LINK: HHCE highlights from Magic Collector Expo

Our friend Joe Notaro has a full report on this year's Magic Collector Expo, with all the Houdini highlights. Click the headline or the image below to have a read of Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence.

Related:

• Magic Collector Expo 2024 aboard the Queen Mary
• A five star Magic Collector Expo in Cleveland
• LINK: HHCE highlights from Magic Collector Expo (2025)

LINK: Escape To A Magical New Cafe In Houdini’s Old Haunt

Here's some great news that I received over the Christmas break. The building that once housed Houdini's Film Developing Corporation and later his magic workshop is now a cafe called Beni Coffee. The building had been private, but now anyone can visit the famous space and have a coffee at the same time! I'm super excited about this. 

Click the headline or any of the images below to read a nice report by Susie Felber at the Weehawken Gazette.

At the moment, Beni Coffee is only open on weekends. It's located at 216 19th St Union City, NJ 07087. Tell them Houdini sent you!

Thank you Susie Felber for the news.

Related:

• The saga of Houdini's Film Developing Corporation
• Houdini in his workshop
• It's now the "Houdini Studio" in New Jersey

Newark's (barely) surviving Houdini theaters

I've long known that Houdini began 1925 with a week's engagement in Newark, New Jersey. What I didn't know was the theater. Thanks to an advert in the January 2, 1925 Jewish Chronicle, I now know it was Proctor's Palace located at 116 Market Street.

Whenever I learn of a new Houdini theater, I always jump over to the excellent Cinema Treasures website for more information and to see if the theater still stands. Turns out, the theater is still there, although it has been largely derelict since 1968.

An excellent overview of theater can be found in the blog The Forgotten Past of New Jersey. Proctor's was a rare double-decker theater, meaning it had two theaters stacked on top of each other. I've never heard of such a thing. The post also notes that the building was sold in 2016 with plans to demolish it. But a check of Google Maps shows the building still standing, seemingly untouched today. 

This isn't the only surviving Houdini theater in Newark. In November 1925, Houdini brought his "3 Show in One" to the Shubert Theater on Branford Place. Below is an ad for the engagement. I like the tagline: "WHY GO TO NEW YORK?... ALL THE GOOD SHOWS COME HERE!"

The Shubert later became the Adams Theatre and remained active into the 1980s. Like Proctors, the building survives today and is just waiting for its comeback.

Related:

• Discovering Houdini's Los Angeles Orpheum
• Kansas City's last Houdini theater
• Detroit's last Houdini theater

LINK: Houdini comes to the Keansburg boardwalk

Here's a nice article by JF Grodeska about the time Houdini corralled a collection of S.A.M. members to throw a surprise party for Frank and Antonio Martinka at their home in Keansburg, New Jersey. I've always meant to do a post about this, but as Jersey Shore Scene did a fine job, I will let you enjoy it there.

Thanks to Ted at Martinka.com for the alert.

Related:

• Houdini in 1917
• Houdini rarities sell in Martinka auction
• Heroics and hijinks in Atlantic City

Ambassador's Tour

Following the Milbourne Christopher Awards last month––where I was honored to receive the Ambassador of Magic Award––I embarked on a whirlwind tour of Houdini locations in the region. Four states in three days! Here's what I saw on my self-proclaimed "Ambassadors Tour."

My explorations began the day of the Awards, Sept. 16, with a visit to the site of the former Winchell Smith Dam and Grist Mill in Farmington, Connecticut. This is where Houdini filmed the rapids action for The Man from Beyond. I also got to slip on the steel straitjacket from the Tony Curtis Houdini movie. I covered both these with photos in my award roundup post. The day after the awards is when my tour began in earnest.

Sunday, Sept. 17
I left New London early and drove down the 95, a beautiful drive on a sunny Sunday. As I passed through Stamford, Connecticut, I resisted the urge to turn off and seek out the location of the short-lived Weiss farm. I hadn't anticipated passing through Stamford, so I wasn't ready with the address and research. And I had a lady to meet! So I reluctantly let that location pass as I headed toward New York with the perfect soundtrack playing.

