A Secret Houdini Education From a Genii

Genii the International Conjurers Magazine has been around since 1936. The second issue of the magazine had Houdini on the cover. I would like to draw your attention to the column 'The Genii Speaks' which is written by William Larsen Sr.. He spends some time discussing the fact that Houdini had been dead now for ten years. Read what he had to say,

"Surely, ten years should reconcile us to his departure. But, it hasn't. When he went, magic lost something; an intangible something which it has never regained. Perhaps it was prestige that we lost, or a leader-or, an idol."

That is a telling statement by someone quite involved in the world of magic. Most any magician, who has been dead ten years, is all but forgotten, sadly. But Houdini's name was being spoken so often it was almost as if he had never left. Mr. Larsen goes on to say that had Houdini lived he no doubt would be involved in theatre, radio and getting himself ready for television. Imagine HOUDINI being an early television pioneer. Wow.

The last half of the article is the part I refer to as 'the secret education'. Mr. Larsen shares his insights on the escape act, the concepts and how to present one properly in 1936. I can tell you, as someone who has performed escapes, he is right on the money. The one area though that I seem to part company with my fellow magi is in the area of the 'fast escapes'. I do believe a quicker pace is helpful in the 21st Century, but I can also tell you from personal experience that a long drawn out escape will also play today, IF structured properly, contrary to popular opinion.

I can also say that being shackled, chained, roped, straitjacketed and so on, gives one a unique insight into Houdini that the non-performer doesn't have. I'm not saying it makes you smarter, I'm just saying it does make you understand some of the things he went through and makes a lot of these challenges really come to life more so than someone who has never been nailed into a packing crate or coffin or some other crazy device.

I can just see Houdini laughing at our modern day expression "Thinking Outside the Box." For him it would have had a double meaning. In truth, that is the escape artists greatest tool, is being able to think outside the box and think under pressure. In the world of the magician we have something called 'outs'. These are preplanned schemes to use in case a trick goes wrong and we can adjust and bring about a successful conclusion regardless of some aspect not going properly. Well, in the world of escapes, if something goes wrong, you can be in serious trouble. You can be facing injury and even possible death. No matter if you are using specialized equipment or things totally 100% legitimate, if something goes wrong you step into the danger zone.  In a great article by Chuck Romano over at his site, My Magic Uncle, he mentions an incident when Hardeen was stuck inside the MilkCan and DoubleFold Death Defying Mystery Box.  This was potentially deadly, but thankfully Hardeen did not panic and had a preplanned out (please go read the article to find out what Hardeen did).

I have had things go wrong with escapes on more than one occasion and let me tell you, your brain shoots into overdrive. You begin thinking so fast it hardly makes sense until suddenly your brain 'clicks' on the right solution and everything comes back into focus. And that is not a panic mode, it's just what happens when you are faced with a potential failure and you need to turn it around.

If you ever get the chance to read The Genii Speaks from Vol 1 Issue 2 of Genii, you'll get a better understanding of the mind of the escape artist once you finish the article.  And despite the fact that there were other people who did escapes before, during, and after Houdini, he was without question the archetype of the grand escapologist.

Oh, if you are a Genii Subscriber, you can go use the digital version of Genii to access this issue.

BY THE WAY, We are now on the final week of the 30 Days of Houdini. So far I have successfully put up an article each day this month of Houdini. The Final Week, MIGHT, have a few surprises...MIGHT, lol. Or they may have to wait until the next 30 Days of Houdini, which will be very different trust me. Keep watching and thanks for being faithful readers of my blog.

To check out the previous articles http://www.themagicdetective.com/search/label/30%20days

The Revelation of Houdini's Tricks in the Movie is a Load of Crap

How is that for a headline?! And it's TRUE, by the way. Yes, there suddenly is a lot of controversy surrounding the Houdini Miniseries by the HISTORY Channel, because the star of the movie, Adrien Brody has let it be known they reveal how Houdini did his tricks.

"I DO TRICKS NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN" -Houdini

That's from Houdini's own mouth. You might be able to figure out one thing or two, but he used multiple methods. So my issue with the idea they are going to reveal his tricks is, how exactly? You can't really do it. Harry Handcuff Houdini didn't have one

Darby Handcuffs

method to escape from handcuffs. First, there are a lot of different types of handcuffs and that means you're open to quite a few methods of escape. Take the handcuff known as Darbys for example. With this one style of cuff, I can think of five different methods off the top of my head that can be used to escape from this cuff and not one includes using a duplicate key. You could spend over an hour just discussing methods for handcuff escapes and you still wouldn't cover all of them.

You see, unless Houdini had only ONE method for escaping, then I don't see how you can actually reveal anything. You can reveal one technique, maybe two, but that's about it. And a skilled escape artist like Houdini was known for revealing these techniques as the methods used by his imitators and then using different techniques himself. This is how he stayed one step ahead of his competitors.

Here is another example, The Milk Can escape. The method for this has been revealed in magazines, books and newspapers for years. But did you know the inventor of the Milk Can, Montraville Wood, actually created 8 different methods for escaping the can. There is a supposed method that is fairly well known. However, consider how impractical this method becomes when Houdini introduced the wooden box, known as the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery. This is where the Milk Can was first placed inside a wooden crate, then Houdini would get inside, the lid would be locked on the Milk Can and then an outer wooden lid would be locked on the box. Houdini couldn't escape even IF the lid hadn't been locked because the wooden lid of the box prevents the top of the Milk Can from being removed. So that secret is worthless. And the modern versions of the Milk Can used by a very select few escape artists today, use a method that is totally different from Houdini's real secret.

Hollywood sadly, has tried again and again to reveal the secrets to Houdini's tricks thinking that this is what audiences want to see. But Hollywood, HELLO, you're wrong again. Houdini was more than his tricks. His life story is what is fascinating, and the magic and escapes are part of that, but the secrets to the tricks are irrelevant. In fact, what you do by exposing the methods is cheapen the mystery that surrounds the man. What you should focus on is the mind of the man who could come up with countless methods to present his unbelievable escapes. Competitors and imitators would try and expose Houdini in the press and yet Houdini would go out and fool people with the very same effects and generally make his competition look foolish. Why? Because the real secret to his tricks was HOUDINI the man. HE was what audiences clamored to see. His charisma, his magnetism, his unfathomable presentations. This is why he could present an effect as small as the East Indian Needle Trick on the largest stages and blow away audiences. This is why he could walk through a brick wall and leave people speechless. Because HE was the MAGIC, he surpassed the tricks and became larger than life regardless of what he was doing. Further proof of that can be found in the number of magicians who present his effects and yet have not come anywhere close to attaining the fame and fortune that Houdini did. Read what Houdini himself had to say on this exact topic...

