A rundown of October Houdini events 🎃

It's October, and you know what that means. It's séance season! But as this year marks the centenary of Houdini's death on Halloween, there are A LOT of events. Too many to do individual posts about. So instead, here is a list of all the Houdini-themed events I know of this month. Find one nearest to you and Believe!

October 2

The Magic of Houdini with Kent Cummins (Georgetown, TX)

Harry Houdini pulls off his greatest trick of all...still being the most famous magician of all time, even 100 years after his death. Join us for an event with Kent Cummins, a local magician, as we explore THE MAGIC OF HOUDINI.

October 2, 3, 30 & 31

The Houdini Experiment (Lake Geneva, WI)

One hundred years after Harry Houdini’s death, Joe Diamond returns to Wisconsin’s haunted Maxwell Mansion for a once-in-a-century Halloween event.

October 4

Duffy Hudson as Houdini (Montezuma, IA)

Come watch the Houdini magic come alive at the Montezuma Public Library at 2 p.m.

October 5–26

Magic from Beyond: A Houdini Séance and Other Mystical Wonders (Los Altos, CA)

Just in time for Halloween, join award-winning magician and mentalist David Martinez for an intimate, 10-person journey to a world beyond the veil and a séance to reach Houdini himself.

October 8

A Tribute to Houdini at the Icehouse (Bethlehem, PA)

A Tribute to Houdini produced in association with The Allentown Society of Magicians.

October 15

Anthony Blake's Presents: The Houdini Seance, A Theatrical Experience (Ventura, CA)

Join seance medium, mindreader, and mentalist Anthony Blake for an evening exploring the life, mysteries and final challenge of Harry Houdini. Then, in the darkness, Anthony Blake will conduct a Houdini Séance of his own.

October 17

Houdini 100: An Evening of Spirit Explorations with The Austin Séance (San Antonio, TX)

Join the Austin Séance at historic Villa Finale for an evening that blurs the line between history and the supernatural.

October 19-31

Houdini Halloween Tribute décor at The Magic Castle (Hollywood, CA)

Every year the world-famous Magic Castle celebrates the Halloween season with a different theme. This year the theme is Houdini! Special Houdini events and lectures to be announced.

October 23

Houdini's Legacy: Calgary's Masters of Magic (Calgary, Alberta)

Calgary's finest magicians gather to mark the centenary of Houdini's death; an evening of sleight of hand, illusion and impossible escapes staged in his honor. The night builds to its climax with Dayle Krall, "The Houdini Girl," performing the Water Cell Escape.

October 23-31

The Rise of Houdini: An Effervescent Burlesque & Séance to Raise the Great Houdini (Beaverton, OR)

Experience Theatre Project proudly presents a horrifying immersive event that can only be described as a new kind of haunted house.

October 24

Houdini's Centenary Tribute (Online event)

Former SAM National President Tom Gentile will host a six-hour Houdini celebration on Zoom. Details to be announced.

October 24

The Haunted Theatre Show: A Decade of Magic - A Century of Houdini (Omaha, NE)

Halloween Magic Show at Omaha's Historic 40th Street Theater, marking its 10th annual year and the 100th anniversary of Houdini.

October 26

Verso University: Celebrating Harry Houdini and the History of Magic with Chris Lengyel (Westport, CT)

Chris Lengyel will bring Houdini’s remarkable story to life, tracing his rise from struggling performer to international sensation and exploring the skill, ingenuity, and showmanship that made him one of the most famous entertainers of all time.

October 26

Houdini Halloween 100 at Hippodrome Casino (London, England)

A century on, we commemorate his extraordinary life, and death, with this never-to-be-seen-again live biopic, written and presented by lifelong fan Paul Zenon, featuring signature Houdini effects and stunts, performed by a cast of very special guests.

October 27

A Little Night Magic Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini (Georgetown, TX)

The Palace Theatre comes alive with magic as we celebrate the life and extraordinary legacy of Harry Houdini. Expect escapes, illusions, mysteries, close-up magic, strolling performers, and plenty of surprises as we honor the man whose legend has endured for a century.

October 28–31

Houdini Speaks To The Living in Austin (Round Rock, TX)

On the 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini's death, come spend time inside the Hidden Room, hearing the actual words of Arthur Conan Doyle and Houdini as they struggle with the question: Can the dead speak???

