Houdini rings in the New Year with $738

A Houdini postcard wishing a "Happy and Prosperous New Year" sold today at Potter & Potter's Winter Magic Auction for $738. The postcard was sent to escape artist Joseph Kolar and is postmarked December 28, 1923.

Another postcard, which I actually find a more interesting piece of Houdini history, sold for a more modest $153. That card (below) promotes his 3 Shows In One at the Princess Theater in Chicago in a unique way.

Other lots included $3,120 for an Elliott’s Last Legacy inscribed by Houdini. A press photo of Houdini dangling in a straitjacket went for $1,045. A lettergram from Houdini to Charles Carter (Carter the Great) took $1,045. A broadside from the East Ham Palace Theater landed at $1,599.

Speaking of the holidays, this is my last regular post of the year. Tomorrow I will share my 2017 wrap-up and then take my usual end of year break.

Related:

• The Houdinis 1924 Christmas card
• Happy Holidays from the Hardeens
• Teller flips the bird on his 2016 holiday card 

The Houdini Correspondence File

Magician and collector Wayne Wissner has a new publication called, The Houdini Correspondence File. Wayne has made 10 copies available on eBay TODAY. Below is the cover and description:

About two years ago I discovered a small stach of original Houdini corresponcence that hasn't been looked at in almost 70 years. I culled several of these letters, most from 1926, the year that Houdini passed away. These are now the basis for this 30 page publication. References to Dunninger, Carter, Thurston, Hardeen and many others. Should make a great read as well as a wonderful research tool. Please do let me know if you wish it signed and thanks for looking! The cost is $25.00 postpaid.

Wayne previously released a 22-page collection of correspondences between Houdini and Robert Gysel called, Houdini & Gysel.

And in case you are wondering, that is Houdini with his Terror Island leading lady Lila Lee on the cover.

UPDATE: Check out this interesting revelation from this (now sold out) book: Did a contract clause kill Houdini?

Bess originally planned Final Houdini Seance as a "hunt for magician ghosts"

Click to enlarge.

This article from The Fresno Bee Republican dated April 24, 1936, reveals an early and intriguing concept for what became the Final Houdini Seance on the roof of Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood on Halloween of that year. Here we see Bess originally planned to hold the seance on a mountaintop, "as near the heaves as possible", and the idea was to not only contact Houdini, but Howard Thurston and Charles Carter as well!

Says Bess, "Now that Houdini, Carter and Thurston have joined forces on the other side of the grave, I am going to make, here in Hollywood, the one supreme effort to contact these great magicians and maybe together one of them may 'come through'."

While the "Final Houdini Seance" has come down as a sincere last attempt to contact the great magician -- and Edward Saint did insist it be a legitimate seance without trickery -- the truth is the seance was largely conceived as a publicity stunt to further Houdini's name and legend, and also goose Hollywood into making a Houdini biopic with Bess and Ed Saint involved in the production.

It both these regards, it was successful. The seance garnered headlines across the country, and Bess and Ed where able to make a development deal for a Houdini biopic at Paramount, as well as an independent starring vehicle for Bess herself.

Looks like Carter and Thurston got left behind.

Related:

• Mountain top announced as original location for Final Houdini Seance
• Recording of the Final Houdini Seance
• The Final Houdini Seance redux 1986

Hollywood's Houdini development slate (UPDATED)

Hollywood is hot to make a movie about Houdini. But what kind of movie is something the dream factory can't seem to figure out. Here's a rundown of all the Houdini projects currently in development to my knowledge. Which one of these, if any, will break free from Development Hell? That's the real mystery.

Houdini Miniseries - HISTORY
The most recently announced Houdini project is a two-night television miniseries with Adrien Brody attached to star (working title: Houdini). Reports say the miniseries "traces the arc of the turn-of-the-20th-century master magician's life from desperate poverty to worldwide fame." Veteran TV producer Gerald W. Abrams (J.J. Abrams father) is attached as executive producer.