"Mere novelty and mastery are not enough- the emphatic personal equation must be there- the audience must be impressed not only with the wonder of the illusion, but also with the charm or novelty of the performer's personality." Houdini from The Billboard, Oct 1, 1921*

In the big picture, I don't think it really hurts or helps to expose Houdini's methods. As a magician,

we might find them interesting, some might find them archaic, others just boring. Lay people might think that the method is ingenious or so simple it's amazing no one could figure it out. Tony Curtis picks a jail lock with a piece of wire around his toe.......really? You think this is what Houdini did? Paul Michael Glaser secretly puts a key on the back of a policeman while he is being searched and then later retrieves it and escapes. Stories circulate that Houdini escaped from the Mirror Cuffs by having Bess pass Houdini the key in a kiss.......A key that is over 6 inches long, really??? Are these really his secrets? I don't think so.

As long as the movie's story is compelling, I don't think lay audiences will retain the secrets to the methods because at the end of the day, they are only important to magicians. And we'll just keep creating new methods if older ones are revealed....this is the same thing HOUDINI did and would still do today! And now, I'll let Houdini have the final word on his secrets...

"Some Say I do it this way, others say I do it that way, but I say I do it the other way." HOUDINI The Pittsburgh Leader, March 1, 1908*


*Though both of these quotes are from different periodicals, I found them both referenced in the fantastic book HOUDINI-The Key by Patrick Culliton, and wanted to be sure to credit his book as the true source in my case.

Lot #39, Double Fold Death Defying Water Mystery SOLD and More

The auction is still going on. But for those who are interested, the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery which was expected to get around $20,000, well it just sold for $55,000.00!!!!!!

Lot 48, Houdini Punishment Suit Sold for $11,000

Lot 60, Houdini's German Slander Trial Archive from 1902, which is one of the true hidden treasures of this auction, went for $26,000

Lot 66, Houdini's Notes on Morrit's Black and White Illusion sold for $10,000

Lot 67, The Lost Witchcraft Manuscript sold for $15,000

Lot 69 A Scrapbook by Marie Blood went for  $4,400

Lot 71 The Spiritualism Scrapbook recently discovered sold for$36,000

Lot 77 Bess Houdini's Costumes sold for$9500.00 Considerably less than I expected.

Lot81 Film of Hardeen's Overboard Packing Crate Escape sold for $1300.00 Someone got a bargain!

Lot139 Anna Eva Fay and Houdini photo sold for $650

Lot 141 Houdini and Ching Ling Foo photo sold for $500



So far, for the record, I've not won anything I've bid on...

Correction...I won Lot 150, the BF Keith's Program from Washington D.C.with Harry Houdini on the cover.

Lot 161Houdini Picture Corp Stock Certificate sold for $3600. Wow if Harry Kellar only knew! lol

Lot193 German Art Nouveau 1905 Houdini Poster sold for $8500

Lot 194 Buried Alive Poster sold for $8000, that is a deal. These usually go for $12,000

Lot 195 Houdini Lobby Board sold for....this lot PASSED. First one.

Lot 200 King of Cards Litho sold for $17,000

Those were the highlights of the auction. I did win one thing, which I'll post when it arrives.

It sure was an exciting auction....and a long one, lol.

Potter & Potter Houdiniana Auction TODAY!!!!

The day has arrived for the Potter & Potter Auction of rare Houdini items, Hardeen items and other magic collectables. The auction begins 10am Central Standard Time. Be sure to register online so that you can bid on this auction. You'll need to do that prior to the auction starting. To bid online you'll need to go here http://www.liveauctioneers.com/catalog/58662_houdini-auction-posters-handcuffs-ephemera/page1

I will have another Houdini article later in the day. We are heading down to the final week of the 30 Days of Houdini and there are some fun things in store.

HOUDINI in The Daily Beast

Check out the link for this article in The Daily Beast. It's an article mainly about the upcoming Potter & Potter Auction. It gives some insight into the 'lost' Double Fold Death Defying Mystery' box, much of which John Cox has already covered earlier this week on his WildaboutHoudini.com site.

Incidentally, the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery ended up in the possession of a man named Gary Collins. Is there any relation to Jim Collins? I think this might be a case for Ancestry.com . How amazing that would be if this box was in the possession of a relative, even if the guy didn't know he was a relative, for all these years.

Anyway, check out The Daily Beast article. It features a lot of quotes by Pat Culliton and when Pat talks Houdini, I LISTEN!!!

HOUDINI Is EVERYWHERE!

If you look around you'll see Houdini everywhere. Tomorrow there is the Potter & Potter Houdiniana Auction. A little over a week away on Sept 1-2 is the History Channels HOUDINI Miniseries. I want to give you some resources that you can explore to learn more about the life of Harry Houdini. If you look on the internet you'll see numerous amazing sites devoted to Houdini like:

WildaboutHoudini.com run by John Cox

HoudiniHimself.com run by Kevin Connolly, 

Houdinimuseum.org by Tom Interval

Houdinifile.com by David Saltman

harryhoudinicircumstantialevidence.com

and Houdini.org. 

Oh, and then there is my site TheMagicDetective.com

DVDs
The History Channel has delved into the world of Houdini before. In fact, the last time they did it was via the Sid Radner Houdini Auction. They produced a special called Houdini-Unlocking the Mystery. This was hosted by magician Lance Burton and was a fun look at the world of Houdini through the historical artifacts that were being auctioned off.

The last time Houdini was featured on TV in a movie was via the TNT produced movie HOUDINI starring Jonathan Schaech. This movie first came out in 1998 and was a mixture of truth and fiction. I suppose this is not unlike Houdini's actual life which was a mix of truth and fiction orchestrated by Houdini himself. This movie was finally released on DVD in 2013.

As far as theatrical release, Houdini's last appearance on the big screen (and it was VERY short lived) was Houdini's Death Defying Acts starring Guy Pierce and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Frankly, I didn't care for this movie at all. Apparently, that was the case with theatre goers as well because it barely made a splash in the cinemas and basically went straight to DVD after a very short release.