October 29

Fifty Years of Escapes, Ephemera, and Houdini Lore: Preserving a Rhode Island Connection (Woonsocket, RI)

To mark this historic centennial, the Museum of Work & Culture is partnering with professional magician and entertainer Lon Cerel for a special public presentation. For the first time in 50 years, Cerel’s collection of vault-secured, museum-grade archive of manacles, stage-used apparatus, rare correspondence, and ephemeral artifacts belonging to Harry Houdini will be on public display.

October 29

Madam Lola's Presents: Houdini Halloween 100 (Brighton, England)

What better place to stage this unique event than a former Victorian mausoleum; now a dedicated circus cabaret space, in the town where Houdini made appearances at the height of his incredible career.

October 29–31

HOUDINI 100 (Columbia Heights, MN)

One Hundred Years after the passing of The World's Greatest Escape Artist, Professor Barnaby Gaff, Master of Occult Science, will attempt what no medium, magician, or mystic has ever accomplished: to summon the spirit of Harry Houdini before a living audience!

October 29-31

HOUDINI100™ The Grand Houdini Centenarium (Budapest, Hungary)

A Houdini mega-event celebrating Houdini in his birthplace of Budapest. Organized by David Merlini of The House of Houdini.

October 30

Petaluma’s Houdini Séance: The Centennial Gathering (Petaluma, CA)

Join us on the eve of the centennial of Houdini’s death—for an unforgettable evening of history, magic, mystery, and perhaps a message or two from beyond.

October 30

Houdini: A Magician’s Journey (Reading, PA)

Blending historical storytelling and theatrical magic, magician Joel Delgado invites the audience to experience the world Houdini challenged while exploring an enduring question: How do you know what you believe is true?

October 30

Out of the Box: A Tribute to Houdini (Windsor, Canada)

Nuvo Entertainment presents 'Out of the Box', an extraordinary tribute to the legendary magician Harry Houdini.

October 31

100 Anos de Houdini (Valencia, Spain)

To commemorate the centenary of Houdini's disappearance, we have created an experience designed for all audiences that brings us closer to the secrets of the greatest escape artist in history.

October 31

Houdini Day + screening Houdini (1953) (Amsterdam, Holland)

A screening of the classic Paramount biopic at the Jewish Museum in Amsterdam. Part of the ongoing exhibition about Jewish magicians of the Golden Age.

October 31

Center for Inquiry presents Houdini’s Centennial Seance (Amherst, NY)

Join us for a family-friendly day of magic, mystery, history, and skepticism as we explore Houdini’s fascination with spiritualism and his determined efforts to expose fraudulent mediums and psychics.

October 31

Houdini Séance at Sidehow Gallery (Chicago, IL)

Jacob Mayfield will welcome you with the story of Houdini's remarkable life and lasting legacy. All while you enjoy hors d'oeuvres and your choice of prosecco or a non-alcoholic refreshment. It will be an elegant evening of history, intrigue, and communication with the beyond.

October 31

Death Defying: An Immersive Party in the World of The Man From Beyond (Houston, TX)

Strange Bird Immersive invites you beyond the veil for Death Defying, an immersive party on the 100th anniversary of Houdini's death. Journey further into the world of The Man From Beyond as the spirits of Harry and Bess disclose their secrets, jazz fills the air once more, and not all séances go unanswered.

October 31

Houdini 100: Magic & Mystery (Detroit, MI)

The Detroit Historical Museum presents a day-long celebration of Houdini with performers and lectures exploring Houdini’s 19 appearances in the Motor City, his rise to international fame, and the final days that forever linked his story to Detroit.

October 31

Houdini Returns: The Centennial Auction (Hollywood, CA)

Potter & Potter Auctions will hold a special sale of Houdini memorabilia from the collection of Kevin Connolly at The Magic Castle in Hollywood.

October 31

The Houdini Séance (Frederick, MD)

Step beyond the veil for a spine-chilling evening of mystery, history, and the supernatural. Hosted inside the ultra-intimate Frederick Magic Theater & Lounge, The Houdini Séance invites you to take a seat at the table for an authentic re-creation of the legendary dark séances of the 1920s.

October 31

Grey Dwyer presents Harry Houdini (Mendon, MA)

Join magician and storyteller Greg Dwyer for an unforgettable evening celebrating the life, legends, and lasting legacy of the world's greatest escape artist, Harry Houdini, on the 100th anniversary of his death.

October 31

Houdini 100: The Centennial Celebration (Amarillo, TX)

The Amarillo Magic Co. invites you to join us for a once-in-a-century theatrical tribute presented at the exact hour of Houdini's passing.

October 31

Houdini in Riverside: A Century of Secrets Unlocked (Riverside, CA)

Join us for an all ages one night only special event filled with local Riverside lore that celebrates the connection to the famous Houdini.