I soon arrived at my first New York destination: Gates of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne. This is where Bess Houdini is buried. I've never seen Bessie's grave, so I was excited to finally make this pilgrimage. However, the cemetery is huge, and Bess isn't easy to find. In fact, I was getting worried about ever finding her! So I began to walk and call out, "Show yourself to me, Bessie," and I'll be darned if I didn't walk right to her.

This was a very different experience than visiting Houdini's grave. It was much more emotional. It's sad to see her here alone, but her headstone is beautiful. I realized I should have brought flowers (something I've never felt the need to bring to Houdini's grave) so I left and returned with a lovely bouquet acquired from a florist just outside the cemetery gates. I ensured it had no yellow flowers as Bess was superstitious about the color yellow. I sang Rosabel (badly) and spent a fair amount of time talking to her. Again, this is something I never do at Houdini's grave. It was a cathartic experience that really took me by surprise. Thank you, Bessie. We love you.

I was now ready for my next stop. So I returned to my rental car and dialed a familiar address into the GPS: 278 West 113th Street. Yes, I was headed "home"!

Little did I know that this Sunday was the 54th Annual African American Day Parade in Harlem, so the streets around 113th were closed and packed! I was nervous enough about driving into NYC and trying to find parking. Now trying to do so in a parade...holy smokes. But maybe Bess was watching over me as I quickly found a parking garage just a few blocks away.

I'm always thrilled to visit 278! As far as Houdini locations go, this is easily #1. As I approached the house, I took a photo. The fact that there were no cars parked on the street was a rare opportunity to get a clean pic. It wasn't until later that I looked at the pic and noticed a strange oval of light directly over the house. Not something you often see in digital photos. I think this is pretty weird!

Homeowners Niro and Vincent were out for the afternoon, but Vincent's friendly father, John, visiting from Kansas City, let me inside and invited me to make myself at home. I cleaned up and was able to relax like it was my very own house. I was also able to enjoy the paraders on 113th Street. I imagined it was a parade for the new Ambassador of Magic!

When Niro and Vincent returned, they caught me up on all the latest renovations and discoveries. We had a wonderful dinner, and it was so much fun to enjoy the house as the Houdinis enjoyed it, filled with family and warmth. Vincent also made a terrific cocktail that I think he should name the "278." I had two!

But it gets even better. Niro and Vincent had invited me to spend the night. (Well, I invited myself and they said yes.) Vincent's parents were in the guest bedroom, so I took a fold-down couch in Houdini's top-floor workroom. Ironically, this is the room I always envisioned myself sleeping in. I even set my Christopher Award on the fireplace mantel to forever imbue it with Houdini 278 energy.

As night fell, it began to rain and continued to pour all night long. In my pajamas, I could look down on a rain-swept 113th Street from Houdini's office window and hear the rain tapping on the skylights. The atmosphere was indescribably perfect, and the entire experience was a dream come true. I'm the luckiest Houdini nut in the world.

Unfortunately, I had no dreams about Houdini or ghostly visitations in the night. However, early in the morning, I heard what sounded like a parrot somewhere on the top floor. Could this have been the spirit of the mischievous Laura who, by all accounts, was the true boss of the house?

Believe

Monday, Sept. 18

After a lovely morning coffee with Vincent and his father, I said my goodbyes and set out in light rain toward my next state: Pennsylvania. Eventually, the skies cleared and it was a beautiful drive into the Poconos. Around noon, I rolled into Scranton. I was there to see another famed Houdini location: the Houdini Museum!

I was so happy to see Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz! For the next several hours we never stopped talking, gossiping, laughing, and having a generally wonderful time. Their museum is incredible! It's packed with memorabilia both old and new. Some reproduction material is there to help tell Houdini's story to visitors, especially children. But the longer you stay and the deeper you look, the more treasure you find. Dorothy then guides you through each with a twinkle in her eye. She also shared some rarities not available to the general public. It was one of the most extraordinary and unique Houdini museum experiences I've ever had.