There have been countless documentaries on Houdini, but not all are available. One that is however, is from PBS called American Experience: Houdini.  This is hosted by David McCullough and features interviews with prominent modern day magicians as well as rare footage of Houdini. It's an hour long and a very decent biographical documentary.

The Granddaddy of Houdini movies, HOUDINI starring Tony Curtis & Janet Leigh, is thankfully still available. This movie started the careers of countless modern day magicians, myself included. It's a mix of fiction and truth, but it's a lot of fun.

Finally, if you'd like to  check out Houdini the movie star, yes, he made movies. You can get the Kino box set called Houdini-The Movie Star, which is a three box set featuring Haldane of the Secret Service, Terror Island, The Man From Beyond, and The Master Mystery as well as some special features. The one movie I'm dying to see, and we might never ever see is The Grim Game. This movie is not available on DVD, VHS or anything. The only known copy, which was in a private collection, is not being released for reasons unknown.

Now for an honorable mention. If you'd like to see a movie with Houdini in it as one of the characters, then you want to check out Fairy Tale-A True Story.
Harvey Keitel plays Houdini and his portrayal is pretty much spot on. The movie is loosely based on something that really happened, but the producers have actually taken the true story and fictionalized it, which makes the title of the movie kind of ironic. Still, it's a fun movie and very well done.

BOOKS
If you're new to Houdini, you would be stunned at the number of books that have been written about him. Most are out of print and yet many are still available on eBay and used book stores. Here are a three selections to get you started.

Houdini-The Untold Story by Milbourne Christopher
Houdini-The Career of Erich Weiss by Kenneth Silverman
The Secret Life of Houdini by William Kalush and Larry Sloman

If you are a magician and you really want to find out more about Houdini, one of the best books written on his magic and escapes is Houdini-The Key by Patrick Culliton. This is not a book for the novice or just the curious. This is a book for the serious Houdini researcher. There are a few of these books still available so get them while you can. 

There you go, now if you want to find out more about Houdini, you can look online, in books, and through videos to learn more about him. OH Wait, there is a bonus....The Adrian Brody HOUDINI Movie that will be on the History Channel Sept 1-2 will be coming out on DVD and BlueRay on October 7th, and Amazon is now taking pre-orders!

WGN Covers HOUDINI Auction

WGN in Chicago went to visit Gabe Fajuri about the upcoming Houdini Auction. There is some great video of some of the items on here. Sadly, the reporters make a number of mistakes, but no biggie. At least Houdini is in the news, yet again.

Not One of Houdini's Best Moments

Let's face it, having a title like World's Greatest Escape Artist sounds all well and good, but it can cause trouble. Here is an incident that happened to Harry in July of 1920. Enjoy!!!

Lost Manuscript of Houdini's Found!!!!

I recall reading in one of the biographies of Houdini (though I don't recall which one) that he had plans to write the definitive book on magic history and also books on witchcraft and other topics. Well, his book on magic history took a slightly different turn and became the book known as The UnMasking of Robert-Houdin. Sadly, had Houdini not decided to attack his namesake, this book might have held a loftier place in the libraries of magicians.

But the book on witchcraft seems to have never been written. Or was it? Actually, as it turns out the book was written but was only in manuscript form and had yet to be published. The Potter & Potter Auction, which takes place this Saturday August 23rd, features this very document. It's Lot#67 and is 62 numbered pages and also a letter from Houdini describing his work on the manuscript is also included. This could still be Houdini's final published work, if someone chooses to purchase it and then have the manuscript published. Quite an exciting prospect. This lot has the estimated price of $6000-$9000. 

The Potter & Potter Houdiniana Auction features another manuscript, this time for his book A Magician Among the Spirits which was originally published in 1924. This document is hundreds of pages and filled with corrections. This is Lot#68 and carries an estimated price of $7000-$9000

Be sure to register for the auction as it is only three days away!

The Magic Detective SHOW New Episode

Well, after a VERY long absence, the Magic Detective Show is back. If you're new to this, the show is a 5+ minute video blog on magic history. This week's episode features a very unusual item from Robert Heller.  Enjoy.

Houdini's Brother Figures Prominently In Upcoming Auction

Theo Hardeen - Library of Congress Photo

August 23rd is only a couple days away. Potter and Potter Auction is holding a very special HOUDINIANA Auction. There are some incredible pieces in this auction. But one thing that really stands out to me is the amount of Hardeen material.

Theo 'Dash' Weiss, Houdini's brother was known as Hardeen. For many years he performed a similar act to Houdini. He never achieved the same fame as his brother, but he sure kept busy. He inherited all his brothers props upon the death of Houdini and according to the Will, all of this stuff was to be burnt/destroyed when Hardeen died. But it wasn't, THANKFULLY!

I'd like to focus on a couple of the Hardeen items, or the ones where Hardeen contributes something but were actually Houdini items. The first is a Letter Lock that Houdini was Challenged with. This is Lot#46 and has a estimated price of $7000/$9000. It comes with a letter from Hardeen and signed by Hardeen that explains where Houdini first got this lock. In 1905 Houdini was performing at the Alhambra Theatre in Paris when a spectator throws this lock on the stage and challenges Houdini to open it. Houdini says it would take too long but tells the spectator that if he can come backstage after the show, he will open it. This happens and Houdini opens the lock. However, you must read the full write up of the letter in the Potter and Potter Auction Catalog to find out the whole story. It's worth checking out!

Lot#51 is very interesting to me. It is a hand written letter describing a presentation for the escape from Bean Giant Handcuffs. The letter is front and back on Hardeen's stationary. Bean Giant cuffs, are extremely formidable cuffs because they are rigid. If they are placed on with the keyhole facing inwards towards the prisoner, they are virtually impossible to get out of even with the key. Houdini devised a method to escape from the Bean Giants and this was no doubt handed down to his brother Hardeen. I'd love to read this letter and find out what the routine was like.

Lot#53 A lot of 64 Letters to Sid Radner from Theo Hardeen. Can you imagine??? Wow, this is absolutely amazing. The wealth of information in these letters has got to be unreal! One of the things mentions, and I'm not sure I knew this, is that Hardeen had the Robert-Houdin Antonio Diavolo Automaton in his possession. Hardeen also mentions probably throwing away the apparatus for the Walking Through a Brick Wall due to this size and trouble with shipping. What??? There is so much to learn about Houdini and Hardeen from these letters. This is a real gem!

