Anna Thurlow
• Houdini and Margery in the apple orchards

Houdini is a Big Mouth

The (very) adult Netflix animated series Big Mouth features an appearance by Houdini's ghost in season 3 episode 5, "How to Have an Orgasm." Houdini is voiced by Andrew Daly. He shows up around the 20 minute mark, although Houdini is name-checked throughout the episode. This first streamed October 5, 2019.

Below are some more appearances of Houdini in animated comedy.

Related:

• Houdini on Family Guy
• Houdini gets The Simpsons treatment
• Houdini meets Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Yarn Hub spins the story of Houdini

Here's a well done animated biography of Houdini from Yarn Hub. A few errors creep in, but there's also some pleasantly surprising inclusions (i.e. applesauce). Enjoy.

By the way, all the third party videos I share here can also be found in the "Linked Videos" playlist at the WILD ABOUT HARRY YouTube Channel.

Related:

• Houdini gets the Biographics treatment
• HOUDINI by MocomiKids
• Harry Houdini Down Under (video)

Sneak Peek: The Brave Harry Houdini

Here's a preview of an episode of Xavier Riddle and The Secret Museum that features a young Houdini. The series airs on PBS Kids.

A companion book to this episode will be released in April and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• Prince of the Air: A Story of Young Houdini
• A Spotlight For Harry shines with new cover
• Jack Hoeffler remembers the "Prince of the Air"

Houdini en el barrio

Houdini en el barrio is a short cartoon from Chile that features Houdini working his magic alongside a group of young people. At least that's what I think is going on. There might also be time travel involved. You can watch or download the short at CNTV Infantil.

Below are links to some more Houdini animated adventures for kids.

Related:

• Jem and the Houdinis
• Houdini meets Mr. Peabody & Sherman
• Houdini's great mouse adventure

HOUDINI by MocomiKids

Here's a fun short film by MocomiKids. This was first posted to YouTube in 2014.

Below are links to the true stories behind a few of the feats referenced in this video.

Related:

• Buried Alive
• When Houdini escaped the belly of the beast
• The Shelton pool test at 90

Houdini meets Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Houdini puts in an appearance on the DreamWorks Animation series The Mr. Peabody & Sherman Show. In Season 4, Episode 5, "Gone Comic Gone / Harry Houdini", Peabody and Sherman time travel to 1895 to "teach Houdini restraint."

The show is pretty manic, but the Houdini storyline is fun. Harry starts off as an unsuccessful and overbearing "show off" magician (who bares a striking resemblance to Criss Angel). With the help of Mr. Peabody and Sherman, he transformers into the iconic magician of history. We even get to see him do his thumb racket!

Houdini is voiced by Jeff Bennett. The show was written by Mike Leffingwell.

The series is now airing on the Universal Kids TV network, but all four seasons are available on Netflix where this episode premiered on April 21, 2017.

Below are links to some other Houdini animated adventures.

Related:

• Jem and the Houdinis
• Houdini's great mouse adventure
• Houdini gets The Simpsons treatment

Houdini's great mouse adventure

Amazon Video now has the series The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures available for streaming. Season 2 includes an episode called "Houdini Mice" that finds our tiny heroes traveling to Budapest where they help Houdini defeat a rival escape artist. The episode features a pair of handcuffs that look suspiciously like the Mirror cuffs. Someone did their research!

The Country Mouse and the City Mouse Adventures aired in the U.S. on HBO from March 2, 1997 to October 28, 1998. "Houdini Mice" first aired on October 17, 1998. 

You can purchase "Houdini Mice" (Season 2/Episode 15) for $1.99 at Amazon Video.

Related:

• Jem and the Houdinis
• Madeline meets Houdini
• The Ghostbusters bust Houdini

Now you see him...

This animation created by Christopher Baker was posed to the Houdini & Doyle Facebook Fan Group today. I thought it was worth a share here as well. Pretty cool.

View on Imgur

Houdini & Doyle is currently streaming on FOX NOW (until Aug. 9), Hulu (until Aug. 8), Amazon and iTunes. You can find links to my reviews of each episode HERE.

