One the great surviving Houdini locations is the former Hotel Shelton in New York City. This where in 1926 Houdini famously remained sealed in an underwater casket in the hotel's pool for 91 minutes. While the pool was filled-in in the early 2000s, the hotel has remained in operation as the New York Marriott East Side.
However, due to Covid, the hotel closed in March of 2020. That "temporary" closure became permanent in October. In February 2021 the hotel was foreclosed on. As of July the property is caught up in legal wrangling and remains shuttered.
It's likely the historic building will survive regardless of the legal outcome, although what it might become is a question mark. But what a shame to see this great Houdini location now inaccessible.
If you're headed to New York and sad to not be able to visit the former Hotel Shelton, you might consider heading over to Herald Square and the site of the former Hotel McAlpin (now the Herald Tower apartments). As far as New York hotels go, the McAlpin seemed to be Houdini's favorite. He held many SAM dinners there, including the famous banquet in which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle "fooled" the magicians with film of dinosaurs from The Lost World.
Due to Covid, The Official Houdini Seance and The Original Houdini Seance were both held virtually this Halloween. But this all-new stage seemed to finally rouse Harry with both seances claiming paranormal activity...if we Believe.
The first seance of the day was Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz' Original Houdini Seance. This was held via ZOOM at 1:26 PM (the time of Houdini's death). The seance was open to the public, hitting a high of 201 viewers by mid seance. The S.A.M. hosted the event with Dorothy and Dick conducting the seance from Scranton, PA.
But it's what happened at 1:29 PM that has us all scratching our heads. A printers block that was used by Houdini toppled over on the seance table in a way that seemed utterly inexplicable. I spoke with Dorothy and Dick afterwards, and they assured me there was no trickery involved. Luckily, it was all captured on video. Below is the moment. The printer's block is propped against the photograph of Harry, Mama, and Bess on the right. This is pretty weird!
Next came The Official Houdini Seance run annually by Bill Radner and Tom Boldt. This was also conducted via ZOOM, but was a private invitation only event. Always a class production, the seance featured a performance by Benjilini, brief talks by myself, Gay Blackstone, George Hardeen, and David Muller. Bill Radner showed the seances cuffs and Tom Boldt hosted. Teller was also among the virtual attendees. The Official Houdini Seance always invites a professional medium to conduct their seance. This time it was Robyn Fritz, a "certified past life regression specialist" and author.
Unlike recent Official seance mediums, Robyn had no problem instantly contacting "Mr. Houdini," whom she said she had been "working with" all week in preparation. She explained Houdini was trapped in a grey area of the afterlife (her version of purgatory) and was searching for his wife. Roybn was able to bring forth Bess and reunite the two, who then traveled off together into what Roybn calls the "party."
Roybn seemed nice and I think she believes in her abilities. But I was far from convinced. At one point she asked the group if we had any questions for Houdini, and I volunteered a few test questions to verify it really was Houdini we were speaking to. I explained Houdini himself would understand this and demand it of any seance. But Houdini was unable or unwilling to answer a single question.
This was the first Official Seance I've attended in which the medium actually claimed clear and unequivocal contact. But I don't think she appreciated my test. Or was it Houdini who didn't like it? Either way, I'm convinced no one was convinced.
Finally, while it wasn't a seance, another virtual highlight of this Halloween weekend was the Magic Collector's Corner #29, which focused on Houdini for the third time. I thought this was the best of the three Houdini specials, with appearances by myself, Fred Pittella, Dorothy Dietrich, Mike Caveney, and, best of all, Houdini's Ghost himself, Patrick Culliton! If you saw it I know you enjoyed it as much as I did. If you want to watch a replay (or see the full video of Fred Pittella's amazing collection), you can check it out by joining the Magic Collectors' Corner Facebook group.
Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!
UPDATE: Dick and Dorothy have shared with me a photo of the phantom printer's block to show this was not a trick (not a Telekinetic Timber). This came out of 278 in 1980.
Normally this time of year I'm scrambling to keep track of all the various Houdini seances and Halloween events that fill the October calendar. But so far the only public event of which I'm aware is this exclusive Houdini Séance in Chicago organized by mind reader Jacob Mayfield. The event is going forward with Covid safety measures in place, and both seatings are SOLD OUT. But I still wanted to give them a shout out. Maybe being the lone seance will improve their chances of contacting Harry!