Lot#81 16mm Film of Hardeen's Overboard Packing Box Escape. It also comes with a digital DVD copy. I'm not sure this has every been seen. What an amazing piece of history, being able to see Hardeen in action!

Lot#187 Lithograph of Hardeen. This dates to 1908 and is probably cut out of a larger lithograph. I've never seen this image before so it might be the only surviving piece of a larger litho.

There are quite a few other Hardeen items in the auction, but the ones above are by far my personal favorites. Don't forget to register for the auction which begins this coming Saturday, Aug 23, 2014

Houdini & The Identified Man

Lot#125 Potter & Potter Auctions

Lot#125 in the Potter & Potter Houdiniana Auction this coming Saturday is for the above photo. It's listed as Houdini & unidentified man. Well, now he is identified. The man standing next to Houdini is Nino Pecoraro, an Italian Medium.

The magazine Scientific American was investigating Pecoraro. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had been present during a Nino Pecoraro Seance was totally convinced of his genuine abilities. Then again, Sir Arthur fell for anyone who claimed mediumistic powers.

What made Nino Pecoraro unique was that he claimed to speak with, Eusapia Palladino, who was herself a very controversial spirit medium who had died several years before. Milbourne Christopher, author of Houdini-The Untold Story points out that Hereward Carrington, who was on the Scientific American Investigating Committee, had actually been Palladino's manager, and had been the one to make the arrangements to investigate Nino Pecoraro.

During the first two committee sittings with Pecoraro, he was able to produce numerous manifestations. Even after having been trussed up in a sort of straitjacket-like coat, he still contacted Ms. Palladino. But one thing was missing from these sittings, Houdini. When word got to him about a third seance, Houdini broke from his tour to head to NYC to attend the third seance. This came as a surprise both to the committee and to Mr. Pecoraro. According to the Kenneth Silverman biography on Houdini, it took one hour and 45 minutes for Houdini to completely tie up Pecoraro. Houdini was quoted as saying "I won't guarantee that Nino can't get loose, but I will guarantee that he will never get back."

This time around, the manifestations stopped. Well, all except for some gentle rapping sounds created by the same technique that the Fox Sisters used, according to Houdini. All the grandiose spirit manifestations ceased. No award was given to Nino Pecoraro thanks to the intervention of Houdini.

The one thing that always made me wonder is why these mediums would take their photos with Houdini. The photos must have been arranged before the sittings, because after they had been exposed or stopped, I can't imagine anyone would want anything to do with ole Harry.

A similar photo to the one above appears in Houdini The Untold Story. In that photo, the two men are wearing overcoats. Otherwise, I'm sure the photos are from the same sitting.

Houdini's Week in D.C. Feb 1912

(Library of Congress)

Houdini opened for a week at the Gayety Theater in Washington D.C. Feb 12, 1912. He would play the Gayety until Saturday Feb 17th. The Gayety Theater was located on 513 9th St. NW Washington, D.C. The Gayety opened in 1907 on the street known for it's theaters and nightlife.

According to an ad in the Washington Times on Feb 12, "Houdini-the Handcuff King, Who will perform astounding feats with locks, straitjackets, and handcuffs at every performance. The Original HOUDINI." The ad also mentioned that Houdini would perform twice a day, a matinee in the afternoon and then again in the evening.

Through newspaper records I've been able to track Houdini's performances for the week. It would appear that his opening on Monday Feb 12, he presented a number of feats and then let the audience know of the first 'challenge' for the week. This would take place on Tuesday evening Feb 13th. I will print exactly what it says in the newspaper ad.

"HOUDINI-the Handcuff King Has just been challenged to escape from an airtight galvanized iron tank into which he will be locked by the Jos. Schlitz Brewing Co., after they have filled it with beer. Tuesday Night"

So here is 'Challenge 1' and it's obvious that this one was orchestrated by Houdini. The 'airtight galvanized iron tank' is Houdini's Milk Can escape, but filled with beer rather than the usual water. And instead of hauling it out as his original invention, it's presented as a challenge from the Brewery.

On Feb 14th, Houdini is again challenged. Here is how reads the ad for the Gayety Theater promoting this escape.

"HOUDINI the Handcuff King, HOUDINI has been challenged by the Beacon Shoe Company. They will search him, rope him and nail him in a box they have built and out of which they wager he cannot escape."

Things get really interesting on Thursday Feb 15th. The Gayety takes out a larger ad, this time promoting ONLY Houdini. In addition, small articles on Houdini appear in two different newspapers. One of those articles is promoting his challenge for that evening. The other article is quite telling. The headline for this article reads "Houdini Does Magic For Newspaper Men". This time, rather than go to the newspapers office, he went to the National Press Club. He presented some card manipulations and tricks with cards and then finished with his famous Needle trick.  Houdini must have given this exhibition for the Press Club sometime in the afternoon. The National Press Club is only a couple blocks from where the Gayety Theater was located.

On Feb 15th, Houdini actually presented not one but two challenges. The afternoon challenge is by the Blacksmith Gussmans. The evening challenge is by the Seaman Gunners from the U.S. Navy Yard which again, is not too far from the theater. You can see that ad to the left.

On Friday Feb 16th, Houdini again gets a small article featuring his upcoming escape for that evening. In addition the two big papers in town both print ads similar to the one above featuring the details of that days challenges. In the afternoon, Houdini accepts the challenge made by a group of Sailmakers. They will tie his hands and feet behind his back with ropes soaked in rosin and tar, then place him in two of their specially made burlap bags. One to be fastened over head and the other tied at feet.

The evening challenge carries the headline "The Supreme Test of His Career-TONIGHT". The rest of the ad reads, " Insane asylum attendants will roll him in soaked wet sheets in mummy fashion, securely tie him down with broad bandages to a hospital bed, pour 20 buckets of water over him to shrink the knots, and he will attempt to release himself in FULL VIEW OF THE AUDIENCE".

Saturday Feb 17th is Houdini's final day at the Gayety in Washington D.C.. He gets yet another small article in the paper featuring his challenges. The article begins by saying that Houdini has been breaking all records at the Gayety this week. The two big papers again feature very large ads promoting the final challenges for the week. The matinee challenge will be from 'Spanish Inquisition Irons from war museums.'. And the final evening challenge of the week might sound familiar to some of you folks who know Houdini. The final challenge reads "Mechanic's Automobile Challenge - They will bind and lock Houdini in two inflated tires. They guarantee not to choke him in locking his head to the tires." This is a duplication of the Weed Tire Challenge that he first performed in 1908.