Related:

• Meet the new Houdini
• "My wife said to me when I got this role, ‘I love Houdini.’ I had no idea."
• Houdini & Doyle - It's a wrap!

The Real Ghostbusters bust Houdini

No, this isn't an April Fools joke, it's Houdini vs. The Ghostbusters...for real! It happened on September 30, 1987 in Season 2 of the animated series The Real Ghostbusters. The episode was called "The Cabinet of Calamari" and involved a magician, the "Great Calamari", who finds himself being harassed by Houdini's spirit in an old Broadway Magic Theater.

The Ghostbusters are called in and, after a series of adventures (and failing to hold Houdini in their ghost traps), discover that Calamari is the real villain who stole Houdini's secret notebook. Houdini even saves The Ghostbusters in the end.

On the Ghostbuster Wiki, it's said that "for legal reasons, the ghost of Houdini could not bear a direct likeness to the person." I find that surprising because, as far as I know, there is no Houdini estate and no copyright on his image whatsoever. I'd chock this up to spooked lawyers.

Houdini not looking himself in the afterlife.

"The Cabinet of Calamari" can be found on The Real Ghostbusters Volume 3 DVD available on Amazon.

Related:

• Jem and the Houdinis
• Madeline meets Houdini
• Houdini gets The Simpsons treatment

Animated 'Houdini' released on DVD

Today sees the release of NCircle Entertainment's Houdini (a.k.a. Little Houdini) on DVD. This is a feature-length French animated film produced by Dandelooo. It has been dubbed into English for this U.S. release.

Twelve year old Harry has lived and breathed magic since his early childhood. The problem is that his hometown, Appletown, is not the best place for his natural talent to blossom. Although he rehearses endlessly in his parents' barn he realizes that his dream is just that a dream. One day Harry catches the glimpse of a chance: the New York mayor has announced a magic competition due to the official opening of the Statue of Liberty. Unfortunately, there is a slight problem with this competition, in order to try out one must be trained by a real magician. Poor Harry doesn't know a single one. Until Harry s father runs into the magician, the Great Tesla, in town and Tesla promises to see Harry. Despite the young boy s lack of knowledge Tesla spots talent, creativity and boldness in Harry. He decides to give him a chance and invites him to his own home, accompanied by his niece, Beth, and his assistant, Amrold. Tesla will teach Harry the basics of magic, his tricks but will also test him. Will Harry be strong enough to become a true magician?

Purchase Houdini on DVD at Amazon.

UPDATE: Having now watched this, I can report that it is a delight. It's very well made with beautiful animation. The movie also does a nice job of explaining some of the principles of magic. While it's pure fiction, I think kids will enjoy it on many levels. This is a quality contribution to the world of Houdini-inspired cinema.

Related:

• Animated 'Houdini' coming to DVD
• French animated Houdini TV series in the works

Animated 'Houdini' coming to DVD

NCircle Entertainment, the largest independent studio for children's non-theatrical DVDs in the U.S., has acquired Houdini (a.k.a. Little Houdini), a French feature-length animated film produced by Dandelooo. Houdini will premiere in the U.S. on DVD on September 15.

"Our team in Paris is thrilled at our new partnership with NCircle Entertainment," said Emmanuèle Pétry Sirvin of Dandelooo. "The launch of Houdini in America has special significance, knowing that this amazingly talented boy was born in Europe, then sailed to the United States where he became the greatest magician of all time."

Below is a trailer:

Thanks to iTricks for this news.

UPDATE: This DVD is now available on Amazon.

Related:

• French animated Houdini TV series in the works

French animated Houdini TV series in the works

Variety reports that a French animated Houdini TV series is being pitched at Cartoon Forum, a Toulouse-based co-production mini-mart that runs Sept. 23-26. "Houdini" is one of 84 projects being shopped at the event. Here's the full report by Elsa Keslassy:

Master illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini will get a youthful treatment in “Houdini,” a French animated series set to be pitched at Cartoon Forum, the Toulouse-based co-production mini-mart.