October 31

Houdini Halloween Magic Show and Curator Talk (Salem, MA)

Anton Andresen, the Official Magician of Salem, Massachusetts, will present a selection of mysteries inspired by Houdini's extraordinary life and legendary career. George Schwartz will offer a short historical introduction about Houdini's connections to PEM and Salem.

October 31

100th Anniversary Houdini Séance at The American Museum of Magic (Marshall, MI)

Following the notes of the first Houdini Séance hosted by Bob Lund in 1978, there will be an invited circle of distinguished guests gathered around Houdini’s milk can escape in hopes of a visit from his spirit.

October 31

The 100-Year Houdini Séance at 278 (New York, NY)

For the first time in over 50 years, Houdini's former home in New York will be the site of three exclusive séances with 13 lucky attendees. Will Houdini come home? (This is the event I will be attending.)

October 31

The Official Houdini Séance

Details to be announced.

November 3

Houdini: 100 years behind the veil (Cape Town, South Africa)

The Cape Magicians Circle presents a special centenary tribute evening to celebrate magic's greatest legend 100 years after his death. 

If you don't see your event on the list, feel free to send it my way. If you can format it like the listings above, that would be great.

See you soon.

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

Houdini Returns: The Centennial Auction

Here's something to add to your 2026 Houdini calendar. Potter & Potter have announced "Houdini Returns: The Centennial Auction" for October 31, 2026. The auction will be held at The Magic Castle in Hollywood.

Marking 100 years since the death of Harry Houdini, Potter & Potter will present a landmark sale of Houdini memorabilia on October 31, 2026 at the famed Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. The sale brings to the public for the very first time 100 historic items from the collection of Kevin Connolly, many of which were personally owned by Houdini.

Click here to view a few preview auction items, including the famed Welsh Bros group photo that graces the cover of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. This should be a good one!

Related:

• Potter & Potter Houdiniana head scratcher
• When the Welsh Bros. came to town
• The Magic Castle reorganizes with Houdini's help

Escaping Obscurity at the Magic Castle

Monday's Escaping Obscurity book event at the Magic Castle was a big success and a lot of fun. There was a lot of love in the room for Harry and Bessie, and genuine excitement about the book. Mike Caveney sold every copy that he brought. As a surprise, Dr. Bruce Averbook brought along the actual diary from his collection and even allowed attendees to handle it, just as Houdini had done 128 years ago. Wild. 

Thanks to everyone who came out to see us and to the Magic Castle for hosting us. I've written more about the evening and shared photos on my Patreon below.

If you haven't yet grabbed a copy of Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899, you can do so at Mike Caveney's Magic Words. There are still plenty of copies left, but the print run was not huge, so one day this book's availability will vanish and Houdini's diary will go back under glass. Just saying!

Related:

• Escaping Obscurity book signing at the Magic Castle
• ESCAPING OBSCURITY: Reviews & Reactions
• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY

Escaping Obscurity book signing at the Magic Castle

Just a reminder that I will be joining Mike Caveney, Bruce Averbook, and Michael Albright for a discussion and signing of our book Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 next Monday, September 8, at the Magic Castle. The event is open to all AMA members. It will also stream live on the Magic Castle website.

Looking forward to a magical evening at the Magic Castle! If you are a member, I hope to see you there.

Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 is available exclusively at Mike Caveney's Magic Words.

If you can't make the event but still want a signed copy, know that I'm currently listing one of 25 signed Author Copies on eBay. The auction ends on Wednesday.

Related:

• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• ESCAPING OBSCURITY: Reviews & Reactions
• Escaping Obscurity event at the Magic Castle, Sept 8

Escaping Obscurity event at the Magic Castle, Sept 8

On September 8, the Magic Castle in Hollywood will host a special "Behind the Bookcase Live" event showcasing Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899. I will be there with Mike Caveney, Bruce Averbook, and Michael Albright. So far, this is the only book event planned, and it'll be a rare chance to get your book signed by all four principals. The event is open to all AMA members. It will also stream live on the Magic Castle website.

Hope to see you there!

Behind the Bookcase Live:

"The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini"

with Mike Caveney, John Cox, Michael Albright & Bruce Averbook

Monday, September 8, 2025

7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

Milt Larsen Inner Circle & Online

Register to Attend In Person:

Members.MagicCastle.com

Under "Events"

Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899 is available exclusively at Mike Caveney's Magic Words.

