Two rare props come home to the Houdini Estate

On Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a charity event benefiting Rescues Rock, a nonprofit animal welfare, education and rescue organization, at the Houdini Estate in Laurel Canyon. The "Hootenanny at Houdini" was an evening of fun and music with performances by Billy Gibbons, Lisa Loeb, as well as magician Kayla Drescher. I also had the pleasure of spending time with owners José Luis Nazar and Kathleen Martínez who shared a new house mystery with me...but I'll get to that.

Whenever I get a chance to enter the estate I'm always excited to see what might be new. Last week I reported on the beautiful new monument that now stands just outside the gates. On this night I was in for another surprise. The main house now has on display the famous Iron Box and a Houdini Milk Can. You might recall these were auctioned in March of last year. Now we know where they went!

The Iron Box is best known for its appearance in the classic biopic Houdini (1953) starring Tony Curtis. The box features in what Houdini expert Patrick Culliton (who was also at the event) calls "the best scene in the movie" when Houdini gets trapped under the ice of a frozen river. The box was supplied by Dunninger who always claimed it had belonged to Houdini himself. 

We've yet to be able to draw any firm conclusions as to its life before the movie. But as a standout feature of Houdini '53 it is a wonderful piece of cinema history and it seems fitting that it is now home in Hollywood.

The Milk Can continues to be an intriguing mystery. This was the can that was on display for many years at the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls, Canada. After the museum fire and closure it took a strange detour and wound up on display--along with the Iron Box--in a coin shop in Santa Monica (where I got a look at it in 2016).

The distinctive ring on the bottom of the can and the rectangular hasp on the collar suggests this could be the can Houdini used in the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery. Unfortunately, the lid is not the original. It was made by John Gaughan for the previous owner. The original lid was said to have been "lost" at the Niagara Falls museum. But I suspect it's still out there and I'm sure José would be interested in uniting the lid with the can. So if you have a lead, please get in touch.

Patrick Culliton and I examine the Milk Can as homeowner José Nazar looks on.

I couldn't be happier that these two gems are now part of the Houdini Estate where they can be enjoyed by guests and further studied. And, yes, that Milk Can poster on the wall is a mockup from the recent Adrian Brody miniseries. That will be replaced with a reproduction of the original in the Harry Ransom Center. The bust on top of the can is a modern creation and a beauty.

Okay, so what about this new mystery? While strolling the gardens, Kathleen and José pointed out to me what appears to be a sealed doorway. This was walled up when José acquired the property and they have no idea what it is, where it could lead, nor what might be inside. So on the spot we hatched the idea to crack it open on Halloween 2022. (We can't do this year as Kathleen with be in Egypt on her own excavation.) 

What might we discover? Houdini secrets? The old elevator to the fabled tunnel under Laurel Canyon? I don't know, but it will surely be another Houdini Hootenanny!

Thanks to José and Kathleen for inviting me to join the fun. And if you are interested in pet adoption or helping in animal rescue, please visit the Rescues Rock website.

Related:

• Milk Can and Iron Box surprise at auction
• Houdini relics resurface in Santa Monica
• Houdini Estate sees wedding of owner José Nazar

LINK: HHCE attends the Magic Collectors Expo 2021

Our great friend Joe Notaro of Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence attended the Magic Collectors Expo in Las Vegas last week. Joe shares all the Houdini details from what sounds like a terrific event. Including a tour of a very special magic museum...

"I found it interesting as to how small the WTC looked on display; I knew it was small, but it looked even smaller in person."

Click here or on the headline to read Joe's full report at Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence.

Related:

• Houdini invites you to TAOM 2021
• Into The Copperfield Zone
• REPORT: Houdini haunts The 43rd Magic Collectors Weekend

"Show Mar in chains"

This is a photo I've had in my scrapbooks for decades. It was given to me by my grandfather when I first become interested in Houdini. On the back is written: "Show Mar in chains. London." And that's all I know! So I figured it was time to share this image and see if anyone recognizes this English street escapist?

By the way, notice how no one in this photo is actually looking at him.

UPDATE: Chris Gower over at the GEO (Global Escapology Organisation) Facebook group believes this photo shows long-time Tower Hill street performer Johnny Eagle (shirtless man in background) and his assistant Johnny Kedeno (or Cadenno) as the escapist. Chris says: 

Johnny Eagle was the speaker and would get the audience, he would show his strength by bending a piece of 1.5 inch by 0.25 inch steel bar simply by hitting it on his forearm. He had the ability to take the 30 foot of heavy chain and crack it like a whip. His assistant Johnny Kedeno had huge wrists and standard pair of Hiatt 1960 cuffs would not fit him!

