Hollywood Magic Castle FIRE

News travels so fast on the internet. Reports started coming in about 30 minutes ago that the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood was on fire. The fire/smoke was coming from the attic it was reported. The video below was shot from someones cell phone camera of the fireman working on the fire. There is certainly a lot of smoke, and let's hope not much fire. The link below is a report that the blaze is contained and hopefully by now the fire is out.

Let's also hope that no one was injured and there is no damage to the rest of the building. My hope and prayers go out to the folks at the Castle. I hope everything is ok.


http://www.scpr.org/news/2011/10/31/29644/magic-castle-fire/

Houdini Dies

I posted this at exactly 1:26 p.m. on Halloween, October 31. It's 85 years since Houdini passed away.  He was famous in his day as an escape artist, magician, illusionist, movie star, scientific investigator, spirit debunker, author, President of the SAM and much more. But even with all these titles under his belt, he was missing one, legend.

His death and the years followed gave him that title. He has become such a legendary figure that often lay people don't realize that Houdini was a real person. There have been numerous movies about him, but usually they are highly fictionalized which is a shame because his real life story is so fantastic it doesn't really need beefing up.

Houdini was only 52 when he died, but by then he had already accomplished more than most people do in a life time. In his day he inspired people with his feats of escape and marvelous wonders, and 85 years later, he still serves as an inspiration. Though he may be gone physically, the Spirit of Houdini will live on forever!

More on Houdini's death:

• http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/10/85-years-ago-today.html

• Smithsonian.com

• http://www.digtriad.com/news/entertainment/article/196329/204/Today-In-Entertainment-History--October-31

• http://www.globalnews.ca/today+in+history/6442511418/story.html

Houdini Seance Manifestations

Harry Houdini died on Halloween, October 31, 1926. Ever since his death people have been trying to make contact with him. He apparently made a pact with several people, including his wife Bess and illusionist Charles Carter, that if he returned he would reveal a code to let them know it was him.

According to some of those attending Houdini Seances over the past 85 years, the original King of Magic has returned. Though he only revealed a code, once apparently. Here are some of the highlights of past seances.

• In 1928, Reverend Arthur Ford came forth with a message for Bess Houdini, from Cecelia Weiss, one word, 'FORGIVE'.

• January 8,1929 Reverend Ford produced, exactly, the secret code that Bess and Houdini had agreed upon. "Rosabelle, Answer, Tell, Pray, Answer, look, Tell, Answer, Answer, Tell" Houdini then speaks through Ford's spirit guide Fletcher and says "Tell the world Sweetheart that Harry Houdini Lives and will prove it a thousand times!"**

• In Chicago, in the 1930s, during a seance, Houdini walked boldly into a room*

• In Kansas City, Houdini is said to have written a long letter to Mrs. Houdini*

• In Long Beach, Houdini apparently hypnotized the medium and then delivered a message through her*

• In New Zealand, the spirit Houdini drank a cup of tea*

• In Santa Monica, the spirit Houdini escaped from several pair of handcuffs by dematerializing his hands*

• Following the Final Houdini Seance in 1936,  there was a sudden thunderstorm which drenched everyone on the roof of the Hollywood Knickerbocker Hotel where the seance took place. The storm shower only hit the hotel and no where else. Some believe the thunderstorm was a Houdini manifestation.

• At a later seance in Houdini's home on 278, W 113th St in New York, Dr. Morris Young said he saw a mouse suddenly burst across the floor during a seance and wondered, 'was that Houdini'?

• Who can forget Charlotte Pendragon's costume coming apart on LIVE TV during The Search for Houdini TV Special. Could that have been Houdini just having some fun????!!!!

• At one of the Official Houdini Seances produced by Sid Radner, in Niagra Falls Canada, a planter and a book written by Walter Gibson fell off the shelf. The book was opened to a page which had a picture of Houdini's poster 'Do Spirits Return' (see below). Walter Gibson was present at that seance too.

• In 1994, in NYC, medium Paula Roberts said she could hear 'a laugh, almost a gutteral laugh' coming from Houdini in the spirit world.

• In 1998 in Austin Texas, Johnathon Schaech, an actor who played Houdini in a movie, had a unique encounter. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuBw_e1mB-8

• 2011 The spirit of Houdini apparently enters the body of medium Kandisa “K.C.” Calhoun

If you have a 'Houdini Ghost Story or Seance Story' please share it!!!


*According to Edward Saint during the Final Houdini Seance
**Bess later recanted. It was discovered the code had been written in a book the year previous and that is how Ford got the code. But Ford, till his dieing day always said it was legitimate.