In May of this year Brody said they were still in the "beginning stages," but my spirit guide tells me the network has a finished screenplay by writer-director Nicholas Meyer (whose father, Bernard C. Meyer, wrote Houdini A Mind in Chains). See: History has a script for their Houdini miniseries.

Are we Wild about History's Houdini? Yes! Even though I'm still warming to the idea of Adrien Brody as Houdini, this is the project I'd most like to see made as it's the only one that appears to be approaching Houdini's story as a traditional biography. And History did a great job promoting their recent miniseries The Bible and The Hatfields and The McCoys, so this could be a real event.

UPDATE (8/19/14): IT'S ON! History greenlights Houdini miniseries.

The Secret Life of Houdini - Lionsgate
Intrigued by the idea that Houdini might have once worked as a spy, in 2009 Summit Entertainment (which later merged with Lionsgate) picked up the feature-film rights to The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman. The studio announced plans to launch a fictional action adventure franchise "featuring a character who is part Indiana Jones and part Sherlock Holmes."

The project has since gone through a turbulent development. Jeff Nathanson was originally attached to write and direct, but that didn't seem to work out. Gary Ross and Joe Wright have both come and gone as potential directors. Now the project has a new screenplay by Noah Oppenheim and the most recent news is that Dean Parisot (Reds 2) is in talks to direct.

Are we Wild? I'm conflicted about this movie, just as I'm conflicted about the Secret Life book itself. Lionsgate certainly knows how to make, shape, and sell a movie for today's audience (The Hunger Games anyone?), but I'm not crazy about having something that further perpetuates the idea that Houdini was a secret agent. Despite my respect for the authors of the book, it's a theory I just can't get behind. And wasn't this movie already made in 1923 as Haldane of the Secret Service?

Houdini - Sony/Columbia
Can you believe this project has been in development for 40+ years? This isn't Development Hell, it's Development Purgatory. But at least they are still trying, and now the project has a screenplay by Scott Frank (Minority Report) and a director in Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants). But the real mystery of this latest incarnation is the plot.

News reports in 2011 said the movie would be about Houdini falling in love with a beautiful spiritualist, which sounded a lot like Death Defying Acts. But my own Top Secret sources tell me the real plot is about Houdini and Chung Ling Soo working together to break a man out of prison. In fact, Chung Ling Soo plays as big a roll in the movie as Houdini. The script is also said to include a large element of the supernatural.

Are we Wild? Even though it's fiction, yes, I'm excited about this project. This feels more like an "untold" episode of Houdini's life, so it doesn't have that same stigma of rewriting history that the Lionsgate project has. But this company seems chronically incapable of getting Houdini on the screen, and I'm spooked that we haven't heard anything about this project in a few years.

Among The Spirits - NBC
In February 2011 Syfy announced plans to make Among the Spirits, a dramatic "steampunk" television series featuring Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle solving mysteries in the 1920s. The series would be written and produced by Steve Valentine and Paul Chart, and is reportedly based on a graphic novel of the same name (although I've never been able to track down a copy).

The announcement received a lot of press in 2011, but then nothing. Now word is the series has moved to NBC, but NBC has said nothing about it officially.

Are we Wild? Yeah, a little. I'm not turning cartwheels over the concept, but I think it has potential and I'd love a weekly Houdini TV series to blog about. And if they really drilled down and studied Houdini's spirit investigations, they could come up with some great episodes. Margery as the season finale? Could be fun.

Voices from the Dead - DreamWorks
In 2011 DreamWorks purchased the original screenplay Voices from the Dead from screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski. The script finds Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle teaming up with a psychic to solve a set of murders in 1920's New York. Yes, it's pretty much the same idea as the Syfy/NBC series, and maybe it's not a coincidence that it was purchased in the same month. It's also the same idea of a half-dozen books and graphic novels, yet it reportedly sold because of the "originality" of the idea. Amazing. Since the purchase, there has been no news.

