Wednesday, May 11, 2016

When Houdini threatened to sue Doyle

The new series Houdini & Doyle (Mondays at 9/8c on FOX) will not dramatize the famous falling out between the two friends. The show creators say they might tackle it should the show continue for more seasons. But for these initial 10 episodes, Houdini and Doyle will remain friendly competitors.

But the real Houdini and Doyle did have a nasty split over the issue of spiritualism. How bad did it get? In 1925, Variety reported that Houdini was considering suing Doyle, whom he called "a menace to mankind."


Houdini appears to have never followed through with his threat.

Thanks to Bill Mullins.

 Related:
at

4 comments:

  1. MantooMay 11, 2016 at 4:31 PM

    I like the show so far. My only criticism: not enough magic/escapes. However, this slander suit is very interesting. It might make for a good future episode. Will they break up? Or maybe a re-tooling of the show: "Houdini vs. Doyle."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John CoxMay 11, 2016 at 6:20 PM

      That's a valid criticism. I'd also like more magic and escapes. Hey, I like the idea of 4th season switch to "Houdini vs. Doyle."

      Delete
  2. MantooMay 11, 2016 at 8:25 PM

    You know, "Houdini vs. Doyle" isn’t such a crazy idea. Many shows have been re-tooled after a season or two. But why not go even further? I’d like to see them make the show more Houdini-centric.

    I know that the Doyle character represents a friendly competitor, but that function could be accomplished with any number of supporting characters each week. I think a more exciting way to go would be to make the show more about HH’s act. Showcase his talents and fame while he himself uses Holmesian deduction to help local authorities solve crimes.

    Every episode, HH is performing some new and exciting trick or escape. At the same time, a murder happens somewhere in the city. HH is brought in to help solve the crime, or he does it without a request. Perhaps his new escape and the crime share common traits that help him solve the real mystery. Sort of like ‘The Magician” with Bill Bixby.

    ReplyDelete