There you go, a week in the career of Harry Houdini Feb 12-17, 1912 Washington D.C.

Inside the Gayety Theatre - Library of Congress Photo

The information for this article was gathered from the Washington Times Newspaper and The Washington Herald Newspaper from 1912.

Why The Challenge Escape Act Was Pure Houdini Genius

Of all the various escapes that Houdini performed in his life, I personally think his Challenge Escape concept was the best. Houdini was mainly a Vaudeville performer, which meant he was on the bill with quite a few other acts. The majority of the acts, did the same material over and over and over and over. Sure they might have had a small collection of different routines they could do, but most just did the same act or some form of it.

Along comes Harry Houdini who is making a name for himself as an escape artist. Yes, pushed along by Martin Beck, but still Houdini was the one with the abilities. He starts with a fairly general style escape act, and soon it's being copied and ripped off.  So he adds the idea of being challenged with anyone's handcuffs. This works well for a while and establishes the whole Handcuff King idea in the minds of the audience. But then it too is copied.

Houdini then comes out with the Challenge Escape Act. Let's say he is booked for a week at a theatre. Most acts are doing the same material. Houdini can offer a different act every night. And often something never before seen. At the time, I'm sure every 'challenge' seemed unique, but history shows that often these challenges were duplicated in different cities. One example is escaping from a metal can filled with water, then in another city, a iron drum filled with milk, and still another city, a giant metal keg filled with beer. Same escape, different liquid inside. But for each town it was new to them. Plus, it wasn't like you could turn on the TV and watch Houdini. If you wanted to see him face these challenges, you had a go see him in person.

In a given week you might see Houdini escape from a packing case, then another night, escape after being tied up by Sailors, then another night escape from some unusual contraption like an oversize Paper Bag, and on and on it would go. He could also put his regular material in there as well. If I have a chance to see Houdini face a different challenge every night, I'M GOING! It's a sure fire draw.

We know today that Houdini arranged a lot of the challenges. Flyers and small posters like the one below would advertise the coming feat and usually the daily newspaper would include the challenge in the drama/theatre section. It's pure brilliance. Houdini, the little guy, is challenged, usually by some authority or business, and faces the possibility of failing in front of the live audience. In the minds of the audience Houdini is the Underdog. But the truth is, he is an expert at this stuff. He knows this world better than anyone alive and is actually the driving force behind many of the challenges. It's exciting and dramatic and it makes for great theatre!

The Houdini Picture Corporation

 

For some reason I used to get the Houdini Film Development Corporation and the Houdini Picture  Corporation confused. I guess I sort of thought they were one in the same, they were not. They were different and had different locations. The Film Dev. Corp was run out of a warehouse in New Jersey.

The Houdini Picture Corporation had a slightly more prestigious address in NYC.

The Picture Corp was located in the Candler Building on West 42nd Street. This is one of those rare addresses that still remains today. If you've been to NYC you might have been in this building or at least seen it because the ground floor is taken up with a huge McDonalds.

The Candler Building is a high rise that was build back in 1914. It sits right in Times Square and as mentioned, houses one of the busiest McDonald's in the country.

I don't know what floor Houdini's company was located though it's a good guess that it was NOT on the ground floor. Houdini had big plans for his Picture Corporation, but those plans never came together. The Houdini Picture Corporation only put out two films, The Man From Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service. He had plans to put out other films but it never happened.

The movie business turned out to be a lot harder than Houdini first expected. In addition, seeing Houdini's feats on the big screen, were not quite the same to his audiences as watching him do his incredible escapes live! Still, he did produce two movies and often used his magic/escapes to promote the movies.

The Magic Detective YouTube Show is Returning Next Week!

After a very long absence, The Magic Detective Youtube Show is returning! I had a lot of emails over this from folks wondering when I was going to resume. Well, the first new episode is already done and will debut next week. The upcoming episode will actually not have any Houdini stuff, but you can expect Houdini pieces after. The upcoming episode has a couple items on Robert Heller.

So get ready for the new season of The Magic Detective Show! Coming Soon....

Bess Houdini's Costume

The Potter and Potter Auction that is coming up on August 23rd, features a costume apparently worn by Bess Houdini. It is Lot #77. The piece has a nice description of the costume and some information on who Bess gave the costume to and how it has survived. The estimated value is $7000 & $9000.

John Cox over at WildaboutHoudini.com wrote about the costume. And he provided a photo of Bess wearing the costume from an old postcard. However, to my knowledge, no one has given much more information than that. Until now.

This is the costume Bess wore around 1900+ when she performed the Metamorphosis with Harry. I'm not sure if that adds more value to the costume or not. She probably wore the costume throughout the whole act, but for sure she wore the costume during the Metamorphosis. And how do I know this???

In the book, Metamorphosis by Bruce MacNab, on the Table of Contents page near the front of the book is a photograph, actually a series of photos (4) of Harry and Bess presenting their Metamorphosis routine. Bess can plainly be seen wearing this incredible costume. The photos are from the Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library. Try as I might, I couldn't dig them up online.

But if you turn to the Table of Contents in this book, assuming you have a copy, you can see Bess wearing this incredible costume in action, for yourself!

Houdini's Water Torture Cell by Norman Bigelow

Norman Bigelow is an interesting fellow. He is an escape artist of the highest order. He is a Houdini devotee. He is a psychic investigator and in fact he has spent a great deal of time of late exposing and researching modern day mediums and fake spiritualist con artists. I also want to add, above all these things Norman Bigelow is a Patriot! Follow him on Facebook and you'll understand why I say that.
By the way, Norm's Birthday is Aug12th, and if you haven't done so, be sure to wish him a Happy Birthday as well!!!

The Bigelow Cell has two bands around the center, no doubt for stability and also protection in case the glass needs to be broken to save his life. The bands would stop him from hitting any glass that might remain in the frame. Houdini used an inner cage on his Cell as a precautionary measure for the same reason.

One thing you have to know about Norman, he was the first escape artist to introduce the 'full-view'

picking technique. No hiding behind curtains for Norm. He does everything out in the open. For his Water Torture Cell, he is put into a leather harness, chained and locked and then dropped head first into his 360 Gallon tank of water.