Are we Wild? While I want a Houdini feature film, a Houdini-Doyle mash-up feels done to death. And, again, do we really want to see Houdini as a detective?

The Houdini Inheritance - Walden Media
Back in July 2012 The Hollywood Reporter broke the "exclusive" news that Chuck co-creator Chris Fedak had been hired to write an untitled Houdini project for Walden Media. According to the report, the story centers on "an unsuspecting high schooler who finds himself in grave danger when he discovers a family secret leading back to the legendary illusionist." Mark Waters is attached to produce and direct through his Watermark Pictures.

Walden's Houdini project has actually been in development since 2006, with Brett Merryman writing the initial screenplay. But it sounds like it received new life with Fedak, although there hasn't been any fresh news on the project in over a year.

Are we Wild? Ambivalent. It's a movie for kids, and from the description, it sounds like it's set in contemporary times. So it's not really a movie about Houdini himself. Maybe Hollywood should realize how much kids love the Tony Curtis Houdini biopic.

UPDATE (5/19/14): Houdini escapes Walden Media.

The Houdini Box - 20th Century Fox
In 2012, 20th Century Fox-based Chernin Entertainment purchased the film rights to Brian Selznick's illustrated children's book The Houdini Box. The book tells the story of a young boy who receives a box from Houdini just before the magician's death. Adventure ensues.

In 2013 Chernin announced that Irish filmmaker Kealan O'Rourke would write and direct the project. O'Rourke is a veteran of short films and animation, The Houdini Box would mark his feature film debut.

Are we Wild? I have the same feelings about this as I have about the Walden project, although at least this one is set in Houdini's day and will have at least one scene with the magician. Also, with O'Rourke's background, I wonder if they are considering making this an animated feature? I always though Disney missed the boat by not making an animated Houdini musical in the 1990s.

Carter Beats the Devil - Warner Bros
Based on the superb 2001 novel, Carter Beats The Devil by Glen David Gold -- which features Houdini in a small but significant role -- this project has long been in development. Paramount originally optioned the book in 2002 for Tom Cruise to star and produce. Once that deal lapsed, AMC took a stab at turning it into a TV series. That also didn't work out.

Then in 2010 the project got back on track when Michael Gilio was tapped to write the screenplay with Jon Shestack producing for Warner Bros. Last year it was reported that 21 Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller were in talks to direct.

Are we Wild? Sure, it's a great book. Not really a Houdini movie... Still, I'll take it.

The Arcanum - Gold Circle
Based on Thomas Wheeler's fantasy-adventure novel, The Arcanum finds Houdini, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (look DreamWorks -- so original!), H.P. Lovecraft and Marie Laveau teaming up to fight demons in 1919 New York. Wheeler penned the screenplay which was first purchased by Miramax in 1999. Gold Circle acquired the property in 2004. In 2007 it was reported that writer/director Randall Wallace (The Man in the Iron Mask) had signed aboard to direct. No word since then.

Are we Wild? Meh. Sounds like The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and these multi-historical character action mash-ups never seem to work. But I'd see it!

Boilerplate - Paramount
In January 2010 Paramount has picked up rights to Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel, a graphic novel-picture book hybrid by Paul Guinan and Anina Bennett. The book tells the story of the world's first robot, "Boilerplate", who has a Forrest Gump-like series of adventures. These apparently include working alongside Houdini in silent films. J.J. Abrams Bad Robot is attached to produce.

Are we Wild? I actually like the sound of this movie, and having a scene or two with Houdini certainly doesn't hurt. But I think J.J. is a little busy these days.

UPDATE (9/26/13):
"Modern-Day Houdini" - ABC
ABC has now thrown their hat into the Houdini development ring and is working on a "Modern-Day Houdini" TV series. David Hoberman's ABC-based production company, Mandeville, is developing the project with writers Jeff Addis and Will Matthews. It's said to follow "legendary illusionist Harry Houdini" who "partners with an unusually gifted female detective to solve the cases that baffle the LAPD."