Thanks Chris!

Related:

• Lifting the lid on Sergeant Houdini
• Houdini gives the all clear to his imitators???
• Those tricky Houdini imitators

Deconstructing Houdini '53: Tony Pastor's

Today, I continue my scene-by-scene dissection of Paramount's 1953 biopic Houdini, in which I attempt to make the case that it's much more historically accurate than it is given credit. And anything else that comes to mind. Last time we witnessed a death-defying escape at Coney Island. Today we head to...

Chapter 4: Tony Pastor's

Tony Pastor's is a familiar name to Houdini buffs and an important part of theater history, so seeing its marquee at the start of this sequence is a thrill. However, what we see inside is not the Tony Pastor's of history. Tony Pastor's was New York's first vaudeville house and a typical theater experience. What we see in Houdini '53 is more of a dinner club. Once again the movie is fusing past and present, evoking the nostalgic name of Tony Pastors (sans apostrophe), but showing an entertainment venue that would have been very familiar to audiences of 1950s (less so today).

The real Harry and Bess performed at Tony Pastor's at least twice during their early years (more here). This is well documented in the Harold Kellock book, which is probably why it gets a nod in the movie. But here it is the setting of Harry of Bess's third fateful meeting.

Once again Bess in on a date with the unfortunate Fred (Peter Baldwin). However, an old man keeps leering at her from another table, much to her annoyance. The dinner show begins with a Professor Allegari (Hungarian actor Ernö Verebes) who promises to "rejuvenate" a willing audience member. The leering old man is the volunteer. With the help of a special potion, a circle of showgirls, and some smoke, the old man transforms into the young Houdini! (Notice his suit has also somehow "rejuvenated".) He then proceeds to chase the showgirls off the stage Harpo Marx style. End of show.

While all this might seem like pure Hollywood invention, there is some real Houdini history embedded in this odd performance. During their early years Harry and Bess traveled with the California Concert Company, a medicine show headed by a Dr. Hill. One of Houdini's many jobs was to play the embedded audience stooge who would be first to buy a bottle of the magic elixir being offered by Hill. So here we see the same thing--although a sanitized version--in which Harry is playing the stooge to a medicine show huckster throwback.

Houdini being disguised as an old man is also familiar territory. Houdini would frequently don disguises to challenge rival Handcuff Kings and later to ensnare fraudulent spirit mediums. This is the only Houdini biopic to date that shows his fondness and skills at disguise.

Fred notices this is the same man they saw at Coney Island and suddenly becomes suspicious and accusatory. Bess says she had "no idea he'd be here" and asks to leave. When Harry comes out, he once again finds Bess gone. "They didn't even order anything," says the headwaiter played by character actor Torben Meyer.

As the dejected Houdini turns, he suddenly comes face to face with a radiant Bess. It's a beautiful moment. On the soundtrack, we hear "Meet Me Tonight in Dreamland," which will reoccur several times. Bess says she doesn't know why she came back this time. But Houdini says he does and explains, "Everything happens to me in threes. This is the third time we've met."

This idea of things happening in threes is not from Houdini history nor does it ever come back again in the film. But it is an important character-building block, showing Houdini is a man who is aware his life is guided in ways that he doesn't entirely understand but has come to trust. The real Houdini frequently stated that he was a "fatalist," believing he was living a life that was predetermined. Hence, he had little fear. Houdini (1953) is the only biopic that depicts this key philosophy.

Bess has also now experienced this same strange pull of destiny, and she will now trust her instincts. The idea that the Houdinis lives are guided by mysterious forces is something that will come back several times.

That's when Fred comes back to reclaim his date. Bess refuses to leave and Fred is ejected from the club (and the movie) for causing a disturbance. 

"I've only got one more show to do, then where would you like to go?" asks Harry.

"Wherever you go," answers Bess.

'Houdini’s Throwing Knives: The Search for Provenance' in August MUM

The August issue of MUM (the official magazine of the Society of American Magicians) contains an exhaustive and well-researched article by David R. Adamovich (aka Throwdini) and Colleen Fitzpatrick about a set of what are said to be Houdini's throwing knives. 