Harry Houdini died on Halloween 1926. The next year his wife Beatrice hosted a seance in an attempt to contact America’s most famous magician. Every year since, members of the magic community have gathered by candlelight in an attempt to make contact with Houdini. This Halloween, join us as we invite a select group of 13 to join Jacob Mayfield in an exclusive Houdini Séance. This event will include a brief discussion about Houdini’s complicated relationship with Spiritualism, a demonstration of some of the era’s spookiest magic, and will culminate in a traditional Victorian table seance.
Jacob will be discussing his seance and Houdini this Wednesday, October 14, on the Ghostly Podcast.
I'm currently working on a post about the (true) origins of the annual Houdini seances. Below are links to some notable Houdini seances of the past.
This meme has been making the rounds on Facebook and I've received a few emails asking if it's real. Well, it is real in the sense that this is an image of Houdini in 1918 when the flu pandemic was raging. But it has nothing to do with the pandemic. This is a screen grab from Houdini's The Master Mystery. Houdini is wearing a mask here to protect himself from the dreaded "Madagascar Madness." I'm actually the one who first shared this image on Facebook. But then someone made it into this meme and it has taken on a life of its own.
So while it's a little misleading, the sentiment is certainly legit. Wear a mask!
Here's wishing everyone a safe and Covid free Labor Day.
The Magic Castle in Hollywood is still closed due to Covid-19, but the AMA have been coming up with creative ways to still offer a Magic Castle experience. In addition to their "Behind the Bookcase" virtual events, they've now launched a way to dine.
Individual meals cooked by the Magic Castle chef are available for curbside pickup. Or you can get a box of ingredients and cook your own Castle meals at home. It's called "The Houdini Box", of course!
They are also offering The Blackstone Box for $60. That comes from Houdini's basement.
(Does anyone besides Mike Caveney get that joke?)
The Magic Castle's "Curbside Cuisine" is available to everyone (not just members) via the Magic Castle website.
Yesterday while taking a walk before my "Behind the Bookcase" with Mike Caveney (which went well enough that there's talk of a Part 3!), I noticed that some stores in my neighborhood have reopened after being shut down for Covid-19. I haven't walked into a "non-essential" business for months, so I slipped on my mask and went inside the eclectic Mystic Museum on Magnolia Blvd. in Burbank. Here's the first thing I saw. Perfect.
This original oil painting was done by Robert Heckman for a special exhibition on spiritualism. If interested, visit or contact the good folks at the Mystic Museum. They've open!
To keep us entertained during the Covid-19 lockdown, producer David Sandy has launched a weekly ZOOM conference called Magic Collectors Corner. Every Sunday David invites the top magic collectors from around the world to showcase their treasures. This Sunday's conference (#8) will be Houdini-themed! I will be joining David along with other collectors who will unlock their best Harry.
Hey Folks! This Sunday night's Magic Collectors' Corner will be off-the-charts!
We're going to have our eighth online gathering of magic collectors and history enthusiasts this Sunday night (June 7, 2020). It'll be held on the ZOOM platform. Start time is 5:00pm Pacific, 6:00pm Mountain, 7:00pm Central, and 8:00pm Eastern.
We have another great line-up of presenters and discussions! Our feature will be HOUDINI... and our guest presenters will blow you away with things you may not have known about the King of Handcuffs! In addition, we'll have great games, contests, and special features, including Ask Adele, What Is It?, and much more!
Here's the ZOOM information:
Topic: Magic Collectors' Corner Live Event #8
With the Magic Castle closed due to Covid-19, the Academy of Magical Arts wanted some way to continue to bring members magical experiences. Among those efforts are Facebook Live events called "Behind the Bookcase," which have proven to be very popular. So I'm excited and honored to have been asked to join Mike Caveney and Jonathan Levit for a "Behind the Bookcase" all about (surprise) HOUDINI this Thursday, May 28 at 7:00 PM PST.
"Behind the Bookcase" is available to all AMA Members via the AMA Facebook Group. Episodes are then archived and available on the Magic Castle website. So if you are a member of the AMA, I'll see you Thursday "Behind the Bookcase." (We'll turn Mike Caveney into a "Houdini Nut" yet!)
UPDATE: I'm happy to report that the event went so well we are planning a Part 2. And I think Mike might be re-catching Houdini fever (his interest in magic actually began with the Epstein book). And if you want to know the "secret of Houdini's favorite suit", I've shared it HERE. Thanks to all who watched!
Playwright Susan I. Weinstein has uploaded the first 10 minutes of ETHER: The Strange Afterlife of Harry Houdini & Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to YouTube. The 2-act play made its debut at the iRT Theatre in New York City last December and was in the processes of seeking an Off Broadway Showcase before theaters were shut down due to Covid-19. But now you can enjoy a taste of it at home.
