The spirit in Room 467

In 1937, a mystery guest at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles claimed she had a coded message from Houdini, and even caught the attention of Bess Houdini. I've shared the details for this little curiosity with my Scholar patrons. If you're a member, click the image below to go. If not, feel free to join us!

Speaking of Patreon, as a perk for being a member, every month I give a special reward. I've just shared this month's reward: the Second Quarter 1994 issue of Mystifier, the newsletter from the Houdini Historical Center. Some real gems in these issues, and long-time patrons will eventually collect them all. 

In the coming months, Patrons will also be able to pre-order Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900–1909 before anyone else. With the book now with the printer, that day isn't too far off. Just saying. 

Happy September, everyone. We're not too far away from you-know-what!

Related:

• Spooks ahead
• William Hilliar and the lost Houdini message code
• Houdini's 1923 Ambassador Hotel pool escape revealed

Zabrecky and Hume on Houdini and the Spirits

On Saturday, Joe Notaro and I had the pleasure of attending a sold-out illustrated lecture by Rob Zabrecky and Marcie Hume on "Houdini and the Spirits" at The Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles. The talk was preceded by a courtyard performance of Hasco Enjoyments, the "quietly surreal" project of John-Peter Hasson. 

Rob, who has lectured and performed at the PRS several times, kicked off the evening with an overview of Houdini's life and his involvement with spirit debunking. He then invited two members of the audience onstage and gave them a mock séance, with the audience able to observe all of Rob's trickery. It's exactly what Houdini did during his own spirit lectures, and the audience enjoyed it immensely.

Producer Marcie Hume, who made the documentary Magicians: Life in the Impossible (2016), then took the stage and talked about several notable female mediums, including Ana Eva Fay. She then went into detail on the mediumship of Mina Crandon (Margery) and her encounter with Houdini in 1924. It was a very interesting and well-researched talk.

Then followed a Q&A, in which Rob and Marcie generously introduced me and let me help answer a question about Rose Mackenburg. Joe and I then ended our night as we always do, standing on a busy LA street yapping about Houdini!

Thank you to Rob, Marcie, and the PRS for a memorable evening. Rob and Marice will be repeating their talk at the Magic Castle on October 5.

Related:

• Zabrecky on Houdini and the Spirits, August 15
• Guest blog: Houdini in Pittsburgh by Zabrecky
• Zabrecky conjures OUR MAGIC

Zabrecky on Houdini and the Spirits, August 15

Our friend Rob Zabrecky will give a talk on "Houdini and the Spirits" at  Philosophical Research Society in Los Angeles on August 15, 2026.

As we mark the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s passing, join us in celebrating the life, legacy, and enduring mysteries surrounding the world’s most famous escape artist. And what better way than to step into the shadowy crossroads where belief and skepticism collided as Rob Zabrecky — Magic Castle mainstay, theatrical medium, and two-time Academy of Magical Arts Lecturer of the Year — explores one of the 20th century’s most captivating cultural battles: Harry Houdini vs. the spirits.

Before Zabrecky's presentation, we will meet in the courtyard to experience the sounds of Hasco Enjoyments, the quietly surreal project of John-Peter Hasson. Performance begins at 6:30PM.

CLICK HERE for more information and to buy tickets. Philosophical Research Society is located at 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027.

I have my ticket. Hope to see you there!

Related:

• Zabrecky conjures OUR MAGIC
• Guest blog: Houdini in Pittsburgh by Zabrecky
• Rob Zabrecky talks Houdini with Dana Gould

50 years ago: A new Houdini biopic in the works

Last month marked a different kind of anniversary. It was 50 years ago that Melville Shavelson and his crew filmed The Great Houdinis on location around Los Angeles and at the 20th Century Fox studio in Century City. Filming commenced at the Wilshire Ebell Theater on April 28 and wrapped at the Malibu Pier on May 24, 1976. I learned about the movie in the July 1976 issue of The Magic Magazine. Still have the clipping in my old scrapbook.

