Did the Original Houdini Seance have more luck contacting Harry?

While the "Official Houdini Seance" held last night in Holyoke didn't reach Houdini, the gang over at the "Original Houdini Seance" held at the Houdini Museum in Scranton, PA, report that they might have had better luck. This comes from the Sevier County News:

Did Houdini return? According to Dorothy Deitrich, director of the Houdini Museum, during the seance, the candelabra that was used, suddenly began to burn brightly. After the seance ended and the attendees left the museum, a hawk was sighted sitting on the chimney outside the museum. Coincidentally. Houdini used a hawk in his show shortly before he died. Was this a sign from Houdini?

Hmmm...Houdini used a hawk in his full evening roadshow? Of all of Houdini's many pets, I've never heard of him owning nor using a "hawk" in his act. Houdini did use a pet eagle during his Everything review at the Hippodrome. Perhaps this is what they are referencing here?

And if fire was the way Harry decided to mark his return this Halloween, certainly that happened in Hollywood.

Obviously, I love this stuff. :)

Official Houdini Seance draws Houdini notables...but not Harry

Mass Live.com reports that the Official Houdini Seance was held last night at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

Among the inner circle was Teller of the magic duo Penn & Teller; Houdini biographer Kenneth Silverman; Bill Radner, son of Sidney Radner; Houdini collectors Roger Dreyer, Tom Boldt, Larry Weeks and escape artist Alexandria the Great, who performed an underwater escape after the seance.

Several officers of the Springfield chapter of the Society of American Magicians, no. 17, were also guests, including dean of the society Tom Gentile.

This year's seance was as much about honoring Sidney Radner as it was to contact Houdini. Sid, who died this year at age 91, had carried on the annual seance tradition since the 1940s.

"I was a great fan of Sid’s," said Teller. "He was a fascinating man of many talents."

The medium this year was Kandisa Calhoun from Berkeley, California.

The no-show appears to have been Houdini himself, although Roger Dreyer commented on Facebook how the inner circle got to watch Houdini's spirit enter Calhoun's body.

"Well, at least that's what she said," says Roger. "I say no more."

Related:

• Official Houdini Seance 2011 to be held in Holyoke

Houdini musical aiming for West End run in 2012

Whatsonstage.com reports that UK Phantom of the Opera star Ramin Karimloo will play the lead in a new musical about the life of Houdini "which is hoping for a West End berth at the end of 2012."

Karimloo will be an associate producer on the show and is joined on the project by Les Miserables cast-mate Hadley Fraser who has written the book for the production.

Others involved in the show include magician Jamie Allan, who conceived the musical and will act as its magic consultant, and composer Simon Wheeler.

The show is currently looking for a West End theatre for autumn next year.

Whatsonstage.com says the "show was launched in a cloud of social media buzz yesterday." A website has also been launched at: www.houdinilondon.com

It's time for trick or treat

Houdini Museum.org

Okay, after a full day of (sometimes harrowing) news, it's time to fire up the jack-o’-lanterns and put out the Halloween candy. And what could be a better Halloween treat than seeing this pumpkin, carved by Tom Interval of Houdini Museum.org, sitting on a porch?

Tom shared this on his blog today...hope it's okay that I share it here because, well, it's awesome!

Happy Halloween.

NBC: Magic Castle fire a message from Houdini?

NBC LA is the first news organization to pick up on and exploit the coincidence that The Magic Castle in Hollywood caught fire on the 85th Anniversary of Houdini's death. But they should have noted that this fire happend not only on the same day, but during the very hour of Houdini's demise (at 1:26pm).

A message from beyond? Yes. Yes it was. He's back, people!

By the way, I've learned that the Magic Castle's famous Houdini Seance Room, which is filled with authentic Houdini handcuffs, letters, and memorabilia, was not damaged.

BREAKING: FIRE AT THE MAGIC CASTLE!

Joe Fox just sent me this alarming news from KABC:

HOLLYWOOD (KABC) -- A fire burned part of the attic at Hollywood's Magic Castle restaurant Monday afternoon. L.A. city firefighters responded to a report of a fire in the attic at the Magic Castle, located on the 7000 block of West Franklin Blvd. in Hollywood, after 12 p.m. Monday. The department reported a search and rescue under way. The department reported fire had reached wall space in the structure.

UPDATE: The L.A. Times reports that the fire is out and the damage is being assessed. The report says "the blaze was contained largely to the attic and walls of the historic venue but that there might be significant water damage."

Whew!

Still, I can't help but comment on the fact that this happened on the very day and during the exact hour that Houdini died 85 years ago. Also, this was Inferno Week at the Castle.

NPR unlocks the secret of Houdini's bloodline

On this 85th Anniversary of the death of Houdini, NRP (National Public Radio) has posted an interview George Hardeen, the grandson of Houdini's brother, Theo. Hardeen, and a member of Houdini's bloodline who has, until now, remained almost totally outside the spotlight.

It's a terrific segment by Daniel Kraker, and George Hardeen sounds like a solid guy. I especially love when he says that Houdini's DNA is now flowing into the Navajo Nation. Also, the recording of Houdini's voice played during this segment (at 3:23) is the different recording that was recently played at EMC 2011. My jaw hit the floor when I heard this!

I'm honored to say I was asked by NPR to help out on this segment. I was able to clarify some information and provided photos from my own collection (one of which you see here). Got a nice credit for myself and the blog. :)

Click below have a read or a listen at NPR.org:

==> Houdini Relative Unlocks Some Family Secrets <==

85 YEARS AGO TODAY...

It was 85 years ago today on October 31, 1926, that Harry Houdini died in Detroit's Grace Hospital from peritonitis. He died at 1:26PM. His last words, spoken to his brother Hardeen, where said to have been, "I'm tried of fighting. It looks like this thing is going to get me."