While it might seem odd for Houdini to have owned throwing knives, and in the past I've expressed skepticism about these, David and Colleen have now tracked down the origins of these knives, and while they've yet to find the smoking gun evidence that firmly places them in Houdini's hands, what they have discovered gives these provenance that's as good, if not better, as many of Houdini handcuffs out there. So...

Houdini the knife thrower? Maybe! Pick up a copy of the August MUM and decide for yourself.

Thanks to David and Colleen for sharing part of their journey with me.

Related:

• What's this about Houdini's throwing knives?
• Houdini makes cover of M-U-M
• WAH in MUM

New Houdini monument rises in Laurel Canyon

While driving through Laurel Canyon yesterday I was excited to see something new outside the gates of the Houdini Estate. A large Houdini bust atop a tall stone pedestal with commemorative plaque now sits at the intersection of Willow Glen and Laurel Canyon Blvd. It's visible to passing cars and accessible to the public. (The bust had previously been located inside the Houdini property.) What a magnificent public tribute to Houdini!

Related:

• A new addition to The Houdini Estate
• The true story of the Laurel Canyon Houdini Estate
• Houdini Estate sees wedding of owner José Nazar

Houdini Escape Room at the Winchester Mystery House

The famous Winchester Mystery House in San Jose, California, now has a Houdini Escape Room.

HOUDINI’S SPIRITED ESCAPE 

In October of 1924, Master Magician Harry Houdini visited the Winchester Estate during his nationwide spiritualism tour. His intention for his visit? To debunk the legends and lore that were circulating around Sarah Winchester’s mysterious home. He left with more questions than answers. 

Now, it’s your turn to solve the mystery. In Houdini’s Spirited Escape, you will solve puzzles and search for clues in an immersive themed room. Can you solve the mystery and escape in time? 

This 30 minute escape room experience is great for all ages!

Visit the Winchester Mystery House website for more details and to book a session. And I still say this would be a great location for an Official Houdini Seance!

By the way, notice anything strange about their poster above?

Related:

• A Winchester Mystery House mystery...solved?
• Houdini found at the Winchester Mystery House
• Ed Saint considered holding a Houdini seance at the Winchester Mystery House in 1938

Unknown French Master Mystery poster surfaces

I'm very excited to share some fantastic news today! Don Creekmore, who is currently writing a book about Houdini in Kansas, has acquired this hitherto unknown French poster for Houdini's 1918 serial The Master Mystery (Episode 4). The poster measures approximately 42" by 63" and as you can see for yourself, it's a stunner!

Don tells the story of how he came to own this treasure:

The poster was found among hundreds of other silent movie era posters in a movie theater in France. No other Houdini or magic related posters though. The owner discovered my website regarding my book research on Houdini's time in Kansas, www.houdinikansas.com. While the poster is unrelated to my book research, he did notice that my business, www.oldhelmet.com, is buying and selling authentic antique diving helmets.

When he sent me the image of this poster, I couldn't believe my eyes! Not often does an antique make me physically shake on first sight, but this did! After a number of months talking with the owner an agreement was made, bringing it to my collection of magic posters and diving helmets in Wichita, Kansas.

While this poster is completely new to me, a French Episode 8 poster in a similar style sold at a Christies auction in December 2008. I'm also aware of one other French poster in this style for Episode 3 in a private collection.

Congratulations Don!

Related:

• French Master Mystery poster beats auction estimate
• Houdini's underwater battle surfaces
• Locking down Houdini in Kansas

Nicola's tribute to Houdini

Here's an interesting interview with The Great Nicola a week after Houdini's death. This comes from the November 9, 1926 Dayton Herald. That Chinese "strangling cage" is a new one to me. Enjoy.

Related:

• Nicola The Handcuff King
• Museum will search for Nicola's vanishing elephant
• 'Houdini Triumphant' poster at auction (Nicola poster)

UK magic bar unveils Houdini artwork

The Houdini's Magic Bars in Canterbury and Broadstairs celebrated their fifth anniversary on Monday by unveiling Houdini artwork by Brighton street artist The Postman. "To mark this special anniversary we wanted the man himself to be here at long last," says owner Sam Watson. "So, after many chats and with the help of The Postman, Harry Houdini will be on the walls of both of our bars. Welcome home Harry!"

The Postman blend pop icons with graffiti culture. They explained: "It was a challenge as all we had to work with was a couple of facial images of the famous illusionist which were more than 100 years old. The remaining pieces of the artwork had to be created from scratch, so we visited a few costume stores to gather material and staged a photo shoot. Bringing Harry Houdini into the 21st century and sharing him with our audience is an honour for us."