The Great Houdinis starred Paul Michael Glaser as Houdini and Sally Struthers as Bess. The amazing supporting cast included: Ruth Gordon (Cecelia Weiss), Peter Cushing (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle), Bill Bixby (Rev. Arthur Ford), Adrienne Barbeau (Daisy White), Vivian Vance (Minnie Chester), Jack Carter (Hardeen) Barbara Rhoades (Margery), and if you look closely, you'll see Patrick Culliton as Franz Kukol. It aired on ABC on October 7, 1976.

This marked the first Houdini biopic since 1953's Houdini with Tony Curtis, and despite it being heavily fictionalized, I've always had a special fondness for it. It's my second-favorite Houdini biopic and a great example of 1970s television.

In the early days of this blog, I did a day-by-day breakdown of the production. If you're interested, give that review by clicking the link below:

Making the great Great Houdinis

Related:

• The Great Houdinis (1976)
• Watch The Great Houdinis (1976)
• Paul Michael Glaser is Houdini again!

Steve Baker's Houdini tributes

Here's an ad for Steve Baker's Houdini Tribute show in Eugene, Oregon, on Halloween 1974. I especially like the juxtaposed images of Steve and Houdini. Steve Baker once said in an interview that he was inspired to become an escape artist after reading Walter Gibson's Houdini on Magic at age 8. 

The Register Guard, Oct 31, 1974.

The Register Guard, Oct 25, 1974.

While Steve would sometimes boast that he was "better than Houdini" (a very Houdini thing to do), he frequently honored Houdini by recreating his escapes. Below is Steve doing a suspended straitjacket on Hollywood Blvd. in 1976.

Press Telegram, June 12, 1976.

On Halloween 1976, the 50th Anniversary of Houdini's death, Steve did the Water Torture Cell at the Mayfair Music Hall in Los Angeles. Below is a flyer I picked up at a magic shop in Tarzana, where Steve and his wife, Julie, lived. Did you know the Water Torture Cell was "the escape that brought about Houdini's death"? Now you do!

I wish I had gone and seen this. What a way to spend the 50th. But I was only 11, and Halloween was all about trick-or-treating back then. By the way, the Mayfair Music Hall was converted into a variety theater by none other than Milt Larsen.

You can dive a bit deeper into Steve Baker via the links below.

Related:

• Remembering Steve Baker
• Baker beats Houdini (sorta)
• Steve 'Mr. Escape' Baker launches blog

Hardeen at the Golden Gate

Here's something interesting. In June 1927, Hardeen played the Golden Gate Theater in San Francisco. This was his first tour as "Houdini's Successor." Houdini had played the Golden Gate in 1923. The theater still stands today, and it occurred to me this might be the only surviving theater where both Houdini and Hardeen appeared?

Hardeen also played the Hillstreet theater in Los Angeles, where Houdini appeared in 1923. However, the Hillstreet is long gone.

It would be fun to find all the shared theatres that the two brothers played and see if any of those, besides the Golden Gate, still stand. But that's fun I'll leave for someone else. 

Related:

• A San Francisco treat
• Houdini no Junior
• Hardeen's last bow

Houdini window display at the Culver Hotel

Last night I enjoyed seeing The Living Daylights in Culver City as part of a series of classic James Bond film screenings co-organized by our friend Neil McNally of The Doug Henning Project. But I can never escape Houdini, and after the screening, I went and took a look at this curious window display at the historic Culver Hotel.

The display was a hodgepodge of "vintage" items, so I'm unsure what to make of it. Are we to believe this is Houdini's top hat? I do know that two authenticated Houdini top hats exist in the collections of John Hinson and Roger Dreyer.

The Culver Hotel was built in 1924. Houdini briefly visited Los Angeles that year to give his spiritualism lecture, but he stayed at the Biltmore Hotel. It's unlikely he ventured outside of the downtown area as this was a quick whistle stop on his lecture tour. So I'm not aware of any Houdini connection to the Culver Hotel.

Of course, if we ask Google's A.I., we get a very different answer:

WRONG

Sorry, Knickerbocker, our A.I. overlords have spoken. The Final Houdini Seance took place on the roof of the Culver Hotel. And that's Houdini's top hat.