Toon series – comprising 26 half-hours – is produced by Jean-Baptiste Wery and 
Emmanuèle Pétry-Sirvin at France’s Dandelooo, which is competing for a Cartoon Tribute.

Set in 1887, the series follows the adventures of Houdini, a gifted 11-year-old illusionist driven by an urge to analyse the many mysteries of New York, which tend to get him embroiled in dubious situations.

Cédric Babouche, the co-author of the novels that served as source material for the series, is directing.

Although the series is not based on a major franchise, it still holds a large potential due to the near-cult status of Harry Houdini, explained Petry-Sirvinn who will be pitching the show at Cartoon Forum.

“Houdini was one of the first illusionist to become internationally acclaimed while alive, thanks to his talent and although kids probably don’t know him as yet, adults do and are intrigued about his mysterious and amazing innate gifts for magic.

The source for this series is "Little Houdini", a multi-platform concept by Cédric Babouche (not yet books as far as I can find). You can read more at the author's website, Cedric's little adventures.

UPDATE: This has now been released in English on DVD and can be purchased at Amazon.

Jem and the Houdinis

Jem Harry.

Jem and the Holograms was a syndicated 1980s cartoon series which, like Transformers, was basically a commercial for a Hasbro toy line. The popular series ran from 1985 to 1988 and still has a cult following today. There's even a Jem and the Holograms movie currently in production.

On February 15, 1988, Houdini became part of the Jem universe with Season 3, Episode 8, That Old Houdini Magic. In it, Jem and a new character, Astral (a magician), tangle with a rival band who are taking advantage of a rich widow by convincing her that the ghost of Houdini has returned. The episode features escapes from a high fashion straitjacket and climaxes with the Water Torture Cell.

Show creator and writer Christy Marx (credited here as Jina Bacarr) clearly did her research. The episode is peppered with historical Houdini facts, including this obscure but entirely accurate reference to Harry and Bess' private code (no, not that code). I've excerpted two short clips below.

(Sorry for the ads. YouTube automatically monetized this for Hasbro.)

You can read more about the episode (and its fashions) at Jem Vs. Prancetron. You can also watch the entire episode at Daily Motion, or buy the Season 3 DVD at Amazon.

Jem straitjacket (click to enlarge).

Hairy Houdinis

2014 is shaping up to be a big year for Houdini in popular culture. Not only are we seeing new novels, plays, a documentary and a miniseries, but now comes word of two new additions to the growing sub-catagory of Houdini animal adventures.

First up: Screen Daily reports that Circus Road and Canal Street Films will begin filming Houdini in Los Angeles in September. The family film directed by William Dear from a script by Marty Colasuonno and Julian Ericsonn centers on "a young magician trying to save his family's animal rescue shelter with the help of a famous escape artist dog on the run from kidnappers."

"We are thrilled that Bill Dear has agreed to direct," said Circus Road founder Glen Reynolds. "We are big fans of his films and we believe he will deliver a great movie."

Next: Amazon has a new listing for a book called Orangutan Houdini by Laurel Neme. This illustrated children's book tells the true story of an orangutan named Fu Manchu "who escapes his enclosure at will and spends sunny days with the elephants in another part of the zoo." The book will be released by Bunker Hill on September 17, 2014. Below is the official book trailer.

Spanish 'Miracle Mongers and Their Methods'

A new Spanish language edition of Houdini's 1920 book, Miracle Mongers and Their Methods, has been published by Nórdica Libros. The book is translated by Alicia Frieyro and contains illustrations by Iban Barrenetxea.

Traficantes de milagros y sus métodos was officially released yesterday, Houdini's birthday, and is available now via Amazon.es (Spain), Amazon.com (U.S.), Amazon.co.uk (UK) or The Book Depository (which offers free shipping worldwide).

Below is a nice promotional video for the book from the Nórdica Libros website. I think these illustrations by Barrenetxea makes this one a must buy.

Thanks to Arthur Moses (who else) for the alert.