But there was more to my day in Scranton. After a terrific dinner at a Chinese buffet, Dorothy, Dick, and I traveled downtown to see what used to be Poli's Theatre where Houdini appeared the week of February 22, 1915. The theater has undergone extensive renovation and is today called The Ritz. But it's a surviving Houdini theater, and we love those!

Dorothy also insisted we go see Scranton's famed Lackawanna Building. I'm so glad she did. The building is remarkable inside and out and said to be very haunted. Now a hotel, it was once Scranton's train station. Houdini and his equipment passed through the massive lobby, so this was a bonus Houdini location!

It was hard to say goodbye to Dorothy and Dick, but it was time to move on. Dorothy invited me to sleep in the museum, and I wish I would have! But I had already booked a motel in nearby Wilkes-Barre where another Houdini location was waiting.

Tuesday, Sept. 19

I woke up in Wilkes-Barre and set out early to find a location that was even more obscure than the Farmington rapids. With some luck, I had nailed down the exact spot where the Welsh Bros. Circus set up their tents for two days of performances in July 1898. The streets have changed and the exact site is now occupied by a construction company (who don't care for nosey visitors). These buildings appear to be new as Google Maps still shows the lots empty as recently as November 2020. 

However, the railroad tracks directly adjacent to the property are unchanged and afford a great view of the site. I noticed that the tracks branch off here, which makes sense as the circus train would have parked along the side track during these two days. It's a fantastic early Houdini location and the first Welsh Bros. location I've ever visited. (I'll have some other details about Houdini's time in Wilkes-Barre in the diary book.) I also picked up a few railroad spikes off the ground. So this location comes with free souvenirs!

This Welsh Bros. location was good enough that I could have called this the grand finale of the tour. But I had one last stop and one last state to go.

Around eleven, I rolled into picturesque Wayne, New Jersey, and the home of our friend Roger Dreyer. Here is where Roger houses his amazing Houdini Revealed Museum. Roger was super generous and welcoming as always. He had bagels waiting for me and some awesome gifts, including a new retail 278 item that I will be posting about later. I gave him a Welsh Bros. railroad spike. Then we got down to "work!"

I had seen the museum when it was located in Fantasma Magic in New York City, but Roger's setup here is far larger and jaw-dropping. Roger has an excellent sense of how to frame and display his treasures. He even let me try on Houdini's top hat and a pair of authentic jump cuffs.

Roger then let me go through his Houdini files. I only wish I had more time. I had to leave some files unseen if I was going to make it to Newark and my flight home. But what I saw was incredible, and this was a perfect way to end my Ambassador's Tour.

Thank you to Niro & Vincent, Dorothy & Dick, and Roger Dreyer. You are the true Ambassadors of Magic!

Addresses:

Miss Porter's School Administration (formerly Winchell Smith Dam and Grist Mill)

44 Mill Lane

Farmington, CT

Gate of Heaven Cemetery 

10 W Stevens Ave

Hawthorne, NY 10532 

Bess plot: Section 48, 184-10 

Houdini's House

278 W 113th Street 

New York, NY

Private. Tours by appointment only.

https://house.278.nyc/

Houdini Museum and Magic Show

1433 N Main Ave.

Scranton, PA 18508

https://houdini.org

The Ritz (formally Poli's Theater)

222 Wyoming Ave.

Scranton, PA 18503

Lackawanna Building

700 Lackawanna Ave.

Scranton, PA 18503

Welsh Bros. location 

E. Ross Street & S. Pennsylvania Street

Wilkes Barre, PA

Roger Dreyer's Houdini Revealed Museum

Wayne, NJ

https://www.houdinirevealed.com/

Related:

• Christopher Awards roundup
• Inside Houdini's 278
• Houdini joins the circus

Houdini goes overboard in Atlantic City

Houdini's overboard box escape is one of his most famous and iconic outdoor stunts. It's also the one he appears to have done the least. In fact, I've only documented nine such escapes. Contrast this with 74 suspended straitjacket escapes!

While Houdini's two overboard box escapes in New York in 1912 and 1914 are well documented, we hear far less about the others. That's why I was excited to find the below. This is an account of Houdini's overboard box escape on July 28, 1915, from the Garden Pier in Atlantic City. Sounds like they had some problems with the block and tackle. But Houdini made his escape as always. Enjoy.

