In the book, Bill is a vampire, the reasons for which Glenn explains. So click the headline and have a read at the home of Piper Houdini.
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Thursday, August 6, 2015
LINK: Glenn Herdling on William Weiss
In the book, Bill is a vampire, the reasons for which Glenn explains. So click the headline and have a read at the home of Piper Houdini.
Related:
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Jim Bentley as Houdini at The Golden Spur, August 14-16
Jim is playing Houdini as part of a full evening dinner show. Tickets are $65 (Italian buffet included) and are available by calling 626-963-9302. The room only seats 60, so grab your tickets soon.
Says Jim, "Would love for my friends and family to come and support! Hope to see you there!"
Established in 1918, The Golden Spur is located off of 1223 E Route 66 in Glendora, CA.
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LINK: Harry Houdini’s forgotten Edinburgh escapades
Magician Paul Zenon has a nice article in the Edinburgh Evening News about "Harry Houdini’s forgotten Edinburgh escapades." Paul includes a photo from his personal collection that I've not seen before. Click the headline to see the full pic and have a read at the Edinburgh Evening News.
Paul will be performing as himself and Jim Collins in his original production Linking Rings at the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe festival, August 7-31.
Related:
Paul will be performing as himself and Jim Collins in his original production Linking Rings at the upcoming Edinburgh Fringe festival, August 7-31.
Related:
Tuesday, August 4, 2015
Houdini gets roasted tonight
Just a reminder that the Houdini Historical Comedy Roast is tonight at 9:00 PM at the NerdMelt Showroom at Meltdown Comics in Los Angeles. Doors open at 8:45 PM. As far as I know, tickets are still available.
Meltdown Comics is located at 7522 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046. You can get more information at the Facebook Event page.
UPDATE: My review: Roasting Houdini.
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Houdini won't be able to escape this one! Join Historical Roasters Justin Willman, Christian Spicer, Sara Schaefer, Lisa Best and Jamar Neighbors, along with hosts Eddie Furth and Ryan Pigg, as they put Houdini in his most precarious predicament yet!
Historical Roast...teaching history a lesson!
Tickets are $8 online, $10 at the door.
Meltdown Comics is located at 7522 W Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90046. You can get more information at the Facebook Event page.
UPDATE: My review: Roasting Houdini.
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Monday, August 3, 2015
Appleton showcases "Houdini in Art"
"We put out an open call for people to submit art," said show curator John Adams. "We have a little bit of everything — painting, sculptures, photography, mixed media. It's all based on Houdini. It's anything they wanted to portray, abstract or literal."
Works are by local artists plus a few from Chicago and Los Angeles.
The gallery will be housed in the former Harmony Cafe space at 233 E. College Ave. The exhibit will run five days through August 9th.
Below are samples of the Houdini art from Feather & Bone's Instagram.
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Sunday, August 2, 2015
Houdini's Detroit today
Back in May, I attended the Midwest Magic History Weekend in Marshall, Michigan. That trip gave me an opportunity to visit some famous Houdini locations in Detroit. I highlighted those at the end of my full report on the weekend, but I thought I'd expand it here with more pics and maps to provide a better reference for Houdini's Detroit today. These photos were all taken on May 31, 2015.
My first stop was, of course, the site of Grace Hospital where Houdini died on October 31, 1926 in Room 401, Corridor D. The old Grace Hospital was torn down in 1979 and replaced with the Harper Professional Building at 4160 John R St. This is part of the larger Harper-Wayne University Hospital complex, which is currently undergoing a new renovation. It struck me that, unless the streets have changed, Grace Hospital probably sat in what is now the parking lot.
After taking a few pics, I slipped inside and had a look around. In the main lobby of the larger hospital, I chatted with a friendly security guard. He told me that a Staff Only area had on the wall some historical information about the building being Grace and Houdini's death. I quipped, "This is the only place he never escaped." That cracked him up, and I suspect that's not the last time that joke will be told there.
It's worth noting that directly across the street from the Harper Professional Building is this building which was probably around in Houdini's day. It's kind of cool to see a building the same size and basic style of the original Grace Hospital still on the site.
Just a few blocks away from Harper/Grace is the building that once housed Wm. R. Hamilton's Funeral Home where Houdini was embalmed. That building is still standing at 3957 Cass St., although it appears to be abandoned and may not be standing for long. And, no, I did not see this ghost.