Related:

• YOU CAN NOW OWN HOUDINI'S FIRST DIARY
• ESCAPING OBSCURITY: Reviews & Reactions
• The Magic Castle reorganizes with Houdini's help

The Magic Castle reorganizes with Houdini's help

The Academy of Magical Arts and Magic Castle Enterprises have signed a new agreement to share in the responsibilities and profits of the world's famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. The deal was signed in the newly refurbished Houdini Seance Room using a Houdini House Pen. A good way to start!

A new era begins! ✨ It’s official—the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) and Magic Castle Enterprises (MCE) have signed the Resolution Implementation Agreement! This landmark agreement secures a vibrant future for the Magic Castle, preserving its legacy and ensuring that magic, artistry, and community continue to thrive for generations to come.

Photography by @danapleasantphotography from The Magic Castle Facebook page.

Related:

• The 'Houdini House Pen' gets it write
• Randy Pitchford purchases The Magic Castle
• Los Angeles fires temporarily threaten Magic Castle

Houdini turns 151

We just wrapped up Houdini's birthday celebration on Zoom with Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum and a great gathering of Houdini nuts. We went for five hours and I think everyone had a good time, especially the guy below.

Below are some links to new books we discussed, including The Cancer of Superstition, which releases today!

The Cancer of Superstition

The Amazing Exploits of Houdini 

Houdini Adaptations

Houdini The Ultimate Trivia Compendium

Houdini The Ultimate Trivia Compendium (Collectors Edition)

Growing Up With Houdini

Art of Escape 

Houdini and Me

Les mémoires extraordinaires de Harry Houdini

Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency

and

Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini, 1897-1899

Thanks to Michael Albright and The Magic Castle Facebook page for the above image.

Take a Sweet Escape at the Magic Castle

The world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood has created a specialty cocktail in honor of Houdini's birthday this month. It's called Houdini's Sweet Escape.

The souvenir Houdini mini poster is his famous "Europe's Eclipsing Sensation" lithograph. Certainly one of the most beautiful Houdini posters. Only two originals are said to exist. One is in David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts in Las Vegas and the other is in private hands. You can buy a stunning reproduction at Nielsen Magic.

Thanks to Mark Willoughby for the tip and Lupe Nielsen for the poster info.

Related:

• Who needs a drink?
• Escape your troubles with a cold Houdini
• The Magic Castle conjures The Houdini Box

Zabrecky conjures OUR MAGIC

Check out this terrific video by magician and musician Rob Zabrecky. It starts off with Houdini and continues with other magic masters and some pretty wild imagery. I love it! Watch it below or on YouTube.

You can pre-order OUR MAGIC as a 7-inch record from In The Red Records.

Related:

• Guest blog: Houdini in Pittsburgh by Zabrecky
• Rob Zabrecky talks Houdini with Dana Gould
• Another World by Rob Zabrecky

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

Magic Castle announces a New Houdini Séance

The Magic Castle in Hollywood, home of the Academy of Magical Arts, will soon debut a New Houdini Séance Experience. Below is the news sent to members via the AMAs Flash Paper newsletter.

March 24 is Harry Houdini’s Birthday

& the Premiere of the New Houdini Séance Experience!

The Houdini séance at The Magic Castle® debuted 55 years ago in 1969, with people experiencing a re-enactment of the final séance of 10 held over a decade at the nearby Knickerbocker Hotel by Bess Houdini—to summon Harry from the other side—on Halloween 1936, which was attended by Bill Larsen, Sr.

The séance at the club has always been a big draw, evolving over the years—Milt Larsen’s Winchester House, adding and changing effects—into what was best described as a campy (albeit fun) experience. Currently, we are in the midst of an exciting overhaul of the séance, the second in recent years, which will make a soft debut on Harry Houdini’s birthday, March 24 (for evaluation and tweaks by involved parties), and likely open for general membership bookings in late spring/early summer, with specific date to be announced.

In 2019-2020, the séance and the room were renovated under the direction of Jim Steinmeyer, making it a more modern, theatrical and technically advanced experience. The new, more low-tech séance option being developed will be a much more haunting, “jump-in-the-dark,” organic experience. Both seances will be available for bookings.

The new transformation is being supervised by a collaborative team that includes Todd Robbins, Chris Hart, Mike Caveney and medium/magicians Rob Zabrecky and Stuart McCloud; executive produced by the Board of Trustees and Chuck Martinez.

Says Todd, “The Magic Castle® is the center of the world of magic and Houdini is so much a part of that world. On the 98th anniversary of his death, you can ask 100 people to name the first magician that comes to mind and 90% of them will still say Houdini. Even though no one’s alive who’s seen him perform, he still lives on in our collective conscious and that’s the greatest feat of his entire career, that he became this legend. It’s important that The Magic Castle® do something that grabs people, is emotional and serves as a fitting tribute to this remarkable man.”

