FLASHBACK: Houdini's first stunt in Times Square

During my summer slowdown I'm offering up some relevant "flashback" posts. Today we head to NYC.

It was 109 yers ago today that Houdini did his first outdoor stunt in New York's Times Square and, no, it wasn't a suspended straitjacket escape. It was something that is now largely forgotten. 

But you can remember it by CLICKING HERE and revisiting my post from 2018.

William Shatner was (almost maybe) Houdini

The mighty William Shatner has had several close encounters with Houdini. He hosted The Search for Houdini LIVE seance event in 1987. He wrote a work of Houdini fiction in 1992 called Believe. And Houdini was the subject of an episode of his latest series The UnXplained. But here's something I never knew. In 1994 Shatner agreed to play Houdini on stage. Or did he? That seems to be the issue. 

Check this clipping from the September 25, 1994 Bonham Daily Favorite.

Click to enlarge.

I've found additional information that Harry and Arthur would have featured Leonard Nimoy as Conan Doyle! Or maybe that was just wishful thinking.

Below is the front and back covers of William Shatner's 1992 Houdini novel, Believe, on which the play was said to be based.

Click to enlarge.

Related:

• When Houdini went LIVE
• Watch the Houdini episode of The UnXplained
• The men who almost played Houdini

LINK: The Astonishing Adventures of Houdini’s Favorite Detective

Here's a great article from "Fishwrap" (the official blog of Newspapers.com) about Rose Mackenberg, who really seems to be capturing the popular imagination these days. Click the headline and enjoy.

Below is some more Rose.

Related:

• Spooky History uncovers Houdini's Top Spy
• Transatlantic History Ramblings discovers Rose 
• Hocus Pocus #2 conjures Houdini and Rose (and me)

LINK: Amedeo Vacca - Secret Houdini assistant and much more

Dean Carnegie has a wonderful POST at The Magic Detective about Houdini's little-known assistant and collaborator Amedeo Vacca. I especially love that Dean identified Vacca in the photo of the Shelton Pool test "uncover." Dean has also devoted an episode of his Magic Detective Podcast to Vacca.  

Click the headline to have a read at The Magic Detective.

Related:

• Tony Spina reveals Amedeo Vacca
• Houdini's secret mind reading system uncovered?
• Dean Carnegie dials in Houdini's Radio of 1950

FLASHBACK: Death in Asbury Park

During my summer slowdown I thought I'd offer up some relevant "flashback" posts to scratch that Houdini history itch. Today we mark a dark anniversary.

On July 17, 1913, Houdini's mother died in Asbury Park, New Jersey. CLICK HERE for a post from 2016 that deep dives into these tragic few days 108 year ago.

Posnanski, Houdini, and The Art of Manliness

Our friend Joe Posnanski is interviewed on The Art of Manliness podcast. Always a pleasure to hear Joe talk Houdini.

Joe's The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini is available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• REVIEW: A Houdini book for everyone
• The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini in paperback
• Houdini, Tarzan, and the Perfect Man

FLASHBACK: When Houdini walked through a brick wall

It was 107 years ago today that Houdini debuted his "Walking Through A Brick Wall" at Hammerstein's Roof Garden and Victoria Theatre in New York City. He would only do the effect for single week, but it remains one of his most famous feats of magic.

CLICK HERE to revisit a post I did on the 100th anniversary of Walking Through A Brick Wall.

Related:

• Summer slowdown

Houdini Revealed, Parts 7 & 8

Last year The Houdini Museum of New York moved to New Jersey and owner Roger Dreyer launched a new website called Houdini Revealed. He also created a series of biographical Houdini videos. Below are the concluding episodes seven and eight.

Below are links to more episodes of Houdini Revealed. You can also find these shared to Linked Videos on my Wild About Harry YouTube Channel.

Related:

• Roger Dreyer launches "Houdini Revealed" (1-3)
• Roger Dreyer's Houdini Revealed, Parts 4-6

FLASHBACK: The shark stunt

During my summer slowdown I thought I'd offer up some relevant "flashback" posts to scratch that Houdini history itch. Here's the first.

In the summer of 1916, Houdini announced a publicity stunt like no other. He would fight a man eating shark! Did he do it? CLICK HERE to revisit my post from 2017 and find out.