Most people take pics of the funeral home from Cass St. (as above). But if you walk around the corner, you get a better perspective on the building and can see what was most likely the main business entrance in 1926 (below).
I was running short on time, so I had to skip the location of Garrick Theater, which was demolished in 1928. It took some research to find this one. It's said the Garrick stood where the Cunningham Building stands today at 1122–1134 Griswold Street and State St. The pic below from Google Maps shows it just behind the tall Stott Building .
In May, the David Stott Building was purchased by Dan Gilbert. The plan is to rebuild a good portion of the interior. It would be fun if some reference to the Garrick could be worked into the renovation.
My final stop was the MacArthur Bridge, which in Houdini's day was the Belle Isle Bridge. This is where Houdini made his 1906 bridge jump, but the location has become more famous as being the supposed site of his fabled entrapment under the ice. The bridge Houdini jumped from that day was a wooden structure that burned down in 1915. The current concrete bridge opened in 1923. It underwent a major restoration in 1986.
I only had time for a quick photo of the bridge before I had to race to the airport and catch my flight home. Next time I'm looking forward to walking the bridge. But it struck me that, even in May, it was cold. One can only imagine how Houdini felt doing his jump in the dead of winter.
Related:
My first stop was, of course, the site of Grace Hospital where Houdini died on October 31, 1926 in Room 401, Corridor D. The old Grace Hospital was torn down in 1979 and replaced with the Harper Professional Building at 4160 John R St. This is part of the larger Harper-Wayne University Hospital complex, which is currently undergoing a new renovation. It struck me that, unless the streets have changed, Grace Hospital probably sat in what is now the parking lot.
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| Site of Grace Hospital, now the Harper Professional Building. |
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| Old Grace Hospital. Dr. Kennedy and Hardeen on the steps. |
After taking a few pics, I slipped inside and had a look around. In the main lobby of the larger hospital, I chatted with a friendly security guard. He told me that a Staff Only area had on the wall some historical information about the building being Grace and Houdini's death. I quipped, "This is the only place he never escaped." That cracked him up, and I suspect that's not the last time that joke will be told there.
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| Map showing the location of Harper/Grace. |
It's worth noting that directly across the street from the Harper Professional Building is this building which was probably around in Houdini's day. It's kind of cool to see a building the same size and basic style of the original Grace Hospital still on the site.
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| Building across street in style of old Grace. |
Just a few blocks away from Harper/Grace is the building that once housed Wm. R. Hamilton's Funeral Home where Houdini was embalmed. That building is still standing at 3957 Cass St., although it appears to be abandoned and may not be standing for long. And, no, I did not see this ghost.
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| Wm. R. Hamilton's Funeral Home (from Cass St.) |
Most people take pics of the funeral home from Cass St. (as above). But if you walk around the corner, you get a better perspective on the building and can see what was most likely the main business entrance in 1926 (below).
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| Location of Wm. R. Hamilton's. Note the proximity to Harper/Grace. |
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| The David Stott Building stands on the site of the Garrick. |
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| The Garrick Theater. |
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| Original map showing the location of the Garrick Theater. |
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| Location of David Stott Building in Detroit. |
In May, the David Stott Building was purchased by Dan Gilbert. The plan is to rebuild a good portion of the interior. It would be fun if some reference to the Garrick could be worked into the renovation.
My final stop was the MacArthur Bridge, which in Houdini's day was the Belle Isle Bridge. This is where Houdini made his 1906 bridge jump, but the location has become more famous as being the supposed site of his fabled entrapment under the ice. The bridge Houdini jumped from that day was a wooden structure that burned down in 1915. The current concrete bridge opened in 1923. It underwent a major restoration in 1986.
I only had time for a quick photo of the bridge before I had to race to the airport and catch my flight home. Next time I'm looking forward to walking the bridge. But it struck me that, even in May, it was cold. One can only imagine how Houdini felt doing his jump in the dead of winter.
Related:
Saturday, August 1, 2015
Harry Blackstone's apartment for rent
Blackstone was a contemporary of Houdini's and a true rival (and irritant). After the deaths of Houdini and Thurston, Blackstone reigned for many years as the most famous name in magic.