“I like to say that you’re never so alive as when you are scared to death!” continues Todd. “This experience will be a little more fun in the dark and very bespoke to who the medium is … rather than the medium being guided by the presentation. When the inaugural séance was created in 1969, the only automated gimmick was the table rising and the rest of it was up to the presiding medium. The original medium, Ed Fowler (who also performed under the stage name of E. Raymond Carlyle), had a grandmother and a great aunt who were ‘real’ mediums at a spiritualist retreat in Michigan. They taught him the techniques they used to deceive the believers. Rob and Stuart have been integral to this renovation.”

The Houdini séance chamber is located in an area that was originally part of the master bedroom of the Chateau-esque mansion built in 1908 by Rollin B. Lane, which was also the room where he passed away. “Ghosts do walk and who knows who will come back,” teases Todd, who doesn’t want to give away too many surprises. “It depends upon the people in the room and the willingness to open themselves up.”

Plans are also being discussed to initiate a stage two-update that integrates off-menu food service (Houdini’s favorite foods?) into the overall event with a host who provides historical insights, with a flourish of magic, as each course is served, leading up to the main event with a medium.

Says Todd, “The original séance included a personal chef and a small antique stove where he flambéed an appetizer of shrimp in cognac, finished a main course of filet mignon; and prepared flaming cherries jubilee. Unfortunately, it was a fun part of the performance that Milt didn’t run by the fire department and it was ultimately shut down!”

Participants in the final séance in 1936 (Bill Larsen, Sr., far right).

I'm looking forward to seeing what the Castle has cooked up for this new seance!

Related:

• Secrets of the new Houdini Seance by Jim Steinmeyer
• The last original Houdini Seance
• The ghost of Edward Saint

There's a Houdiniesque David Copperfield poster out there (update)

On my last visit to the Magic Castle, I was excited to see a new addition to their dining room. Framed on the wall is a huge new David Copperfield poster styled after Houdini's famous 1911 Strobridge lithograph, sometimes called the "Houdini for President" poster. Yes, it's David Copperfield by way of Houdini and that's pretty wild!

I don't know when this poster was created, but this was my third sighting. I first saw it inside David's own International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts in Las Vegas and again at Bruce Averbook's Magic Art Museum and Library in Cleveland. But I've only seen it inside these three temples of magic where no photos are allowed. So all I can do is share news that it exists and that it works beautifully as a tribute to two masters of magic.

Have you seen the "Copperfield for President" poster? Let us know in the comments below.

UPDATE: Thanks to Ray Anderson and our friends at Esther's Follies in Austin, we can see the poster!

Related:

• My incredible week inside the Copperfield collection
• ALL the Houdini wax cylinder audio has been saved!
• Copperfield finds

Milt Larsen, 1931-2023

Sad news today. Milt Larsen, who co-founded the Magic Castle in Hollywood with his brother Bill, has passed away at age 92. Arlene Larsen released a statement that went out to members today:

My beloved husband, Milt, passed away peacefully last night in his sleep after 92 magical years. I was fortunate enough to have spoken with him right before he went to bed, and he was in great spirits. He led an incredible life, and I want to especially thank Randy and Kristy Pitchford for making Milt’s last year so special for him. In the coming days and weeks there will doubtless be opportunities for us all to celebrate Milt’s life.

In the meantime, I ask for some time to grieve in private and for no gifts or flowers to be sent to our home. Thank you all for your love and support. Milt will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

It just so happens that I was at the Magic Castle last night having a wonderful evening with Bruce Averbook, Mike Caveney, Patrick Culliton, John Gaughan, and other magic friends. At the end of the night Patrick and I dropped into the Houdini Room. There, as always, we looked at the photo of a 6-year-old Milt performing magic for Bess Houdini.

Milt was always happy to share his memories of Bess as "a very nice lady." Well, Milt was a very nice gentlemen. His contributions to the world of magic cannot be overstated. He was loved and will be missed.

So hello to Harry, Bess, and the rest of the gang, Milt!

Related:

• Irene Larsen, 1936 - 2016
• Randy Pitchford purchases The Magic Castle

My Max Maven moment

This week came sad news of the death of Max Maven at age 71. I don't need to tell you that Max was a famous magician and mentalist, maybe the most famous mentalist since Dunninger. He was also a big part of the Magic Castle community. I saw Max many times at the Castle and recognized him as a famous figure in magic. But I was too shy to introduce myself. Hey, he was pretty scary looking! And why would Max Maven want to meet me?

