The rarely seen 1976 TV biopic The Great Houdinis will air tonight at 9 PM on Talking Pictures TV in the UK. The network is advertising this as a "premiere," so hopefully that means it will screen regularly. The Great Houdinis was never released on any home format (not in the U.S. at least), and this is first airing of the movie on television that I can recall in decades. So this is exciting!
I'm a big fan of this biopic, despite the liberties it takes. The Great Houdinis first aired on October 8, 1976 on ABC.
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John, what I like best about this post is the link to "Making the great Great Houdinis" from 2011, which I'd never seen before! Wow, very cool to read this detailed account, and your comments. Makes me want to go back and watch the film again. The last time I saw it, probably at least 20 years ago, the animosity between Bess and Mama irked me a lot and took me right out of the story, but based on the many other points you mentioned, I owe it another look. Thanks for the insights and the great research!
ReplyDeleteThat was one of my very early big posts here on WAH. Still very proud of it. Glad you discovered!
DeleteHello John. Your email about this broadcast arrived in my inbox on tuesday so I missed the screening on the Monday! It will most likely be repeated again within the month but certainly not next week (I've checked all the listings). This film was available to buy/hire on a vhs tape in the eighties and it was a good film to watch.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry I learned of it so late, Karl (hours before the broadcast). But I'll keep an eye on the Talking Pictures TV site and hopefully give a better heads up on the next showing.
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