I've since learned that it's actually Houdini's spirit returned from the beyond to help fight modern day crime. Okay...

Are we Wild? As silly as this concept sounds, I like the idea of a weekly Houdini TV series enough that I could live with this for a season or two. Bring on Ghost Harry!

Houdini-Hollywood sign images by the multi-talented Tom Interval of Houdini Museum.

Discovering the Dark Art of Houdini (and Jaime Robledo) in Hollywood

On Sunday I had the great pleasure of seeing Watson and The Dark Art of Harry Houdini at the Sacred Fools Theater in Hollywood. Of course, I went to see Houdini and all else is secondary in my sick mind. But when I left, all I could think about was just how excellent the entire production was. I don't think I've ever seen local theater so cleverly staged as this play by the talented writer-director Jaime Robledo. But let's take this one step at a time.

I was happy to have wrangled a few magical associates to accompany me to the Sunday matinee. My crew consisted of Joseph Fox (handcuff expert), Joe Notaro (webmaster of HHCE), and Mark Willoughby (producer of The Ghastly Love of Johnny X). The experienced started with the temperature that day soaring near 100 degrees. But that somehow made it a true L.A. theater going experience, which can sometimes require heroic effort.

The Sacred Fools is a wonderful, intimate theater space located off Melrose Ave in what is known as East Hollywood. You're not stepping into the Pantages, that's for sure, but that's part of the appeal. There is a tangible passion and love of theater in every bit of this cleverly laid out small space. You are warmly welcomed and made to feel like you are part of the theater family. I was also happy to see the lobby decked out in Houdini posters. Even the bathroom was peppered with Houdiniana [click for pics]. So, yeah, they pretty much had me from the start.

Scott Leggett as Dr. Watson and Joe Fria as Sherlock Holmes.

Watson and The Dark Art of Harry Houdini is first and foremost a Sherlock Holmes play. Well, to be more precise, it's a Sherlock Holmes play in which Dr. Watson (superbly played by Scott Leggett) is the main character. This is actually a sequel to Jaime Robledo's 2010 production, Watson: The Last Great Tale of the Legendary Sherlock Holmes. It helps to have some knowledge of that first show (I didn't), but this sequel is well written enough to catch you up quickly and root you in this unique Holmesian timeline (10 years after Holmes and Watson's last adventure).

The first of many pleasant surprises was that the show was funny. Very funny. I might even classify it as a comedy, although it journeys into serious drama as well. Joe Fria plays Holmes very broadly and largely for laughs. I'm a bit of a Holmes purist, so I didn't love that, but it works here to shift the focus onto Watson, who has to tolerate his wildly moody and, yes, even buffoonish companion. However, Holmes' introduction and first deduction of a murder scene is extremely well done and shows us Sherlock at his full power. It's the first of several show stoppers.

The play also features Graham Skipper in a duel role as a somewhat sex-crazed Sigmund Freud and a Sherlock Holmes wannabe named Pike. Skipper is very funny and comes close to stealing the show whenever he's onstage. Other cast members include the very attractive Carrie Keranen as Violent Hunter, Eric Curtis Johnson as Mycroft Holmes, and Cj Merriman as the spirit of Watson's first wife, Mary Morstan.

Donal Thoms-Cappello as Houdini.

But what of Houdini? Well, Harry Houdini is played here by Donal Thoms-Cappello and he knocks it out of the park! It helps that the actor is clearly a major star in waiting. He has the presence and charisma of a leading man, which makes his Houdini jump off the stage just as he did in life. When you have Sherlock Holmes, Dr. Watson and Harry Houdini all sharing the same space, it could be hard to decide who is the most famous and iconic of the men. In this play it's clearly Houdini, and that is in no small part due to Donal's presence and performance. My companions all commented on how he reminded them of Johnathon Schaech in Houdini (1998). I could also see that. But I think Donal is better.