Today the entire magic world is mourning the loss of Roy Horn of the legendary magic duo Siegfried & Roy. Roy succumbed Friday from complications related to Covid-19. He was 75.
A wonderful artist, a legend - Roy gave so much to entertainment and our community. https://t.co/HsBhXCtV0Q
We are all mourning the loss of #RoyHorn of #SiegfriedandRoy. S&R invented, created, pioneered the very idea that a magic show could be a full evening in Vegas. If not for S&R there would be no P&T in Vegas. He was so full of life, wild, and unpredictable. We will miss him. pic.twitter.com/sHW5NAyBMu
So sorry to hear about the loss of Roy, a very pivotal magician that opened the doors to many of us. In this photo I asked both Siegfried and Roy to do a serious pose (it was tough for Siegfried but Roy managed!) In… https://t.co/FhSbnVOQ40
Nick Mohammed's Mr. Swallow: Houdini, which enjoyed a popular run at London's Soho Theater in 2017, is now available to stream at Soho Theatre on Demand until May 20th for a minimum donation of £4.
In these worrying times of global pandemics and lockdowns, who better to lift your spirits than the eccentric tour de force that is Mr. Swallow, a man willing to pay the ultimate homage to Houdini himself by recreating the master’s legendary underwater escape (and you thought your lockdown was bad??) Mr. Swallow is once again joined by his trusty assistants Mr. Goldsworth (David Elms) and Jonathan (Kieran Hodgson) as he charts his own imitable interpretation of Houdini’s life, fusing daredevil magic (his words), hilarious comedy (also his words) and a series of musical numbers that are, frankly, to die for (…yep).
All proceeds raised will go to charity, with 70% going to NHS Charities Together to support frontline workers leading the response to the Covid-19 emergency, with the remaining 30% put into a trust for comics most affected by the pandemic and the resulting financial instability.
I'm reviving this post from January 2015 as it certainly has taken on new meaning in this time of Covid-19.
Our friend Leo Hevia has found an interesting nugget of information about Houdini and the 1918-19 Spanish Flu pandemic. Between 1918 and 1920, the flu infected 500 million people across the world and killed 50 to 100 million of them, making it one of the deadliest natural disasters in human history. Says Leo:
"I just finished reading David Ben's captivating bio of magician Paul Fox [in Magicol No. 188] and encountered an interesting tidbit on Houdini. Fox caught the virus near the end of 1918 and was discharged from the Army in December 1918. In January of 1919, his application for membership in the S.A.M was approved at the 182 regular meeting of the Parent Assembly at Martinka's magic shop on 493 Sixth Avenue, New York. Houdini was there and signed Fox's application card. According to Dr. Wilson of The Sphinx, Houdini had also contracted the flu.
He must have shrugged it off fairly quickly because there is no mention of it in any of the bios I know. The virus mainly attacked healthy young men because their strong immune systems overreacted to the viral infection and would kill them. The young and middle-aged survived better because of their weaker immune systems. Houdini was about middle-aged by then. Could this have saved him?"
So it looks like we can add the 1918 flu virus to Houdini's death-defying escapes. One wonders if Bess also contracted it? She was not as strong as Houdini health-wise, and had bouts with illness her entire life.* Luckily, both Houdinis seemed to come through this frightening time.
* UPDATE: I recently discovered that Bess did contract the flu in early October 1918.
Let's end this crazy month with a bit of levity and sound advice. Our friend Lisa Hansen of the blog HoudiniFan has created "Houdini's Guide to Coronavirus safety" and it's pretty clever. Click the headline to have a read and stay safe!
On his 146th birthday Houdini is following the advice of health professionals and socially distancing. Look how easy!
To celebrate Houdini's birthday today I will be joining escape artist extraordinaire Andrew Basso for a live online chat, platform and time to be announced. Follow my Twitter and the Wild About Harry Facebook page for details.
UPDATE: Andrew and I will be on Facebook LIVE at 6pm EST/3pm PST. Please join us!
Due to COVID-19 concerns, AGO's screenings of Houdini (1953) on March 18 have been cancelled. The art gallery, which is currently home to the Illusions: The Art of Magic exhibition, has temporarily closed.
The AGO’s highest priority is the health and safety of our visitors, staff, volunteers and extended community. Upon the advice of Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer of Health, the AGO is closing temporarily as of 9 p.m. on Friday, March 13 through Sunday, April 5.
AGO recently screened The Man From Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service with live musical accompaniment by Marilyn Lerner.