Below is the flier for the Blackstone unit (#15). If you're interested, act fast. Even less magical apartments in L.A. disappear fast.
Thanks to Lisa Cousins.
UPDATE: The unit has been rented.
Houdini & Doyle wraps episodes 1 & 2
The Houdini & Doyle crew have wrapped production on the first two episodes of the 10 episode season. It appears there will be a short break before production begins on the next "block." The new series will air next year on ITV Encore, Global TV and FOX.
Houdini & Doyle stars Michael Weston as Houdini, Stephen Mangan as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rebecca Liddiard as Constable Adelaide Stratton. The series features Houdini and Doyle solving paranormal mysteries.
A young actor practices a stunt slap with actor Michael Weston during production of Houdini & Doyle in Manchester. More images here.
Houdini & Doyle stars Michael Weston as Houdini, Stephen Mangan as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rebecca Liddiard as Constable Adelaide Stratton. The series features Houdini and Doyle solving paranormal mysteries.
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Hey, look who's collector of the month
Yesterday I was tickled to see that I had been named "Collector of The Month" at the great Thayer Magic website and forums. Thayer is a private magic collector community run by the tireless Phil Schwartz. Considering how many heavyweight collectors contribute to Thayer everyday, this is an honor. Thank you Phil!
The photo of above is of me listening to Arthur Moses's full, unreleased Houdini voice recordings at the 2012 Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago.
The photo of above is of me listening to Arthur Moses's full, unreleased Houdini voice recordings at the 2012 Magic Collectors Weekend in Chicago.
Friday, July 31, 2015
Tony Oursler collection spooks LUMA
"Tony Oursler’s Imponderable" includes spirit photographs, supernatural ephemera, and Houdini material inherited from his grandfather in 2000 (including the image on the right) displayed in artistic ways.
"Collecting this stuff was a hermetic hobby for me," Oursler said. "But this challenged me to look at the archive in a different way."
Oursler has also created a film featuring Houdini, Conan Doyle, Margery the Medium and, oddly enough, Frankenstein's monster. It all sounds pretty avant-garde. Below is an image from the film showing Margery in her famous Houdini-made control box. You can watch the trailer on Vimeo.
Tony Oursler's work and collection will also be published in an upcoming book, Imponderable: The Archives of Tony Oursler, due for release on September 29, 2015. The book can be pre-ordered now on Amazon.
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Thursday, July 30, 2015
Juvenile star and a Yankee inventor
Here are a few more unique Terror Island newspaper ads that do their own thing. As I explained in my last post, the official Terror Island pressbook provided images, but local newspapers or theaters would somethings come up with their own ad copy and "ballyhoo."
This first ad from The Circle Theatre not only uses a rarely seen Production Cut from the pressbook (no. 9934), but I'm intrigued by how they call Houdini "the artist who has a record of never having faked the public." Do they mean in regards to doing his own stunts, or is this a reference to his stage career? Also, how about the fact that this theater stayed open until 4am. I wonder if that was typical of cinemas back then? It's also worth noting that this ad appeared on Halloween.
Women played a huge role in silent cinema. Not only were they biggest stars, but women were also writers and directors. This ad below illustrates that, for the patrons of the New Strand in Madison, the real attraction of Terror Island was actress Lila Lee.
Here's another ad from the New Strand showing Lila Lee as an equal in Terror Island. Lee is referred to here as "The Juvenile Star" and Houdini is "The Handcuff King." That was a name Houdini had long ago walked away from, but this just shows how he never really escaped his early fame.
Finally, the ad below from the Fayetteville Observer uses an image which is not from the Terror Island pressbook. In fact, this appears to be from a different film entirely. But it still works. The ad copy––including the reference to Houdini's character as a "Yankee inventor"––comes from the pressbook.
If you enjoy this kind of thing, know that on August 15th I will be giving a talk on "Houdini in Hollywood" at the IBM Ring 96 in Seal Beach. Click for details.
This first ad from The Circle Theatre not only uses a rarely seen Production Cut from the pressbook (no. 9934), but I'm intrigued by how they call Houdini "the artist who has a record of never having faked the public." Do they mean in regards to doing his own stunts, or is this a reference to his stage career? Also, how about the fact that this theater stayed open until 4am. I wonder if that was typical of cinemas back then? It's also worth noting that this ad appeared on Halloween.