Through sheer will and ability he stays underwater, in full view, and escapes from the locks, chains and harness before getting out of the cell itself.

Now, in his own words, Norman Bigelow describes his Water Torture Cell.
"I built my first one before I was twenty out of hard wood and glass but the glass blew out from the pressure. I was on top getting ready to get in. So Philip Moore of Vermont built me a steel tank. I had the lowering rig built in my home town so it was all self contained and I need no stage rigging to lower me..

At first I had an open top and my legs were in loops and chained. I was in a Trudel harness called the Spider Web Escape. Later we made the top solid and it opened like a bulk head door. Some one would lock the stocks with a padlock inside and then the top was lowered and locked from the out side. So I was always able to do it full view.
　
I could escape the harness and then get up to the lock between my legs. Later on I replaced the Water Cell for the Gas Chamber escape and avoided needed all that water and weight on a stage. One over looked problem a lot is sneezing. If you sneeze all locked in you could die."

Bigelow toured with his Water Torture Cell in the College Market in the 1970s. I'm trying to wrap my head around the idea of bringing this huge prop, along with all his other equipment for a college audience. But I'm thinking in terms of modern day college students who tend to be jaded. I've read some of the reviews that Bigelow received back in the 1970s and 80s and they are nothing short of overwhelmingly fantastic. The college audiences held their breath, bit their lips and grabbed their chairs while sitting spellbound by his mindblowing escapes.

I think Houdini would be quite proud of this version of his escape!

Houdini's Water Torture Cell by Steve Baker

When I was a kid, I saw Steve Baker's performance of the Escape from The Water Torture Cell on TV. I don't recall if it was a rerun or if I was seeing it live.  I have had the good fortune to talk to Steve about his version of the Water Torture Cell many times. There were some features of Steve's routine that were different from the usual escape. For one, a chain held his hands to the bottom of the tank. Two, he was known to present the cell slightly differently each time he was on TV.

The first performance was on a show called Dick Clark's LIVE Wednesday Show. This was a weekly Variety Show on NBC. Steve's appearance was so impressive, that he was brought back numerous times to appear and do different escapes on the show. When the show ended and Dick Clark started another show, well he again brought over Steve Baker.

Steve told me his tank was built by John Gaughan but after he picked it up from him, he went about altering the escape methodology. Steve was very proud of his tank and his method. He would boast that no one, outside of his crew knew the method he used to escape, not even the original builder. Though, one young escape artist was up for the challenge and figured out the secret. Steve was quite taken back that his closely guarded method was figured out. The escape artist swore to never reveal it to anyone, and I haven't. :)

Steve presented the Water Torture Cell on TV several times. The first was for Dick Clark's LIVE Wednesday as mentioned above. The second was as the opening escape of an HBO Special featuring the Greatest Escape Artists in the World. Third time was below and then there was a very controversial time on Australian TV, the Don Lane Show, where Steve was trapped in the cell for real, an apparent attempt at sabatoge by a member of his own crew. Steve came out of the cell with bloody feet from trying to kick and break the top of the lid open. It took him over 6 minutes to free himself, all of his other WTC escapes were 2-3 minutes.

Sadly, today Steve's tank is gone. The whereabouts are unknown. IF anyone knows where this tank might be today, I'd surely love to know.

The video below is of one of the later presentations of the Water Torture Cell by Steve. I think this was in the early 1980s. The original WTC on Dick Clark LIVE Wednesday was around 1976.

Houdini's Water Torture Cell by Doug Henning

In the 1970s Doug Henning was making a name for himself, first in a show called Spellbound and then on Broadway in The Magic Show. Soon, NBC came calling and the First Annual Doug Henning's World of Magic was about to debut. The 'hook' for the show was to be the recreation of the Houdini Water Torture Cell. A very un-Doug Henning like effect really. However, according to the book Spellbound by John Harrison, the idea of the Water Torture Cell was Doug's.

The first thing to notice is the slight alteration in the look of the cell. In the Houdini Cell, only the front had glass, the other sides were wood and metal. The Henning Cell looks more like a phone booth.......(a phone booth was a tall rectangular box with glass and all sides and a door. Inside was a phone that you could use that accepted coins as payment...I figured I'd explain that to the younger readers) There was a specific reason the tank was built with glass on all sides. Doug and his crew feared the audience wouldn't have as good a view and it wouldn't look as strong on television if it only had glass on the front. But on all sides gave a great view from every angle.

The cell was built by Owen Magic in California and they actually developed the intricate mechanics to make the thing work. The reason for this, no one had a clear idea of how Houdini's Water Torture Cell worked.

Henning also chose not to present an actual escape, but rather present it as an illusion because he wanted to piece to appear more magical, according to John Harrison in Spellbound. In the escape version, the performer would be put into the cell, the entire thing covered with a cloth and eventually the performer would be free, the curtain dropped to reveal indeed no one was in the cell any longer.

The illusion version was different. It started the same way as the escape version and the tension built up in the same manner. But just as the tension reached it's peak, and it seemed like the performer was unable to get free from the tank, a masked assistant came over with an ax and pulled down the curtain revealing the performer was gone. Then the masked assistant removed his robe/mask to reveal that he was the performer, Doug Henning!

No 'reward' was issued for anyone able to obtain air while hanging upside down in a tank of water. But they did make sure to promote the aspect of the escape being performed "LIVE". There is a sentence at the bottom of the poster which reads "Remember: This will be a "live" broadcast of a breathtaking feat never attempted before under these circumstances."  Interesting, except the Water Torture Cell is ALWAYS performed LIVE. It's just it was never presented on LIVE tv.

Doug Henning only performed this escape once to my knowledge. If memory serves, the Tank was later sold to illusionist Brett Daniels and then from Brett it went to escape artist Dean Gunnerson.

Below is a video of Doug Henning's performance of Houdini's Water Torture Escape.

The UnMasking of Harry Houdini Part 5

Even though Houdini is recognized as the most famous magician in history, he often gets a bad rap in the magic world. The Houdini-haters, and there are lots of them, like to say he was not a very good magician and many still hold a grudge over his book The UnMasking of Robert-Houdin. Still others dislike Houdini because they feel other magicians deserved to be remembered over Houdini, like Thurston for example. I honestly wish that other magicians were remembered by the public, along with Houdini. I was surprised at how many people had forgotten Joe Dunninger, given the fact that Dunninger was a very popular performer for years and years. Dunninger even performed on Television, which is something Houdini never got to do. But, very few remember Joe, and that is sad.

