Monday, October 9, 2023

Kellar joins Houdini on Catalina Island

Our friends at the Catalina Museum recently refreshed their permanent Catalina history display. Happily, Houdini remains part of the story, and he's now joined by Harry Kellar who was a regular visitor to the island. I can't help but think Houdini would love sharing this space with the Dean of Magicians.


You'll also notice that the lost overboard box footage from Terror Island, discovered by Joe Notaro in 2018, is still a part of the exhibit and still the only place you can see it.

If you've never been to Catalina "Terror" Island, I highly recommend it. The two Harrys would agree. It's a magical place!


Thanks to Joe Notaro at HHCE for the alert.

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3 comments:

  1. Leo HeviaOctober 9, 2023 at 5:38 PM

    I didn't know Kellar visited Catalina Island now and then. According to Silverman he was a sports fisherman who would catch swordfish.

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    1. John CoxOctober 9, 2023 at 5:59 PM

      Catalina is where he did much of his sports fishing. He was a member of their Tuna Club (still there). He wrote HH letters from and about Catalina.

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    2. Leo HeviaOctober 9, 2023 at 8:11 PM

      Oh that's interesting! You must have read those Catalina Island letters at the DC museum. There's an interesting story in the Bill Miesel Kellar biography where Kellar visits his doctor in L.A. for his check up. He undresses in the exam room and suddenly an earthquake hits. He waits for some time in the room, and nobody checks on him, so he dressed again and walked out of the hospital. Apparently during the quake everyone had left the building except for him.

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