When Harry met Bessie

There are multiple versions of how Houdini and Bess met. Bess told her version in the book Houdini His Life Story (1928). According to Bess, Harry was performing at her school and accidentally spilled acid on her dress during a magic trick. He had his mother make her a new dress, and then took her on a date to Coney Island. But when he kept her out too late, Bess became panicky that she would get in trouble. Houdini then gallantly proposed. This version is now considered to be pure fiction, but it does make for a cute short film (below).

The second version was told by Houdini's brother, Hardeen, and first appeared in the 1959 biography Houdini The Man Who Walked Through Walls by William Lindsay Gresham. In Dash's version, Bess was working as a fellow performer in Coney Island with The Floral Sisters when he and Harry were performing as The Brothers Houdini. Dash dated Bess first; but then made the mistake of introducing her to his charismatic older brother. A quick courtship and proposal followed. This version is generally accepted to be the truth, and has evidence in the form of two newspaper articles from the 1894 Coney Island Clipper which mention Harry and "Bessie Raymond" (her stage name).

But now here's a third version, this one from Houdini himself! The Handcuff King related this in his own words to the The San Francisco Call on Sunday, Sept. 1, 1907, in a lengthy biographical article by Arthur L. Price. Under the subheading, "Willing Wilhelmina", Houdini says:

I eloped with my wife from her school books: that was 14 years ago, and she was then just 16 years old. I was only about 20 and was working in a little Brooklyn theater, which she used to pass every day coming from school. Her name was Wilhelmina Rahner and she came about No. 9 in a family of 14 girls. 

I saw her passing the place one day and I said, "Hello." 

"Howdy do?" said she. 

"I do as I please," I said. 

I asked if I might take her home after school. "Yes; but don't let mother see you," replied the girl, smiling a bit. 

She thought I was a real actor, a sort of Booth of Sir Henry Irving, and I didn't put her wise. 

"How'd you like to be an actress?" I asked her one day, knowing that most girls were crazy about the stage. 

She said she would like it. 

"Would you marry me?" I asked quickly. 

"I would if you'd ask me." 

"Well, I ask you." 

That was on Thursday; Saturday night she met me and we went over to New York City and were married in the city hall!

Like Bess' acid on the dress tale, this is almost certainly fiction. But it is a fun story and I love their banter. Now, why Harry felt compelled to make Bess only 16 is a mystery. Bess was actually 18 when they met and married. But the idea of a "child bride" was not unheard of at this time.

Of course, I've always been intrigued by what we might consider a fourth version that Bess told to Dorothy Young, possibly while under the influence of her favorite champagne. Bess confessed to Dorothy that she, "sold her virginity to Houdini for an orange."

Forbidden fruit?

Thanks to Tom Interval for finding and providing The San Francisco Call interview. Unpublished photo of Houdini and Bess made possible via our Hinson Endowment.

Houdini the Budget Gourmet

Here's something from our friend Joe Fox that might jog the memory of a few. These two Budget Gourmet TV spots appeared in the late 1980s and featured "The Great Houdini." The first ad is titled "Houdini Jr." and the longer ad "Houdini 79."

Maybe the concept here is that this is a Houdini protege and not Houdini himself? That would explain the mustache. But whatever the intent, they're good fun, and I've not seen these online anywhere else. I've uploaded them to the WILD ABOUT HARRY YouTube page. Hopefully Budget Gourmet, which is still around today, won't make them disappear.

Thanks to Joe Fox for this blast from the past.

Wild About Adrien

With the recent news that History is developing a Houdini miniseries with Adrien Brody, guess it's time we all get wild about Adrien. This video helps. Thanks to iTricks for this one. (Warning: you will not get these 4 minutes of your life back.)

Madeline meets Houdini

Continuing our French theme today, if you've never seen the episode of The New Adventures of Madeline in which Madeline and her friends meet Houdini, you can now purchase it on Amazon (Prime members can stream it for free). It's a pretty cute episode. We even get to see Houdini and Madeline sing a duet!

"Madeline and the Magic Show" first aired on February 12, 2001 and was episode 14 of Season 3. I've captured a few choice images below.