Atlantic City Daily Press, July 29, 1915.

Here's another nice detail. The below ran in the Atlantic City Review on the day of the stunt. I love this kind of thing.

Finally, here's a fun post-escape item that appeared in the Atlantic City Daily Press.

Atlantic City Daily Press, July 29, 1915.

Want more? You can view 20 newspaper clippings from this eventful week in Atlantic City as a "Scholar" member of my Patreon.

Top photo from 'Houdini His Legend and His Magic' by Doug Henning. Original in David Copperfield's International Museum and Library of the Conjuring Arts.

Related:

• The Overboard Box
• Heroics and hijinks in Atlantic City
• Houdini's overboard box footage identified at last!

Heroics and hijinks in Atlantic City

I admit I always cringe when I hear someone call Houdini "the first superhero." It just feels too much like a pander to Hollywood's current obsession with superhero movies, etc. But, gosh darn-it, there are times when it appears people really did think of Houdini as a superhero! This is a case in point.

The below comes from when Houdini was playing Keith's Garden Pier Theater in Atlantic City during the week of July 26, 1915. For context, the U.S. had not yet entered the war in Europe, but there was plenty of news about German U-boats lurking in the Atlantic. So in this environment of war nerves, I'll let these two stories speak for themselves.

Atlantic City Review, July 27, 1915.

You gotta love that the frightened vacationers thought Houdini might be the only man who could get the bottom of this. And as it turns out, that's exactly what happened! Check out the follow-up story below. (Sorry this one's a little hard to read.)

Atlantic City Daily Press, July 30, 1915.

So was Houdini a dupe or part of this publicity stunt? It's hard to tell from the story. But we can imagine what would have happened had this turned out to be a real German sub!

Houdini clocked a lot of stunt time on the Garden Pier. He did an overboard box escape during this same engagement in 1915 (post on that coming soon); a suspended straitjacket escape from the pier tower in 1916; and a manacled leap in 1917. No wonder he was seen as [*cringe*] a superhero.

Related:

• Houdini and his doughboys take a dunk
• The Moosers wild memories of Houdini
• Houdini the '70s superhero

Mystery of the Houdinis baby (solved)

This photo tends to draw a lot of comments and curiosity when it appears online. The Houdinis never had any children, so who is this mystery baby? Could it be Houdini's niece, Marie Blood? His nephew, Harry Houdini Hardeen? Or could it be Houdini's daughter!?

I actually discovered the answer a while back via a notation on an original photo in the collection of Dr. Bruce Averbook. However, I recently found a newspaper clipping that confirmed everything and explains it as well as I can, so here you go:

Atlantic City Daily Press, August 13, 1908.

The Houdinis visited the Infant Incubators on June 22, 1908, which also happened to be their 14th wedding anniversary. This was before the exhibit had officially opened to the public on June 27. Houdini was playing a two week engagement at Young's Ocean Pier Theatre in Atlantic City at this time. You can see Houdini and the "Infant Incubators" sharing the bill below.

Atlantic City Daily Press, June 27, 1908.

Want more? You can unlock 20 newspaper clippings related to Houdini's eventful 1908 Atlantic City engagement as a "Scholar" member of my Patreon below.

Top image from the House of Roulx Houdini Collection.

Related:

• A close call in Atlantic City
• Bess Houdini: "If I Had A Son"
• Did the Houdinis have a daughter?

A Houdini seance in May

On May 20, paranormal investigator Bruce Tango, a frequent guest on the TV show Ghost Hunters, will recreate the 1936 Final Houdini Seance at the historical Merchant and Drovers Tavern Museum in Rahway, New Jersey. Below is a flyer with info. Tickets can be purchased at Bruce's website.

While it may seen strange to be holding a Houdini seance in May, in reality, Bess held many of her seances in the summer months. In fact, the first formal seance to be held on Halloween (that I'm aware of) was the Final Seance of '36. I can only assume until that time Bess keep her Halloweens private. So, yeah, a Houdini seance in May! I like it.