Today, however, Houdini's memory is alive and thriving. He is as famous on this day in 2011 as he was when newspapers around the country announced his sudden death at age 52.

Not only is today celebrated as Halloween, but magicians around the world recognize it as National Magic Day in honor of the great magician, escape artist, author, actor, aviator, collector, and crusader against fraudulent mediums.

The room where Houdini died (#401). These photos were taken before
the demolotion of the original Grace Hospital in 1979. (Houdini Tribute)

Houdini death timeline:

• 85 years ago: Houdini's Water Torture Cell accident (Oct 11)
• 85 years ago: Houdini in Montreal (Oct 22)
• 85 years ago: Houdini at the Garrick (Oct 24)
• 85 years ago: Bad news from Detroit (Oct 26)
• 85 years ago: Houdini rallies! (Oct 28)

Official Houdini Seance 2011 to be held in Holyoke

According to a very nice profile of collector Tom Boldt in today's Appleton Post Crescent, the Official Houdini Seance will be held this year at the Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke, Massachusetts, hometown of Sidney Radner who passed away in June at the age of 91. Sid had carried on The Official Houdini Seance since the 1940s.

Boldt and Sid's son, Bill Radner, say they will continue the annual "copyrighted" Halloween seances -- at least until Houdini himself decides to join the gathering.

"I’ve been doing this since 1986 and never had an appearance," said Boldt. "This could be the last one if Houdini comes back."

"My biggest regret is (my father) won’t be around to see what we’re doing," Bill Radner said. "The pain is terrible, but I know at this stage this is what he would have wanted. This is not going to be a regular seance; it's going to be a level higher than it's ever been before."

This year's medium will be Kandisa Calhoun. The event will include the showing of a video of Radner explaining the two famous Houdini handcuffs that have been used at the seance for years. There also will be a surprise guest who was a close friend of Radner's and two performers doing illusions Houdini made famous.

"So it’s not only a seance, it's a tribute," Bill Radner said.

The Official Houdini Seance is not to be confused with The Original Houdini Seance, which will be held this year at the Houdini Museum in Scranton, PA.

Houdini (1953) at the CJM, Tuesday

This is just a reminder that The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco will screen the 1953 classic Houdini starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh this Tuesday, November 1, at 1:00pm. The screening is free with museum admission.

The screening is part of the CJM's special programing for Houdini Art and Magic. The traveling exhibition is currently on show at the museum through January 16, 2012.

Houdini's Flight of Time alarm clock sells for $1,600

One of the faux alarm clocks used by Houdini in his Flight of Time illusion sold today for $1,600 at the Potter and Potter auction of magic memorabilia from the collection of Ken Klosterman. The clock was Lot 84 and it beat it's auction estimate of $800/1,200.

A selection of photos of Houdini and Margery sold for $1,800 (Lot 274); a photo of Houdini and Howard Thurston grabbed $325 (Lot 272); a signed Houdini photo went for $1,300 (Lot 270); and a thrice signed book from Houdini's library sold for $1,900 (Lot 275).

Houdini performed the Flight of Time during his 1925-26 full evening roadshow. The effect has been called "the last illusion invented by Houdini." It was later performed by Hardeen, Hardeen Jr, and William Rauscher.

The impossible possible

Okay, here's something that just doesn't happen anymore, so I had to share with my fellow Houdini nuts. Last Thursday when I went to the wonderful Iliad Bookshop in North Hollywood to get a protective cover for my recently arrived Houdini and Conan Doyle, I actually discovered a Houdini book on their shelf that I didn't have!

Houdini A Musical by Muriel Rukeyser is a "previously unpublished verse drama" released by Paris Press in 2002. The play contained in the book was first produced in 1973 at the Lenox Center for the Performing Arts in Lenox, Massachusetts with, get this, Christopher Walken in the role of Houdini! (Who knew?)

Ironically, on the back there is a quote from Sidney Radner (who appears to have had a hand in the publication) saying, "Everyone interested in Houdini needs this book."

Now, I doubt the existence of this book comes as any great surprise to my more hardcore fellow collectors. It is available as a paperback and hardcover on Amazon (this one is nice first edition hardcover in dust jacket). In the store I knew it was familiar and actually wasn't 100% certain that I didn't already have it until I got home. It didn't help that it uses the Europe's Eclipsing Sensation poster on the cover, which appears on several other Houdini books.

But what a joy to make an in-the-store-on-the-shelf discovery in this online age. I really didn't think that was possible anymore. :)

Christopher Walken played Houdini in Houdini A Musical

'From Houdini to Hugo' exhibition opens in Memphis

The Dixon Gallery and Gardens in Memphis, Tennessee presents From Houdini to Hugo: The Art of Brian Selznick, an exhibition of original artwork by the New York Times best-selling children’s author and illustrator, Brian Selznick.

From Houdini to Hugo presents 100 original drawings and paintings from Selznick’s 17 books, among them: The Houdini Box, Walt Whitman: Words for America, Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride, The Dinosaurs of Waterhouse Hawkins, and Frindle.

This presentation at the Dixon coincides with the release of Selznick’s new book, Wonderstruck, and the November 2011 release of a major motion picture, Hugo, directed by Martin Scorsese and based on Selznick’s 2007 book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret.

From Houdini to Hugo: The Art of Brian Selznick runs October 23, 2011 to January 8, 2012. For more information visit the Dixion Gallery website.

LINK: The So-Called Houdini Ruins

Nice article at the blog iamnotastalker.com about the "Houdini ruins" in Laurel Canyon, CA.