If you're interested in catching a Bond movie and viewing the display for yourself (the hotel sits directly across from the Culver Theater), here's the current film lineup with more to come.

Thanks to Dr. Larrian Gillespie for the tip about the display and Bob Mitsch for the above photo.

Related:

• Harry Houdini's top hat
• Houdini's lost top hat is found
• And now for something completely different

The tragic death of Lyda Hyman

Here's an account of the tragic death of silent movie actress Dorothy Dale, whose real name was Lyda Hyman. Lyda was the wife of Jacob Hyman, Houdini's long-time friend and first performing partner. The paper even topped the story with a photo of the Houdinis and the Hymans.

Citizen News, May 14, 1957

Not to diminish the human tragedy here, but one can't help wondering if any precious Houdini mementos went up in flames or were among the items dumped "out into the driveway."

Below is the site of Lyda Hyman's home today.

Want more? This article appeared on the front page of Citizen News, a regional Los Angeles paper that served Hollywood and the valley. I've shared the full front page on my Patreon, along with an alternate photo of the Houdinis and Hymans.

Related:

• Uncovering the grave of Houdini's first "Brother"
• Jacob Hyman aka J.H. Houdini
• Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire

The Man From Beyond haunts Hollywood in 1971

Here's a treat I discovered this weekend. In August 1971, a double feature of The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and The Man From Beyond played at The Bijou Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. Both films featured "sound accompaniment" and a magic show by "the master of the magic lamp, Jim Christopher."

While The Man From Beyond (and The Master Mystery) would occasionally screen at the nearby Silent Movie Theater on Fairfax, it's cool to see it playing on Hollywood Blvd. Also, check out the terrific illustrated ad from the Los Angeles Times. This is an uncommon photo of Houdini, and even more so in 1971!

The Los Angeles Times, Aug. 20, 1971.

Around this time, Houdini collector Manny Weltman was selling 8mm and 16mm prints of The Man From Beyond. I wonder if this print was rented from Manny? That might also explain where they got the photo.

The Bijou stood just a few blocks from Grauman's Chinese Theater. It started as an adult film theater in 1969 called the Athena and later the Avon. In 1971, it reopened as a 16mm revival house under the Bijou name. It played an assortment of classic films before turning back into an adult film theater in 1974.

In the photo below, you can see the round sign and arrow that points to the Bijou's entrance. This pic comes from a terrific overview of the Bijou at Los Angeles Theaters. I recommend checking it out.

This was still a few years before my Houdini awakening, but oh how I would have loved to have attended one of these showings!

I also discovered that The Man From Beyond appeared on television in 1980. But that's a story I'll save for another time.

Related:

• The Master Mystery at The Silent Movie Theater
• Houdini's 'Haldane' screened in LA
• Houdini film print sells on eBay

Los Angeles fires temporarily threaten Magic Castle

By now, I'm sure everyone is aware of the catastrophic brush fires ravaging Los Angeles. Last night, a new fire erupted in the Hollywood Hills. Called the Sunset Fire, both the Magic Castle and the Houdini Estate fell within the evacuation zone. For a time, the Magic Castle appeared under serious threat and was being wetted down. However, this morning, the evacuation order has been lifted. Randy Pitchford posted the following on his social media:

The Magic Castle was under threat, but appears it will be safe thanks to the heroic efforts by some Magic Castle heroes and the LAFD. It was touch and go for awhile, but we survived (another) fire! The LAFD is welcome to use our parking lot for staging the fight all night.

The Houdini Estate marked the literal edge of the evacuation zone and appears to have never been seriously threatened.

Houdini Estate inside the red zone.

Also safe are our good friends Mike Caveney and Tina Lenert at Egyptian Hall Museum in Pasadena, although the area remains under an evacuation warning.

The news is not so good from the other fires that are still raging. However, the Santa Ana winds have died down, so let's hope this helps firefighters get these horrible blazes under control. For those who have asked, I'm safe here at WILD ABOUT HARRY headquarters.