Sources: Kent Online & Cene Magazine

Related:

• Houdini's Magic Bar opens in Canterbury
• Merlin McFly's stained glass Houdini window
• Houdini pops up at the ArcLight in Hollywood

Houdini, Rose, and Randi in Skeptical Inquirer

The July/August 2021 issue of Skeptical Inquirer magazine contains an article by Joe Nickell called "Role-Playing Detectives and the Paranormal" that examines psychic detectives and debunkers. As you might expect, Houdini, Rose Mackenberg, and James Randi all feature.

You can read the article HERE, or pick up a print edition in stores. To subscribe visit the Skeptical Inquirer website.

Thanks to Arthur Moses for the alert.

Related:

• Skeptical Inquirer looks at Houdini and Lovecraft
• Skeptical Inquirer discovers Houdini's Girl Detective

The "Houdini Shrine" has been found (kinda)

One of the great lost Houdini artifacts is the so called "Houdini Shrine" that belonged to Bess Houdini and featured as a centerpiece of the Final Houdini Seance of 1936. The shrine can also be seen in the movie Religious Racketeers and several photos of Bess in her later years. But after Bess's death in 1943, the shrine vanished without a trace.

Well, I'm happy to report that the "Houdini Shrine" is now part of my collection! Okay, so it's not the Houdini Shrine. It's a reproduction created by Manny Weltman for the 50th anniversary recreation of the Final Houdini Seance held at the Variety Arts Center in Los Angeles on Halloween 1986. For that occasion Gerrie Larsen played Bess and Stefan Krayk played Edward Saint. (You can read more about that seance HERE.)

How I came across this is a story I will share another time. For now, I just wanted to share this particular "Houdini Shrine" as it was also somewhat lost to time. Gives one hope that maybe one day the original might surface!

The Houdini Shrine on the seance table in 1986.

The 1986 Houdini Shrine today.

Thanks to Joe Fox.

UPDATE: Bill Schulert has shared this photo from the Jon Oliver collection. Is this Bess's original Houdini Shrine?

Related:

• The Final Houdini Seance redux 1986
• When Madame Houdini spoke
• The secret origins of the annual Houdini Seance

"Where he dines daily"

Here's a new Houdini location to visit when in San Fransisco. The Aladdin Studio Tiffin Room, once located at 363 Sutter Street, was a favorite restaurant for show biz types, including a familiar Handcuff King. Check out this advertisement from the March 21, 1923 San Francisco Chronicle.

According to a profile at Restaurant-ing through history:

The Aladdin employed African American women cooks and young women from San Francisco’s Asian community as servers. The decor had a Chinese theme with lanterns and dragons, but the cuisine was strictly American.

The restaurant was run by sisters Hattie and Minnie Mooser, who came to know Houdini well. They even amassed their own collection of Houdini memorabilia. The Aladdin Studio closed in 1929. In 1931 Hattie and Minnie opened a new establishment called the Aladdin Tavern on Van Ness Avenue.

Below is the approximate location of The Aladdin Studio Tiffin Room today. Where Houdini dined daily!

Related:

• Houdini and the Mooser sisters
• LINK: A mysterious Houdini girlfriend
• How to eat like a (Handcuff) King

Lives of the Conjurers: Houdini and Spiritualism

Professor Solomon is back with the fourth volume in his Lives of the Conjurers series. This time the focus is on Houdini and Spiritualism. Here's the description:

Houdini’s crusade against fraudulent mediums brought him into conflict with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the spokesman for Spiritualism. And it pitted him against a rogues-gallery of rascals. Among them were Pierre Keeler, who produced ghostly messages on slates; George Valiantine and his shenanigans in the dark; the escape artist Nino; and the Reverend Mrs. Josie K. Stewart, pastor of the Independent Church of Truth and a master of sleight-of-hand.

But his prime antagonist was Margery the Medium. “It is your wits against mine,” she told him. Was Margery a fraud? Did she despise Houdini—or admire him for his astuteness and manliness? And was Walter, her late brother, responsible for Houdini’s death

In this compelling history, the full truth about Spiritualism is at last revealed—by none other than Sherlock Holmes himself!

You can purchase Lives of the Conjurers, Houdini and Spiritualism at Amazon.com (U.S.) and Amazon.co.uk (UK). Volume Three, which also highlights Houdini, is still available.

Related:

• Lives of the Conjurers, Volume Three
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
• Mina Crandon a.k.a. Margery