Flash forward to the 2015 Los Angeles Magic History Conference, which I attended. During one of the shows in the main ballroom John Gaughan surprised us all when Q The Automaton from The Master Mystery suddenly lumbered through the audience. It was a great moment. But I'll never forget what happened after the show ended.

I was getting up from my chair when Max Maven stepped up to me. He smiled warmly and said, "I thought you should have this." He then handed me a plastic rivet. Apparently, it had popped off Q when he marched through the audience and landed right in front of Max. It was a double whammy moment. Not only was I meeting the great Max Maven. But he knew exactly who I was!

I still have that rivet. It sits in my main display case along with signed Houdini photos and other treasures. But it's not there because it came off John Gaughan's Q. I cherish it because it was given to me by Max Maven.

From that moment on I always greeted Max at the Castle and was honored to see him in the front row during some of my talks. He was always open, generous, and friendly. I also came to understand him as a person of great wisdom and humility. He was a role model not just as a performer but as a human being. I'm not surprised to the see the outpouring of love shown by so many with this news of his passing.

Goodbye Max. Thank you for a lifetime of magic. And thanks again for the rivet.

Related:

• Max Maven Dies: Mentalist And Magical Historian Was 71 (Deadline)
• Max Maven (The Jerx)
• Look who dropped by the L.A. Magic History Conference

Houdini haunts The Dana Gould Hour

One my favorite podcasts is The Dana Gould Hour (which is never an hour). The high point of the year is always the Halloween Special, and this year it's extra special for Houdini fans. Dana's "True Tales from Weirdsville" segment is devoted to Houdini and his crusade against fraudulent spiritualists. It starts at 01:08:00 and as with all of Dana's deep dives it's well-researched and funny.

If that's not enough, Dana also interviews our friend Rob Zabrecky, who does the Houdini Seances at the Magic Castle, and Pleasant Gehman who penned the book Escape From Houdini Mountain.

So get in the spirit by having a listen at danagould.com or via your favorite podcatcher.

Related:

• The secret origins of Houdini the debunker
• Rob Zabrecky talks Houdini with Dana Gould
• Secrets of the new Houdini Seance by Jim Steinmeyer

Dr. Randall Bell is about to wow us

Yesterday I had the pleasure of having lunch at the Magic Castle with Dr. Randall Bell, a life-long Houdini fan and avid collector since the 1990s. His collection will be displayed for the first time at Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, California, starting October 8, 2022. Dr. Bell gave me a taste of what to expect and...holy smokes!

We already know about the Milk Can, but there will be other pieces of original Houdini apparatus that have never been exhibited before. I also got a peek at an extraordinary letter written by Bess Houdini in her final days which provides a striking new detail about Houdini's death. That letter will also be on display for all to read.

There's more, but I'm not here to spoil the surprises. I'm just giving an excited heads up that this exhibition is going to be something special and will wow Houdini buffs.

It was clear from our conversation that Dr. Bell is a true admirer of Houdini. He credits the example Houdini's life and work ethic as helping guide him in his own life and career. He feels Houdini can inspire others and that he can be a true hero for young people. This is why he's so passionate about sharing his collection and using it to help tell Houdini's inspiring story.

There will be a special opening day reception at Muzeo next Saturday, October 8, from 4PM-6PM. The event is free but you need to RSVP HERE. I'm going to be there. Hope to see some fellow Houdini nuts there as well.

Thank you for the lunch Randy!

Related:

• "Houdini Unchained" opening reception, October 8
• Houdini exhibition coming to Anaheim, CA

More "Hidden Houdinis" from Disney

Disney keeps on feeding us Hidden Houdinis. Here are two new ones from just this week. (Click images to enlarge.)

The first is found in the trailer for Hocus Pocus 2. Looks like the characters visit a magic shop and there's a Houdini poster on the wall. This is a reproduction of his "Do Spirits Return?" poster used during his second 3 Shows in One tour. Prints are widely available online.

The next one shows up in episode 4 of the Marvel series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. You can see Houdini's 1911 Water Torture Cell poster and a 1926 Buried Alive poster on the wall of the "Mystic Castle" (a thinly disguised Magic Castle). Quite a few golden age posters in general can be glimpsed in this episode.

You know, I continue to hear rumors of some kind of Houdini project active inside Disney. I have no idea what this is. But, hey, I'm right down the street! Just saying...

Thanks to George Lescay for the alert.