Related:

• Magic Castle fire: "I think Houdini had a hand in that."
• Fire at the Houdini Estate in Laurel Canyon
• Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire

The Last Illusion with Theatre By The Blind

From July 26 to August 3, Arts Up LA! presented The Last Illusion at the Blue Door Theater in Culver City, CA. What made this production so unique is it was performed by an all-blind cast known as Theatre By The Blind.

Unfortunately, I'm only learning about this now. I would have loved to have seen this show. Hopefully, it will return someday.

Below are some other performances of The Last Illusion by B. Dwayne Craft.

Related:

• Murray County Central Schools presents 'The Last Illusion'
• Cypress Lakes High School presents The Last Illusion
• High Schoolers win state finals with help from Houdini

See 'From Russia With Love' in a Houdini theater

Some of you may know that James Bond is another passion (and blog) of mine. But 007 and Houdini rarely intersect. Until now!

On June 15, the Bond classic From Russia With Love (1963) will screen in 35mm at the Palace Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Of course, the Palace was originally the Orphuem where Houdini himself appeared in 1915 and 1923. The screening will be followed by a Q&A about the historic theater.

So this is a Bond and Houdini doubleheader and a rare opportunity to go inside the Palace/Orpheum. You can get more details and buy tickets at the Los Angeles Conservatory website.

By the way, when I toured the theater last month, I spotted James Bond posters on the walls of a work area. So, yeah, this place is haunted by both escape artists.

Related:

• LINK: Harry Houdini May Have Been the Real James Bond
• Inside Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum
• List of surviving Houdini theaters

Magic Collector Expo 2024 aboard the Queen Mary

Last week, I attended the Magic Collector Expo aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. What a sensational time I had! Bill Smith once again provided a first-class convention with excellent talks and terrific magic. It was great to see so many friends and the Queen Mary is always a delight to experience.

One highlight for me was spending some quality time with Bill Kalush—a Houdini heavyweight indeed! Also in the ring were Houdini Nuts: Arthur Moses, Joe Notaro, Fred Pittella, Joe Fox, Brian Verkuylen, Mike Strong, and Diego Domingo. I also made a new friend in Chris Goldman who has some wonderful Houdini rarities that he shared with me.

On Thursday, I gave a talk, "Houdini on the High Seas," in which I examined Houdini's ocean voyages and the various ships he sailed on. I covered every journey from the SS Frisia, which the Weiss family took to America in 1878, to Houdini's final crossing aboard the SS Imperator in 1920. One of the reasons I was excited to do this talk was it gave me the excuse to do the research. It was fun to finally nail down these ships (13 total) and find some untold stories. I think it went over really well.

At the end of my talk, I revealed the title and cover of the upcoming diary book, Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. Mike Caveney and I announced the book at the Magic Collector Expo in Cleveland last year, so I thought this was the perfect time and place to do this. I was pleasantly surprised how many people at the Expo asked me about the book. Michael Albright is still working on the design so we don't yet have a release date, but it will be worth the wait. You can get a look at the cover as a member of my Patreon below.

There was a lot to enjoy over the three days. Lance Rich gave an artful presentation, "Neptune's Sorcerers," all about magicians on cruise ships. David Charvet gave an excellent and well-researched talk on "The Golden Age of Magic in Southern California." It included several Houdini mentions and lots of Bess. I really enjoyed Chris Martin's talk on "John Rogers's The Traveling Magician" statue. It was fascinating to learn its history and why it is so celebrated today. Mike Caveney's Egyptian Hall talk and exhibit was first-rate. It was also a treat to see a reunion of The Long Beach Mystics and enjoy their show as the closing night feature.

For a more complete overview of the expo, I will refer you to Joe Notaro's excellent coverage at his site, Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence. Joe had a few outside Houdini adventures (some of which I was part of) so you'll want to enjoy those as well. Scott Wells provided his usual expert daily coverage at The Magic Word Podcast. I had the honor of being interviewed by Scott alongside Lance Burton.

Bill Smith announced that next year's Magic Collector Expo will be held in Las Vegas and will include a tour of David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts! The number of attendees will be limited and those who attended Long Beach will get priority registration. Keep an eye on the official website.

Here is the list of thanks that I showed at the end of my talk. Thanks again to these folks and everyone who made this an expo to remember!