Origins of Houdini's Act

I suppose the pinnacle of acheivement for Houdini was the creation of his Water-Filled Torture Cell.

I've read that the Water Torture Cell was a combination of the Milk Can, Glass Lined box, The hanging Strait Jacket Escape, and even the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery. It all makes sense to me. Whether or not this was how Houdini developed it, I'm not really certain. But it sure looks like a logical progression.

I've written about the WTC before (by the way, Houdini referred to his escape as the USD, short for Upside Down). I'm fascinated by the WTC on many levels. It was supposed to be a death-defying feat, something for audiences to really freak out over. You want the truth? Hang upside down in a tank of water, you'll find out who is really freaking out! It takes a lot of rehearsal to get over the fear of hanging upside down in confined tank of water. And HOUDINI was the FIRST! This was his baby, his creation. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who has done it since Houdini was copying the master.

When the WTC was first rolled out to audiences it came with some amazing posters! Look at the graphics on these posters, they really send chills up your spine. I was just thinking, I always heard it called 'The Chinese Water Torture Cell' but looking at the posters, it doesn't ever appear to be listed that way. Rather, Water-Filled Torture Cell or simply Water Torture Cell appears most of the time. Does anyone know the origin of adding the 'Chinese' part to the title? (see comments below for answer)

Hollywood loves the Water Torture Cell because they imply Houdini died presenting the escape in countless movies, starting with the Tony Curtis version.  In reality, Houdini presented the Water Torture Cell Escape many many times. I guess that is all part of the attraction and mystery of the escape is that it does carry the 'possible death' theme right to the edge.

Here is an interesting thing I just noticed. On several of the posters there is a $1000 Reward Notice at the bottom of the poster "To Anyone Who Can Prove It's Possible To Obtain Air In The Upside-Down Position While Under Water". However, look at the poster to the left. The reward was $200. The answer is simple enough. The poster to the left came out in 1912 and was one of the first to advertise the sensational invention. The poster above is from 1913. So obviously, Houdini and Company realized there money was safe with this 'Reward' so they upped it to $1000.

I'm working on another Water Torture Cell article for the 30 Days of Houdini which will cover Cells presented by other performers.

Finally, please check out this piece written by John Cox on the Double Fold Death Defying Mystery, as he does make a connection to that effect and the Water Torture Cell. http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2014/07/houdinis-double-fold-death-defying.html

Tony Pastor's Theatre - 30 Days of Houdini

Tony Pastor was a theatre owner who helped to usher in the age of Vaudeville in America. In fact, he is known as the Father of Vaudeville. His theatre, just down the street from Hubers Dime Museum was located on 14th Street. It was actually in the very building that once housed Tammany Hall. 

Houdini worked at Tony Pastors very briefly in January of 1895. They were excited about the opportunity as it was a step up from the Dime Museums. The Houdinis, Harry and Bess, worked at Tony Pastor's for a week. According to the Kenneth Silverman biography on Houdini, they received the following 'glowing' endorsement from Mr. Pastor, "The Houdinis act as performed here I found satisfactory and interesting." I guess they should be happy they didn't stink up the place, lol.

Below is a photo showing the Tammany Hall building. If you look closely you'll see a theatre sign for the Olympic Theatre. This is the spot that Tony Pastor would lease for his 14th Street Theatre. This image is actually from AFTER Pastors was in that spot, but I wanted you to see the whole building. I believe the first theatre in that spot was the Germania theatre, and then Pastors and then the Olympic. Also, take a look at the building on the left hand side. This is an important building in the history of magic as well. This was the old Academy of Music building, the third Opera House in NYC. Many an old time magician performed there prior to Vaudeville. 

Now below, you can see the same spot occupied by Tony Pastors Theatre. The Houdini's actually performed at Tony Pastors more than once. Also of note, Tony Pastors is shown in the Tony Curtis HOUDINI Movie. 

Sadly, the Father of Vaudeville fell prey to the circuits that would open, Keiths and others. It was very difficult for him to compete. I was not aware at first, but Tony Pastor sang in his theatre at every show for years. He died August 26th, 1908 and the theatre was closed at that point. 

The building was torn down in 1927. Today that space is the location of the Consolidated Edison Building.

Dime Museum Harry - Chicago

Dime Museum Harry at Kohl & Middleton's Chicago

The Houdini Brothers were fortunate enough to get booked during the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago. They worked the Midway for about a month and then Harry was able to book the act in a local Dime Museum,  Kohl & Middleton Dime Museum.

There were three locations for Kohl and Middletons. Harry played at the 150 North Clark Street location and also the 294 South State Street location in Chicago. They worked there for a short time before returning to New York. He would return to Kohl and Middletons again as late as 1897.

Click here to see a photo of what the Kohl & Middleton looked like in Houdini's day. None of the original buildings exist any more. However, below is a picture of the location where the Kohl and Middleton Dime Museum on Clark Street once stood. Today the location is filled by Bank of America.

Kohl & Middleton's Dime Museum Once Stood Here.

Dime Museum Harry - Huber's NYC

I think it was Kenneth Silverman who first pointed out that Houdini didn't care for his days in the Dime Museums and even hated being called 'Dime Museum Harry'. Unfortunately, we all have to start somewhere and Houdini got his start in the Dime Museums. One of the first was a place in NYC called Hubers. It was located on 106 East 14st Street and remained open until 1910, when the owner sold the location to a restaurant.

Hubers Dime Museum was a mixture of arcade, freak show, lecture hall, showplace, wax figures, and actual museum housing various curiosities and historical memorabilia. For the beginning performer, this kind of venue is gold, well not in the monetary way, but in gaining valuable performing experience. Houdini first performed there with his partner Jacob Hyman doing fairly simple magic, card tricks and their sub-trunk. They didn't just do one show per day or two, sometimes it was up to 20 shows in a day. Now, keep in mind, 'show' probably meant only a few minutes of material. But doing multiple shows back to back like that is going to make you good really fast.

