The "giant wheel" in the basement of 278

Today I have an addendum to my Inside Houdini's 278 report from last week. I mentioned in that report that the only place I didn't see was the basement. The owner had locked it for the open house. But what I didn't mention was the conversation I had with the realtor, Beverley, about what might be down in the basement.

I was standing with Fred Pittella at the time, and when we discovered we could not go down, Beverely assured us that there really wasn't much to see. Then she added, "There's just this giant wheel."

Both Fred and I went white. A giant wheel?

A giant wheel!!!

I quickly pulled up the above photo on my phone and showed it to her. She nodded and said this might the wheel. She then said she would take a photo and send it to me when she had a chance.

The idea that this giant wagon wheel could be down in the basement of 278 was pretty exciting, but I didn't want to say anything until we knew for sure. I was also a little skeptical because I assumed this famous photo was taken in Hollywood during Harry's "extreme Houdini" photo shoot, in which they roped him to pretty much anything that looked menacing. What would it be doing in his basement in New York?

Now David Saltman, during his own visit to the house, was able to get down into the basement. David provides a photo of the wheel and, unfortunately, it's not the same one. It's just a giant wheel. But could it have some other Houdini connection? The mystery remains.

David made some interesting discoveries and has also posted several photos of the basement, so head on over to the "The Houdini File" and read: TRAPDOORS & SECRET PASSAGES IN HOUDINI'S HOUSE.

Related:

• Inside Houdini's 278
• 278 IS FOR SALE!
• Extreme Houdini

What's in this box?

This box contains what might be the most unusual surviving Houdini prop in existence. I'll show you what's inside in my full report on my trip to Houdini's New York coming this weekend. (It wasn't just about his house.)

NOW: Wild in Houdini's New York, 2017

Drake scared away from "haunted Houdini house"

A story in the National Enquirer says that rapper Drake was "scared away" from the fabled Houdini Esate in Laural Canyon while shooting a promotional video. Under the headline, "Drake Hits The Brakes At Haunted Houdini House!" the tabloid reports:

Famed for his trademark cool-as-a-cucumber persona, Canadian-born crooner Drake suddenly turned terrified/chilled to the bone, even though it was hot as hell in L.A., while shooting a hush-hush TV promo at the allegedly haunted estate of legendary magician Harry Houdini!

The ‘Hotline Bling’ singer kept freaking that Houdini’s haunt lies smack in the middle of creepy, winding Laurel Canyon, where L.A. lore famously claims ghosts, ghouls and witches have roamed the windswept hillsides for decades!

Totally terrified, twitching at every creepy creak or chilly draft on his cheek, distraught Drizzy, saying he felt like he was burning in the ‘hotline to hell,’ finally performed his own magic, abruptly disappearing down the path back to his car at a, er… dead run.

However, the website Gossip Cop doubts the story, citing the "suspicious language" of the tipster. But as I can't seem to find the original story at National Enquirer, I'm wondering if Gossip Cop invented the story just so they could debunk it. Fake news creating fake news to debunk it as fake news? My head hurts.

Of course, the house in Laurel Canyon only has a tenuous connection to Houdini, as I covered in this 2012 post. But it has drawn many celebrities and rock stars over the years. Although most have managed it better than scaredy cat Drake!

Related:

• What's this have to do with Harry?
• Maroon 5 gets help from Houdini’s ghost
• Jane's Addiction photo shoot at the "Houdini House"

LINK: Houdini His Legend and His Magic Book

For the rest of this week our friend Neil McNally at The Doug Henning Project is highlighting the book Houdini His Legend and His Magic by Doug Henning and Charles Reynolds. Released in 1977, this was one of the "fantastic four" coffee table books released within year of one another. Check out the original advert for the book below: "Houdini and Henning make your gift problems disappear like magic!"

Click the headline to view the first installment at The Doug Henning Project.

Related:

• The Fantastic Four
•  Neil McNally launches The Doug Henning Project

Houdini covers 'Riders on the Storm' #4

Houdini is nicely featured on the cover of Rough Riders: Riders on the Storm #4, which is released today. This is part of the second Rough Riders story arc is by Adam Glass with art Patrick Olliffe.

Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders find themselves in grave danger, and they must use all of their strength and wits to escape the clutches of those wishing to do America harm. However, this will not come without consequences, as one member of our team winds up in the hands of the enemy. Or are they the enemy?

Rough Riders: Riders on the Storm #4 is available in comic book stores and online from Midtown Comics. A Kindle version can be purchased at Amazon.com.

Related:

• Houdini covers ROUGH RIDERS #2
• A Rough Rider in Griffith Park
• The ROUGH RIDERS come to life

Inside Houdini's 278

Last Sunday I spent three remarkable hours inside Houdini's house at 278 West 113th Street in New York City. The occasion was a one time only open house for the brownstone which is on the market for $4.6 million. I've long dreamed of being able to enter "278" (as Houdini called it), and my dream came true in spectacular manner.