UPDATE: For my Scholar patrons, I've uploaded a PDF containing select slides from my talk showing all 13 ships I discussed. 

Related:

• Off to the Magic Collector Expo
• The ship(s) from Haldane of the Secret Service
• A five star Magic Collector Expo in Cleveland

Inside Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum

Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of touring the Palace Theater with the Los Angeles Historic Theater Foundation. Houdini appeared here in 1915 and 1923 when it was the Orpheum. It was here that he had his famous verbal fisticuffs with heavyweight champion Jess Willard. So this is a very historic Houdini theater! Today it is used primarily as a rental for movies and television, so getting a chance to not only see inside but also explore every part of the theater was an amazing opportunity. I could feel the spirit of Houdini in this amazing space.

The Orpheum was built in 1911 and remains very much the theater Houdini would have known. It's surprisingly shallow. But it was built for vaudeville before amplification, so the acoustics are such that someone on stage can be heard throughout the auditorium. This was the third Orpheum in Los Angeles (Houdini played the others in 1899 and 1907). It served the city until a new Orpheum was built down the street in 1926.

Los Angeles Evening Express, April 6, 1923.

One big change, which I learned about during the excellent presentation by LAHTF's David Saffer, is that the box seats that existed on both sides of the auditorium were removed when the theatre switched to all movies in 1929. They were replaced with two gigantic paintings by Los Angeles artist Anthony Heinsbergen. Jess Willard would have been sitting in one of those box seats.

While the boxes are gone, you can still see the outline of the doorway that led to the seats. This is where Willard would have slunk out as the audience of 2000 hissed him from the theater. Don't hit your head, Jess!

But it's where Houdini went after the performance that had me most excited. The star dressing room still survives! It's located just off stage right and up a flight of stairs. The other dressing rooms are located below the stage. This is a configuration I've not seen before, but I can appreciate the luxury of having a dressing room just steps from the stage and away from the other players, props, and animals. 

The dressing room had a "Do Not Enter" sign on the door as work was being done inside. Fortunately, there was an open vent through which I could see inside. What appears to be the original sink survives. It also has a second connecting room. This is the largest star dressing room that I've yet seen in a theatre from Houdini's time.

An "A" above the door? Is this from Houdini's day? I'd like to think so.

It's interesting to think that Houdini could have watched the other acts from just outside his dressing room. He had a great view. Thanks to fellow Houdini nut and artist Jenny Lerew for snapping this photo of me in Houdini's perch. You can check out Jenny's own photos on her Instagram @blackwingjen.

There was a lot more to see and learn. In fact, we spent three hours exploring the theater from top to bottom. I even wandered into a few places I later learned were off-limits. If you'd like to see more, I've uploaded a collection of 40+ photos to my Patreon below.

Thanks to the Los Angeles Historic Theater Foundation for this amazing day. The LAHFT regularly tours historic theaters and also offers talks via Zoom. Check out their website for more information and consider becoming a member.

Lastly, here's an unknown challenge from Houdini's 1915 Orpheum/Palace appearance.

The Los Angeles Times, Dec. 2, 1915.

Related:

• List of surviving Houdini theaters
• Houdini vs. the Pottawatomie Giant
• Tour Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum, April 13

Tour Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum, April 13

Here's one that has me very excited. On Saturday, April 13, the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation (LAHTF) will tour the Palace Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The Palace was originally called the Orpheum and is where Houdini performed in 1915 and 1923. It's also where he had his famous verbal joust with then-heavyweight champ Jess Willard. So this is a fantastic Houdini location!

LAHTF is thrilled to be returning to the Palace Theatre on Broadway for our signature ALL ABOUT tour. Join us for our first event of 2024 when we go behind-the-scenes from below stage to the projection booth above and everything in between.

I've twice missed out on LAHTF Palace events, so I'm thrilled to be jumping aboard this one. It will be my first time inside Houdini's L.A. Orpheum.

If you want to join the fun, you can purchase tickets via the LAHTF website.

Related:

• Houdini vs. the Pottawatomie Giant
• Discovering Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum
• The Handcuff King, King of Pop, and Heavyweight Champ walk into a theater...