One thing that instantly jumped out at me was that Donal gives Houdini a somewhat heavy New York/Brooklyn accent. While Houdini didn't have this accent (Hardeen did), I think this works quite well. Talking to the actor after the play, he explained that he wanted to infuse his Houdini with a sense that underneath the wealth and fame is still a very tough, street smart character. The accent does this beautifully, and also works as a nice "new world" contrast to all the English accents in the play. By the way, Donal did Houdini's real voice for me after the show -- reciting; "the Water Torture Cell" -- which was great fun. (I also noticed he was holding a copy of Carter Beats The Devil.)

The actor also earns his magic stripes by performing a suspended straitjacket escape wrapped in chains during the show. This escape opens the second act and it's quite a harrowing thing to experience in such a small theater space. I hadn't expected to see any Houdini feats recreated, so this was a pleasant surprise.

Lisa Anne Nicolai as Bess.

Another pleasant surprise was that Bess is also in this play, although only briefly during two seance scenes. Here she's played by Lisa Anne Nicolai, who happens to be a good physical match for Bess. (When she first came out on stage as part of the stage crew, Joe Fox immediately identified her as a perfect Bess and was happy when she later appeared in the part.) I was able to chat with Lisa after the play and she explained that in doing research she was surprised to see that Bess wore her hair short, like her own, which she noted was quite progressive for the time. (I've often thought the same thing.) She seemed to have great affection for Bess and enjoyed playing the part, even though the majority of her stage time was spent as part of a troop of black clad pantomime artists who assist in the complex and creative staging of the play.

Lets now talk about that staging. For me and my companions this was the highlight of the show. The Sacred Fools has a small stage with just one set. But somehow on that stage we get to see an ocean liner sailing away from a dock, a shuffle board game between Houdini and Holmes (probably my favorite piece of staging), the bustling Coney Island midway, a carousel spinning wildly out of control, and a roller coaster! All are convincingly portrayed with a mix of pantomime and clever stagecraft. Really great stuff.

Watson, Freud, and Lisa Anne Nicolai in her role as pantomime artist.

The plot of the play finds an estranged Holmes and Watson reunited by Mycroft to investigate a series of grisly murders. Houdini, who is name-checked as Ehrich Weiss early on, is a chief suspect. There are also nods to Houdini's Scotland Yard handcuff escape (ahem) and the Mirror Challenge (Watson was in the audience). The action moves from London to Coney Island's Dreamland Park. Part of the play explores Watson's struggle to deal with the death of his wife, Mary. The play actually has a shocking surprise ending, but I won't spoil it.

As I said, I was able to chat with the actors as well as Jaime Robledo after the show. I was happy to learn that the director is planning a group trip to the Magic Castle very soon. They were all eager that magic fans come and see the show (which runs through July 27), so let's help spread the word. The program shows that Donal Thoms-Cappello's understudy is Curt Bonnem (a magician), so I would be curious to see his take on Houdini should the opportunity arise.

The original plan for our little magic crew was to visit the grave site of Harry Kellar after the show. However, we stayed late and the cemetery was closed, so we instead wandered across the street to an antique store. There two magical surprises awaited us. The first was a gigantic original Carter poster. The other was a spotlight from the New York Hippodrome circa 1910-1920. Yes, that light could have illuminated Houdini and his vanishing elephant [click for pics].

How strange for all these ghosts of magic to have come together on this one block in East Hollywood on a hot Sunday afternoon. But that's the Dark Art of...you know who.

Watson and The Dark Art of Harry Houdini plays through July 27 at The Sacred Fools Theater, 660 N. Heliotrope (at Melrose Ave), Los Angeles, CA 90004. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

Photos by Jessica Sherman, Jessicashermanphotography.com.

UPDATE: A nice tweet from writer-director Jaime Robledo:

@HoudiniWild Wild about Houdini was wild about #watson2. So great to put on a great show for these guys.