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| Oregon Daily Journal, Oct. 31, 1920. |
Women played a huge role in silent cinema. Not only were they biggest stars, but women were also writers and directors. This ad below illustrates that, for the patrons of the New Strand in Madison, the real attraction of Terror Island was actress Lila Lee.
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| Capital Times, July 2, 1920. |
Here's another ad from the New Strand showing Lila Lee as an equal in Terror Island. Lee is referred to here as "The Juvenile Star" and Houdini is "The Handcuff King." That was a name Houdini had long ago walked away from, but this just shows how he never really escaped his early fame.
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| Capital Times, June 30, 1920. |
Finally, the ad below from the Fayetteville Observer uses an image which is not from the Terror Island pressbook. In fact, this appears to be from a different film entirely. But it still works. The ad copy––including the reference to Houdini's character as a "Yankee inventor"––comes from the pressbook.
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| Fayetteville Observer, August 5, 1921. |
If you enjoy this kind of thing, know that on August 15th I will be giving a talk on "Houdini in Hollywood" at the IBM Ring 96 in Seal Beach. Click for details.
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Wednesday, July 29, 2015
Official Houdini Seance 2015 will be held in San Francisco
The Official Houdini Seance 2015 will be held this year at the Brava Theater in San Francisco. This year's event is being hosted by magician Robert Strong in conjunction with Wonderfest, the Bay Area Skeptics, the Bay Area Science Festival, and the Pan-Pacific International Exposition. Says Robert:
San Francisco is a great choice for the 2015 seance. It was 100 years ago that Houdini and Hardeen famously played opposite each other in the city and in nearby Oakland. Houdini performed a suspended straitjacket escape and also performed an overboard box escape in the Bay. It was also on this trip that Harry and Bess met writer Jack London and his fetching wife Charmian, and we all know what came of that!
The Official Houdini Seance 2015 has an official Facebook page and a website (still under construction). Sounds like this could be a great one. We'll see if Houdini finds it good enough to attend!
Thanks to Dean Carnegie for the alert.
Official Houdini Seances past:
"After being a magician for 30 years, I just found out that I am related to magic royalty. My great great uncle was The Great Rendar (Sidney Radner). After connecting with his son the past few moths, I have some very exciting news that will launch in about two weeks. Please do me a little favor and join the page The Official Houdini Seance and get ready for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!"
San Francisco is a great choice for the 2015 seance. It was 100 years ago that Houdini and Hardeen famously played opposite each other in the city and in nearby Oakland. Houdini performed a suspended straitjacket escape and also performed an overboard box escape in the Bay. It was also on this trip that Harry and Bess met writer Jack London and his fetching wife Charmian, and we all know what came of that!
The Official Houdini Seance 2015 has an official Facebook page and a website (still under construction). Sounds like this could be a great one. We'll see if Houdini finds it good enough to attend!
Thanks to Dean Carnegie for the alert.
Official Houdini Seances past:
- The Official Houdini Seance 2014 (2014)
- The message from Halifax: Houdini stayed silent (2013)
- Report: The Official Houdini Seance in Fort Worth (2012)
- Official Houdini Seance draws Houdini notables...but not Harry (2011)
- Official Houdini Seance held in New York (2010)
- Official Houdini Seance held in home of Anna Eva Fay (2009)
- Official Houdini Seance held at the Dorothy Young Center (2008)
- Houdini is a no show at official seance (2006)
- When Houdini went LIVE (1986)
Special London preview of Impossible
Click here for tickets and directions.
Impossible will play at the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe from August 5 to 31. It is one of several Houdini-themed events at this year's festival.
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Tuesday, July 28, 2015
The Oregon knows how to ballyhoo
Here are two terrific newspaper ads for Houdini's Terror Island at the Oregon Theater in July 1920. While the official Terror Island pressbook would provide basic ad images, it was largely up to theaters to come up with their own ad copy. As you can see, the Oregon goes all out in this regard. My favorite line: "It won't be necessary to drink the evening cup of coffee. SEE HOUDINI."
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| Morning Register, July 27, 1920. |
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| Morning Register, July 25, 1920. |
Later this week I'll share some more Terror Island newspaper ads that go their own curious ways.
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