Related:

• Is Houdini about to join the MCU?
• Houdini nods in Disney's new OZ
• Disney Channel Spain launches 'Club Houdini'

Deconstructing Houdini '53: Magicians' Dinner

TODAY marks the 69th anniversary of Houdini's premiere at the Des Monies Theater in Iowa on June 25, 1953. So what better day to continuing my scene by scene dissection of the classic biopic and one of its most iconic scenes...

Chapter 8: Magicians' Dinner

We now come to one of the most memorable and important scenes in Houdini (1953); the Magicians' Dinner at the Astor Hotel and the famous straitjacket escape. It's a fantastic sequence with a lot to unpack. So let's get into it!

For starters, this entire event appears modeled on the Society of American Magicians annual dinners at the Hotel McAlpin in New York City. Houdini would organize and preside over these dinners and the gathering of wizards would always draw press coverage. This delighted Houdini as drawing attention to the S.A.M. as a national fraternal organization was one of his goals as their "Most Illustrious" president. So it's all a little out of time to have Houdini attending an event such as this as a wide-eyed novice. But it works wonderfully well as a representation of a larger organized World of Magic that he badly wants to join. We just need to forget he's the one who organized it!

Here it's called The Society of Magicians and this is their "Annual Halloween Dinner". Again, the idea of any magic organization marking Halloween as a national magic day only started after and because of the death of Houdini on Halloween. But this works as the first of several times in the movie that Halloween will be linked to Harry's fate.

We start with the Houdinis taking a table. Bess is instantly suspicious of her surroundings. "There's quite a few magicians here tonight," she observes. "Magic's becoming quite a hobby," says Harry innocently.

Our first treat is a performance by Magic Castle co-founder William Larsen Jr. (uncredited). Bill was the son of William Larsen who was Bess Houdini's lawyer and, along with his wife Gerrie, good friends with Bess during her final years in Hollywood. Bill and his brother Milt both knew Mrs. Houdini and even did magic for her. So having a Larsen performing for the young Houdinis is a nice insider nod.

Here Larsen does the Lester Lake head chopper illusion. This is an effect from the 1930s, not the 1890s, but we've already established that Houdini '53 features contemporary magic for a contemporary audience. It's a wonderful, uninterrupted performance by Larsen and now a piece of magic history in itself. (The girl is played by Norma Jean Eckart.) However, I'm always disappointed when the head drops off at the end. Not only does this rely on a camera edit, but it undermines the entire effect. If she was never in the stocks, there was no passing of the blade miracle. This feels like an idea foisted on the scene by someone who just wanted a gag ending, and it's the one time Hollywood "creativity" gets in the way of the magic in the movie.

The evening's host, Mr. Malue (Ian Wolfe), then takes the stage. Malue greatly resembles Harry Blackstone Sr., one of the last great figures from the Golden Age of Magic at this time, so the resemblance may be intentional. Malue announces a special challenge in "escape routines that has never been tried before". Several straitjackets "from Bellevue hospital" are brought out and Malue says a Grand Prize will be given to the man who can escape. Again, it's odd to see escapology as part of the magic world pre-Houdini. It's worth noting that a similar straitjacket escape contest was held at the Des Moines Theater in Iowa for the film's premiere.

Harry is eager to volunteer. But Bess forbids him. He has to literally beg her, drawing attention and laughs from the audience. Bess relents and Harry joins to applause. It's a cute moment for the couple, but the movie may actually be channeling the real Houdini without even knowing it. In his notes, Houdini worked up a similar piece of business headed “Big Laugh”:

Plant in box, man and woman. Houdini asks committee to come on stage. Man starts to get up, woman pulls him back. Woman of a chatterbox type. Have the man try to get up two or three times, the woman scolding. If you wish to see this to a finish, have the man finally come up and the woman leave the theater.

Houdini is strapped into the straitjacket along with the other men. The straitjackets used here are not from Houdini's time, nor are they from the 1950s. They were specially made for the production by the famed Abbott's Magic Co., and are beautifully dramatic in their design. I love that the production went to the trouble of creating their own unique cinematic straitjackets. A surviving jacket was given to The Magic Circle in London where it is still displayed today.

As the orchestra plays a jaunty tune, the men get down to struggling in what becomes a largely comedic entertainment. (Although the fall one man takes onto a stage-side table seems serious enough.) But Harry, unique among the men, remains on his feet in deep concentration. He appears as trapped as the others, but then he finds himself drawn to a spinning crystal hanging from a chandelier. It becomes hypnotic, aided by strains of a theremin-like score, and he's unable to look away. Bess notices. So does Mr. Malue. There's something strange happening to Houdini.