Thanks to Carl Morano for the tip.

Related:

• Halloween 1936: The Final Houdini Seance
• The Final Houdini Seance redux 1986
• The secret origins of the annual Houdini Seance

Houdini haunts Hoboken

A treat for patrons today is this image of Houdini on the stage of the Roosevelt Theater in West Hoboken (now Union City) in 1922. You've never seen him look more like Dracula! Click below...if you dare.

This gem comes from the Harry Ransom Center.

Related:

• The Ransom files
• Treasures of the Harry Ransom Center
• More treasures of the Harry Ransom Center

Barrymore Film Center adds Houdini to their Walk of Fame

The Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, New Jersey, recently held a VIP reception to unveil their Walk of Fame Class of 2023. Look who made the list this year:

Marion Davies

James Young Deer 

Francis Doublier 

Douglas Fairbanks 

D.W. Griffith 

Harry Houdini 

Florence Lawrence 

Frances Marion 

Lewis J. Selznick 

Mack Sennett 

The BFC is a 260-seat cinema, museum and archive, dedicated to Ft Lee's role as the birthplace of cinema.  Their Walk of Fame honors pioneers of early cinema and can be viewed in their sky gallery.

Thanks to Carl Morano for the alert.  

Related:

• Nashville remembers Houdini
• Houdini honored as Brooklyn resident
• Williamsport honors their "Wild Man" with historical marker

Houdini Lives Again (again) at Morley's Magic Theater

Magician Scott Morley and his wife Britni will once again present Houdini Lives Again at their Morley's Magic Theater in Butler, New Jersey on March 24, 25 & 26. Below are details.

March 24th was Houdini's birthday, so this weekend is the perfect time to pay tribute to his life and magical impact. 

Step back in time one hundred years for Houdini Lives Again - a theatrical recreation of the legendary magic and escape act performed by Harry Houdini and his wife Bess from 1894-1926. 

A full hour of mind blowing magic, unique stage illusions, and impossible escapes! Take a walk through history with the Houdinis as they go from side show entertainers, to Vaudeville stars, to having their own show on Broadway! Turn of the century songs, costumes, and language frame this exciting show that also features live music, circus skills, puppetry, and audience participation! Perfect for all ages

You can buy tickets for Houdini Lives Again at the Morley's Magic Theater website.

Thanks to Ken Hallgring for the tip and Scott Morley for the images.

Related:

• 'Houdini Lives Again' at Morley's Magic Theater (2022)
• When Christopher channeled Houdini
• Houdini plays

Houdini's Atlantic City straitjacket escape

The Atlantic City Heritage Collections Archive has shared to their Facebook page this fantastic image of a lesser-known Houdini suspended straitjacket escape from the tower of Keith's Garden Pier Theater in Atlantic City on August 2, 1916. He was playing the sea-side theater this week. You can just spot his name in the doorway on the left.

New of the stunt was syndicated. Below is an account from the The Philadelphia Inquirer, August 3, 1916.

Below is a nice look at the Garden Pier theater, which was built in 1913. Houdini was playing some rare summer dates in 1916. He had just completed a run in Brighton Beach. You might recall that during this Atlantic City engagement he teased the idea of fighting a live shark.

Thanks to Jesse Leeds-Grant for this discovery and tip. And thank you to the Atlantic City Heritage Collections Archive at The Atlantic City Free Public Library for allowing me to share it here.

Related:

• Houdini's suspended straitjacket escapes
• A close call in Atlantic City
• Houdini's bizarre plan to fight a shark

'Houdini Lives Again' at Morley's Magic Theater

It's good to see live Houdini events making a comeback. Here's another! Magician Scott Morley and his wife Britni will present Houdini Lives Again at their Morley's Magic Theater in Butler, New Jersey, on May 13, 14 & 15. Below are details.

You can purchase tickets to Houdini Lives Again at Eventbrite. Scott and Britini have also created a free Houdini Unit Study PDF for parents. 

For more information on Morley's Magic Theater check out the official website.

Related:

• Houdini lived again on Thanksgiving 1947
• When Christopher channeled Houdini
• Houdini plays