— Jaime Robledo (@Roblizzle) July 1, 2013

Jump Street directors jump to Carter Beats The Devil

The Hollywood Reporter says that 21 Jump Street directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are in talks to direct Carter Beats The Devil.

Based on the superb 2001 novel by Glen David Gold -- which features Houdini in a small but significant role as Carter's inspiration and mentor -- the movie has long been in development. Paramount originally optioned the book in 2002 for Tom Cruise to star and produce. Once that deal lapsed, AMC took a stab at turning it into a TV series.

In 2010 the project got back on track when Michael Gilio was tapped to write the screenplay with Jon Shestack producing for Warner Bros. Now it looks like it's taken another step forward.

Houdini is the King (of Diamonds)

The United States Playing Card Company, makers of Bicycle Playing Cards, has released a limited edition "Vaudeville Deck". The cards celebrate Vaudeville with custom artwork designed "to show that the era may be gone, but it is definitely not forgotten."

What I really like about this deck is the Kings are all magicians of Vaudeville's Golden Age, with Houdini himself as the King of Diamonds! The other magical Kings are Thurston (King of Spades), Carter (King of Clubs), and Alexander (King of Hearts). The Jacks and Queens pay tribute to antique fashion styles.

The back design shows stage curtains surrounding a crystal ball. The tuck case features the custom Vaudeville logo.

You can buy the Vaudeville Deck at Amazon.com or direct from The Blue Crown.

Yes, Houdini was a Mason

The Mill Valley Masonic Lodge No. 356 has an interesting article on their website about "Masons and Magicians." So many of the great magicians from the Golden Age of Magic were Freemasons, including Houdini.

According to the article, "Bro. Houdini" was initiated as an Entered Apprentice on July 17, 1923 in St. Cecile Lodge No 568 in New York City. He passed to the degree of Fellowcraft on July 31, 1923, and was raised to the Degree of Master Mason on August 21, 1923. In 1924 he entered the Consistory, which is the fourth and final degree in the Scottish Rite.

Houdini's masonic activities included giving a benefit performance for the Valley of New York which filled the 4,000 seat Scottish Rite Cathedral and raised thousands of dollars. In October 1926, just weeks prior to his death, he became a Shriner in Mecca Temple. His last rites, held November 4, 1926 at the Elks Clubhouse in New York, concluded with traditional Masonic Rites.

Other famous Freemason magicians of the day included Thurston, Carter, Chung Ling Soo, Blackstone, Kellar, and Houdini's brother Hardeen.

You can read more about the Masonic Magicians at mill-valley.freemasonry.biz.

UPDATE: For the most up to date facts on Houdini the Mason please see: Guest Blog: Author-Lecturer-Mystifier-Mason.

'Carter Beats The Devil' reappears at Warner Bros.

Carter and Houdini in 1910.

Deadline Hollywood reports that Warner Bros. has optioned Michael Glen David Gold’s Carter Beats The Devil for Jon Shestack to produce with Ginny Brewer and Jeremy Stein.

The site reports that the book was "a hot property when optioned for high six-figures in 2002 by Paramount for Cruise/Wagner, a time when Tom Cruise was intrigued with playing a magician. It was eclipsed by a different C/W-developed magic book, David Fisher’s The War Magician. Ultimately, nothing happened on either front."

Shestack had tried to option the novel when it first came out, and has followed the many failed attempts to turn it into a movie at other studios. "I’ve been trying to get Warner Bros. to buy it since the day it came out and that it’s finally happened is enough to make me believe in magic," Shestack says.

Michael Gilio has been hired to write the script.

The superb 2001 novel features Houdini in a small but significant role as Carter’s inspiration and mentor. Here's hoping Carter can beat Development Hell!

Photo of Charles Carter and Houdini in Sydney Australia (1910) courtesy of Kevin Connolly HoudiniHimself.com.