This mysterious power has been hinted at in several earlier scenes (notably Miner's Hall), but at last Harry seems to be in control of it. Suddenly he is able to strip the straitjacket off his body. The moment is less like an escape and more like a butterfly shedding its cocoon. HOUDINI has emerged! He then collapses to the stage, seeming not so much drained by his struggle, but by the power he just experienced.

"And I guess there's no doubt as to who wins the prize," says Mr. Malue who hands Houdini an envelope to applause.

A historical aside on what we just witnessed. The straitjacket escape was an effect Houdini did throughout his career. He was indeed the first man to do the escape on stage. What we saw here was Houdini escaping the straitjacket in full view of an audience. But the truth is it took Houdini several years to arrive at that presentation. For years he did the escape concealed inside a cabinet. It was his brother, Theo Hardeen, who discovered the effectiveness of presenting the escape in full view of the audience. Houdini quickly adopted this presentation and the rest is history.

The scene then dissolves to a private, post dinner conversation between Harry, Bess, and Mr. Malue. Here we experience what Joseph Campbell and screenwriting courses would call the "meeting with the mentor" scene. Here our main character is inspired by an elder to take the next step in his heroes journey, or is warned not to embark down a particular path. A warning that is typically ignored. Which version we have here will soon become apparent.

Malue reminds Houdini that no one has ever escaped from a straitjacket before. Interestingly, Harry says what he did was only "a trick". It's similar to the vanish at Miner's Hall. We the audience felt we just witnessed something supernatural, but Houdini later laughs it off as just one of his effects. But the old magician tells him, "It isn't a trick!"

Malue then relates the tale of a magician in Berlin named von Schweger who would escape from a sealed bottle that wasn't faked in any way. "The talk was von Schweger was able to dematerialize," says Maule. This greatly intrigues Houdini who has never heard of von Schweger despite having "Read all the books on the great magicians." This is a nice nod to the real Houdini's devotion to magic history from a young age. Malue tells him just when von Schweger could have made a name for himself, he quit the profession. "I think he he was frightened by what he was able to do," says Malue.

Herr J. von Schweger will become a big part of this story and he is not as fictional as some may think. But we will have a whole chapter devoted to him in due time.

Mr. Malue realizes they are the last people left at the dinner and he says his goodbyes to the Houdinis. He then offers the young magician his most sincere advise:

"Drop it. Drop it! It will make you famous. But it will kill you."

Click to see all chapters of Deconstructing Houdini '53

Thanks to Joe Fox for providing the information on the Abbott's straitjackets and photo of the Magic Circle presentation.

Related:

• Houdini (1953) premiered 65 years ago today
• Copperfield acquires Houdini (1953) head chopper
• Did Hardeen really discover the full view straitjacket escape?

Randy Pitchford purchases The Magic Castle

I promise this is NOT an April Fools joke. 

In today's AMA newsletter, Erika Larsen officially announced that Randy Pitchford, Gearbox CEO, Cardini relation, and long-time magic enthusiast, has purchased The Magic Castle in Hollywood. This is sensational news. As you may or may not know, the Academy of Magical Arts only leased their iconic clubhouse from the Glover family, and there was constant fear that one day the family would decide sell the building and the adjacent land to developers. But that fear is now gone! Here, in part, is what Erika had to share:

Randy Pitchford is a creative visionary, a strategic mastermind and an exceptionally nice guy. His love for magic and the Magic Castle, his business savvy, his generosity and his unbridled enthusiasm are exactly what is needed to revive the spirit of the Magic Castle and keep the place thriving for generations to come.

While the details are still being ironed out, soon an entity will be formed which will own the property, including the Magic Castle Hotel, as well as MCI’s Academy of Magical Arts proprietorship of the Magic Castle trademarks.

This will be the first time in history that the whole, collective real estate, and The Magic Castle will be owned by the same entity! And, since Randy already owns Genii Magazine, it can be reunited as well. So exciting!

You may recall that Randy and Kristy Pitchford--who were married in the Castle in 1997--also own Bess Houdini's brooch, which was given by Bess to Gerrie Larsen. So now they own two family treasures!

Congratulations and THANK YOU Randy and Kristy for ensuring that The Magic Castle will be around for generations to come.

UPDATE: You can now read the official press release HERE.

Related:

• Randy Pitchford now owns Bess Houdini's brooch
• Secrets of the new Houdini Seance by Jim Steinmeyer
• Houdini makes the cover of Genii's 1000th issue