Summer slowdown

Hi everyone. Just a heads up that new posts might become less frequent for the next several weeks. My real-world work has returned to pre-pandemic levels while my team has not. So I'm afraid I'll be forced to put my Houdini research aside and make an honest living. But don't worry, I won't let any breaking Houdini news slip past, and I will also offer up some relevant "Flashback" posts. Thanks for understanding.

Now back to work!

Houdini in Portland (UPDATE)

Houdini made his first appearance in Portland, Oregon, during the week beginning Sunday, October 24, 1915. Below is a terrific ad for his opening day from The Oregonian.

Houdini announced his arrival with a suspended straitjacket escape from Portland's Oregonian Building on October 25. This was only his fourth suspended straitjacket escape (by my current count). The Oregonian stood at 135 SW 6th St. (today 537 SW 6th Ave) and was demolished in 1950.

Click to enlarge.

During this 1915 engagement Houdini played the Orpheum Theater on Broadway. Portland had two Orpheums on Broadway and there is conflicting information about which theater would have been active at this time. But the above ad specifies the location as Broadway at Yamhill, which would make it the original Orpheum located at 759 SW Broadway. 

The theater converted to movies in 1915 and the Orpheum shows relocated up the block to the Heilig Theater. It was razed in 1976 and today is the site of Nordstrom.

Houdini returned to Portland in 1923, playing the Heilig Orpheum at 837 SW Broadway for three days starting Sunday, March 11. Along with the Water Torture Cell Houdini presented an escape "in which he loosens himself while tied hand and foot and head in a framework." Also on the bill that week was Jack Benny.

Portland Oregonian, March 11, 1923.

Houdini's final appearance in Portland was when he gave his spiritualism lecture at the Portland Public Auditorium at 222 SW Clay Street on November 4, 1924. As this was the night of 1924 Presidential election, the lecture was poorly attended. Nevertheless, the papers reported that, "The audience was frankly delighted and was friendly to Houdini, bursting into frequent and prolonged applause."

The Portland Public Auditorium later became the Keller Auditorium and still stands today. Below is how it looked in Houdini's time and now.

Thanks to Bill Mullins for finding the 1923 advert.

UPDATE: I recently found this account with a photo of Houdini's 1915 suspended straitjacket escape in Portland. Enjoy.

The Morning Oregonian, Oct. 26, 1915.

Related:

• Houdini spooks Portland in 1924
• Haldane of the Secret Service screening in Portland
• Houdini's known suspended straitjacket escapes

LINK: Harry Houdini coloring page

The website Magician Masterclass is offering a free Houdini coloring page PDF "for the kid in your life who loves magic." Click on the headline for more and to download.

Related:

• Houdini’s Coloring Book
• Houdini adult coloring book
• The color of Houdini's bathing suit?

Eric Colleary on The Magic Word Podcast

Our great friend Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre & Performing Arts collections at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas in Austin, is the guest on Scott Wells The Magic Word Podcast. In the YouTube version, embedded below, Eric shares some of the treasures from their collection, including Houdini's own copy of The Discovery of Witchcraft and the breakfront bookcase that started it all! This is a great talk so enjoy.

After a fifteen-month closure due to Covid, The Harry Ransom Center will reopen to researchers on July 12. For more information visit their official website. 

Below are links to a few of the topics discussed by Eric and Scott.

Related: 

• Houdini's lost breakfront has been found!
• Ransom Center reveals stunning Houdini 3-sheet
• The wild story of Abb Dickson's Water Torture Cell

Dayle Krall inside "The Lost Houdini Water Torture Cell"

Richard Sherry and Dayle Krall have taken the restoration of the mysterious Water Torture Cell they discovery in 2019 to the next level. Richard has created a special plexiglass liner that allows the cell to be filled with water and performed. (!) Below is a video of Dayle inside the water-filled cell. According to Richard, this is being done in connection with a possible television project.

In the video description Richard now expresses his belief that this cell is genuine:

"This Water Torture Cell does not appear to fit into the commonly accepted timeline of the Water Torture Cell's history. However, after much research and help from many prominent people in the escape community, we have come to the conclusion that this is an authentic Houdini Chinese Water Torture Cell." 

Richard has launched a webpage in which he shares details about the cell and its restoration: www.HoudiniWaterTortureCell.com.

Related:

• A Water Torture Cell has been discovered in Canada
• Guest Blog: Chronicles of the Mystery WTC (Part 1)
• Guest Blog: Chronicles of the Mystery WTC (Part 2)