There are only a handful of descriptions of the inside of 278, and those only describe certain areas. I used as my guides the descriptions by Marie Blood in Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss, Dixie Dooley's description and diagrams in Houdini Question Reality, and Marcet Haldeman's interview with Houdini in the Oct. 1925 Haldeman-Julius Monthly. Combining these with what I saw, I've tried my best to puzzle out the house as it was in Houdini time. While I'm certain of some things, other aspects are educated guesses. I'm sure we will have lots to discuss in the comments below.

One thing I'll say up front is that fears the interior of 278 had been radically changed are, happily, unfounded. While the top two floors have been converted into individual apartments, there really has not been dramatic changes to the structure. All the rooms are pretty much as they were in Houdini's time. There has also been no modern upgrades, such as the installation of central air-conditioning, which means the ceilings and walls all remain as they were. So 278, inside and out, is still very much the house Houdini inhabited.

I've been struggling in how to best describe the house and all that I saw last Sunday, so I figure I'll just lay it out exactly as I experienced it. So let's retake the 278 tour together.

LINK: You can live in Harry Houdini’s historic magician’s lair

The New York Post has an article by Michael Kaplan about Houdini's home in Harlem. The big news this week is that the house is now on the market for $4.6 million.

This is a well researched piece that, I'm honored to say, used a few quotes from me. Also some gems by the great Patrick Culliton.

So click the headline and have a read. And check back here tomorrow for my own mammoth post in which I will take you "Inside 278."

UPDATE: Dorothy Dietrich nd Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum in Scranton picked me up a copy of the printed Post article, which I've added to my old school scrapbook (going since 1975).  Nice layout.

Related:

• 278 IS FOR SALE!
• Discovering 278: the home of Houdini

Your tour of 278 is coming this weekend

I'm home from New York and working hard on my post about visiting Houdini's house in Harlem. I'm aiming to have up this weekend. (I've also been helping the New York Post with a piece that will also run this weekend). I know everyone is eager for this one, so thank you for your continued patience. Soon you will be turning the door knob and stepping inside 278 yourself.

NOW: Inside Houdini's 278

Happy Anniversary Harry and Bess

Today is the 123rd wedding anniversary of Harry and Bess Houdini. The couple married on June 22, 1894 in Coney Island where they were both working as sideshow performers. It's said they later had two more ceremonies to satisfy their families -- one with a rabbi and the other with a Catholic priest. "I'm the most married woman I know," Bess would quip.

If they were in town on their anniversary they would always spend it in Coney Island and take a playful anniversary photo (above is their 1917 pic). Their song -- said to have been the song Bessie was signing when Harry first saw her on stage -- was Rosabel...

Related:

• Did the Houdinis marry in 1901?
• Coney Island: Where Harry met Bessie
• William Lindsay Gresham on the Houdinis marriage

(I know what you are all thinking: "Forget this mushy stuff, bring on the 278 pics!" Know that I'm working on it and hope to have the first post up this weekend.)

Dover publishes 'Houdini's Paper Magic'

Today sees the release of Dover Publications new reprint of Houdini's 1922 book, Houdini's Paper Magic. While this book has been reprinted several times, this one is somewhat special as it joins Dover's perennial reprints of Houdini on Magic and The Secrets of Houdini.

Dover's Houdini's Paper Magic can be purchased now at Amazon.com (U.S.) and pre-ordered at Amazon.co.uk (UK release July 28).

Related:

• Dover will release 'Houdini's Paper Magic'
• The perennial Houdini on Magic
• The secrets of The Secrets of Houdini

WAH in the house!

Yesterday I spent three remarkable hours inside Houdini's house in New York City. It was one of the most incredible Houdini experiences of my life. I made so many discoveries and have so much to share that I will probably do so in two posts; one detailing the house and the other chronicling my full New York adventure. But that adventure is not done yet (off to the Houdini Museum at Fantasma Magic today), so for now, enjoy the below.

My thanks to Beverley Draggon and Detria Davu of Douglas Elliman Real Estate who are handling the sale of 278 and allowed me to run wild!

UPDATE: Inside Houdini's 278 & Wild in Houdini's New York, 2017.

Related:

• Houdini at home
• 278 IS FOR SALE!

Houdini at home

Here's an unpublished photo of Houdini inside his home at 278 West 113th Street in New York. This comes from the collection of the American Museum of Magic and gives a nice look at the house's interior. I thought this was a good time to share this as 278 is on the market for the first time in 26 years. Perhaps Harry is fielding offers below?

I also wanted to provide something interesting to look at for the next few days because, yes, I'm off to New York to attend the 278 Open House on Sunday! I can't believe that I will soon be standing in the very room we see above. (Exactly which room this is, I'm not sure, but that's one of many things I'll try to puzzle out.)

I will also be squeezing in as many other Houdini sites as I can in the short time I will be in the city. You can follow my adventures on Twitter @HoudiniWild. I'll also post a full report when I return.

UPDATE: I'm happy to report that I was able to identify exactly where this photo was taken, and so much more! Check out my full reports: Inside Houdini's 278 and Wild in Houdini's New York, 2017.

Related:

• 278 IS FOR SALE!
• Discovering 278: the home of Houdini
• Houdini Headquarters
• Calling all Houdini followers