Another bonus for Houdini was meeting George Dexter, who was managing Huber's and was also a magician. According to The Secret Life of Houdini, it was Dexter who taught Houdini the techniques of rope ties. There is no telling what unusual techniques he picked up from other performers that would later come in handy in his work as an escape artist.

Eventually, the Houdinis (Harry & Bess now) moved up and out of the Dime Museum's and into other venues. But there is no mistaking the value of the time spent in front of live audiences perfecting his craft that was obtained during the Dime Museum days.

Incidentally, in 1910 when Hubers was closing, Houdini attended the auction and purchased a couple items from the vast amount of curios. It was more to have a memento of the place that he first got started in show business.

The location of Hubers today. Nothing remains of the once popular Dime Museum

Houdini's UnMasking - Bonus

Now I know how John Cox over at WildaboutHoudini.com feels. I received this wonderful image of Houdini promoting his book The UnMasking of Robert-Houdin from John Hinson. I split the image into two, so first you'll see the photo Houdini used to promote his book, The UnMasking of Robert-Houdin. The second image is a receipt and copy of the ad that was to appear in The New York Dramatic Mirror on May 2, 1908. Incidentally, the image of Houdini in the chair is signed by Houdini, midway through the photo, 'Harry Houdini 1908'.

 

Thank you John, for your generosity and allowing me to share this great photo with my readers!

The UnMasking of Harry Houdini Part 4

I remember the early days of learning about Houdini. One of the things that I always assumed was that Houdini started the whole Anti-Spiritualist Exposure Shows. I had no idea that many performers had done this before Houdini. Actually, the whole Spiritualism thing helped to expand the branches of magic. Spiritualism really gave rise to the Escape Act, that Houdini would make famous. Though feats of mental magic already existed, quite a few really clever techniques came out of the Spiritualism world which revolutionized the Mentalism field.

But it's the Spiritualism or Anti-Spiritualism acts I want to discuss. I mentioned before that Wyamn the Wizard is credited as the first magician to do spirit or seance type of magic in his act. He had an immense knowledge of how the mediums did their work and added their techniques into his shows. A slew of performers followed like John Henry Anderson, Robert-Heller, Samri Baldwin, Harry Kellar, John Nevil Maskelyne, and on and on the list goes. Some would demonstrate the spirit effects, others would demonstrate and expose them. Magicians used it as some kind of 'high ground' to say you shouldn't be fooled by such charlatans. Though, they were using the same techniques, lol. But in the defense of the magicians, their job is to entertain by fooling, not to swindle people under false pretenses.

The methods of the spirit mediums were fairly well known in magic circles by the time Houdini came along. In fact, Houdini even did some of this mediumistic work early in his career but soon understood how it had a great power to deceive in the wrong ways, and he discontinued it.

Later in life, it's been written that he turned on the whole Spiritualism movement when he found they were unable to contact his mother. I suppose even the great Houdini, in a moment of deep emotional grief wanted to believe the claims of these people. But his vast knowledge of deception wouldn't allow him to be fooled by the same kinds of parlor tricks he had been doing for years. So he went on the attack. Well, that would be the condensed version of it. In truth, Houdini doesn't really turn on the Spiritualists until the 1920s. So even though he never received a message from 'Mama', that alone wasn't enough to cause him to crusade against them. It was an entirely different event....and that I will discuss at another time.

Houdini certainly wasn't the first to expose spirit mediums and their techniques. But he was the most famous for doing so. His celebrity status combined with this very aggressive approach made his battle with the Mediums front page news. Then, to top it off, he made the Spirit Exposure the highlight of this 3 Part Act during his final tour.

I can't help but wonder what Houdini would think about all these Hunting for Ghost Shows on TV these days. I don't think any of them are out there exposing fake phenomenon, but rather trying to prove such things exist, and on a weekly basis. I have a feeling Houdini would have a different take on it all.

John Cox and the Lost Scrapbook

In a few short days, August 23rd 2014, Potter and Potter Auctions is having a huge auction of  Houdini items.
Among the items up for auction is a recently discovered Houdini Scrapbook on Spiritualism. It was none other than my buddy John Cox from WildaboutHoudini.com that first revealed the news of the Lost Spiritualism Scrapbook earlier this year. You can read all about it here.

Now, this Scrapbook is available to the highest bidder.  The estimates for this item are in the $15,000 to $20,000 range, and it could go even higher. What an incredible resource for the Houdini researcher. I can only imagine what new revelations might come out on Houdini and his battle with the Mediums from this collection of notes and newspaper clippings.

Save up your dollars because this incredible piece of Houdini history could be YOURS....or David Copperfield's...but let's hope it's yours.

The UnMasking of Harry Houdini Part 3

Time to examine more of Houdini's MAGIC and where it originated. Today, I'll cover some of the bigger effects in the show. The real news-makers!

The Origins of Houdini's Magic

First off is the Vanishing Elephant. Here is something that on the surface seems very outside the realm of what Houdini might do. But then again, he isn't merely doing a trick. He is setting a world record for vanishing the largest object in history! The routine has a lot of emotional appeal as well because it is a living creature. And it's being presented at the Hippodrome, on one of the largest stages in the world. When you look at it that way, it's a huge publicity generating illusions, yep, that is pure Houdini.

Was the Vanishing Elephant Houdini's creation? Nope. It was the idea of a British magician, Charles Morritt. Houdini had paid Morritt for the rights and plans to build and perform the illusion. He also paid for other illusions, one which Houdini called Goodbye Winter, which was a Vanishing Lady illusion. The Elephant Vanish was based on Morritt's Vanishing Donkey but on a much larger scale. Morritt never presented a Vanishing Elephant, so Houdini once again could claim it as his own. It was probably not one of the better illusions, but the positive publicity was enough to make Houdini happy.

Next, we have Walking Through a Brick Wall. Again, a very unusual illusion and right up Houdini's alley. It was presented in typical Houdini fashion, with a brick layer building the wall right in the middle of the stage. People could come and inspect the wall and find no trickery. After, having successfully walked through the wall on more than one occasion, he invited some brick layers from a local union to come and inspect the wall and they challenged Houdini to walk through a wall that they would build. They did and he did!

But the illusion wasn't an idea of Houdini's. It was sold to him by another British magician, Sidney E. Josolyne. There was a bit of controversy surrounding this purchase as another British magician, P.T. Selbit, claimed it was his illusion. Despite the controversy it became known as a Houdini illusion and put another feather in his magic cap.

More to come...