LINK: 2024: The Year Houdini Finally Returned

Let's bid goodbye to 2024 with this piece from Genius about Houdini's footprint in music this year. Notably, the two hit songs from Eminem and Dua Lipa, both called "Houdini." But my favorite part is excerpted below.

Em an Dua weren’t the only artists to give Houdini his flowers this year. According to Genius pageview data, ol’ Harry turns up in 43 songs released in 2024. His admirers range from country-rock hero HARDY to R&B great Kehlani to rapper French Montana. But—plot twist—it turns out 2024 isn’t the top year for Houdini mentions. Not by a long shot.

That distinction belongs to 2020, when Houdini magically appeared in 103 songs. Rounding out the Top 5 are 2018 and 2019 (86 mentions in each year), 2021 (76), and 2017 (64). Houdini might not have been able to holler at his wife from the great beyond, but insofar as he’s a pop-cultural legend whose name still resonates with the public a century after his death, he’s immortal.

Have a safe and Happy New Year.

Related:

• Dua Lipa drops by the Houdini Estate
• Eminem drops his own "Houdini"
• The Inner Me rocks Houdini

Sam Smiley drops the mic

Just a heads up that while I'm on a break from this blog, I am still active on my Patreon. And it's been a good month! The post below will be of interest to all who love to study and/or debate the infamous Houdini dressing room punch. It's a 1982 interview with eyewitness Sam "Smiley" Smilovitz with some interesting new details. He certainly didn't like Whitehead!

For those of you still circling my Patreon, this is a great time to take the plunge, especially if you want to do the lowest Handcuff King level ($5 per month). On January 1st, material from 2023 will become unavailable for Handcuff Kings, who get one year of archival content. Scholars and Angels can enjoy three years of archival content, which is currently everything.

Use the promo code SMILEY and get 30% off your first month. This end-of-year offer is good until Dec. 31st.

Hope to see you inside!

Related:

• Sam Smilovitz at McGill
• The eyewitness - Smiley's sketch
• The beginning of the end

My thoughts on Disney's Houdini project news

I know I'm on a holiday break, but I felt I had to drop back in to comment on the news of a Houdini project in development at Disney. According to a report at Deadline, Becoming Houdini is a "spy thriller" about "Houdini’s undercover work for his adopted homes of Britain and America." 

Here's the comment I've left on the story. It doesn't appear to have been approved, so I will share it here. Feel free to quote, copy, or steal:

While Houdini was friendly with law enforcement and did advise police at times, the idea that Houdini was some sort of super spy is an idea that has little grounding in fact.

It is true that Houdini was friends with William Melville of Scotland Yard, who is said to have operated an informal, early version of British Intelligence. Houdini appears to have provided Melville with two "reports" while he was in Germany in 1900 and 1902. Does that make him a spy? Kinda! But that's it. Everything beyond this is pure speculation, with no secret missions, assassins, and no connection to U.S. intelligence whatsoever. 

Houdini had a brilliant career as the world’s foremost magician, escape artist, and debunker of fraudulent spirit mediums. It’s a shame to see Disney forgoing his fascinating real life in favor of salacious pseudo-history that is more the stuff of the History Channel.

Good title, though!

It might not be all bad. The article states that the film is "set to be written by Michael Finch and Alex Litvak," which means this was likely just a pitch sale and a long way from becoming an actual movie. Plenty of time for them to find a better approach.

Okay, back to the hot tub.

Related:

• Summit set to turn Houdini into an action hero
• The Secret Life of Houdini screenplay reviewed
• Brad Meltzer is out peddling the myth that Houdini was a spy

Off to see Harry...

I'm going to wrap up 2024 with a speculative journey. I often think about time travel. Well, more specifically, I think about time traveling to see Houdini. I know I'm not alone in this. So if time travel were possible, and, say, you could select 3 specific days in the past in which to see Houdini, what days would those be? Here are the 3 days I would program into my flux capacitor:

Saturday, May 14, 1898

On this day, the Welsh Bros. Circus was playing in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The young Harry and Bess Houdini were traveling with the circus performing Metamorphosis in the circus concert tent, where Bess would also do her seriocomic songs. It's also possible I could find Harry doing his King of Cards act in the sideshow. While all this would be enough, this day marked Houdini's debut as a "clown on bars" in the Big Top show. "Went big and funny," he wrote in his diary. So, yeah, a chance to see so many aspects of the young Houdini and Bess and experience the entire Welsh Bros. show... What a day! Also, if the rules of time travel allow, it would be easy to approach and talk to him.

For my second date, it's very hard to not select March 17, 1904, as that was the day of the famed Mirror Handcuff Challenge in London. Very hard! But the Mirror Challenge was just one performance, and I want to maximize my Houdini time. Besides, I know Joe Notaro will choose the Mirror Challenge, so I can learn all about it from him. Instead, I'm going to...

Saturday, March 2, 1918

This time, I'm landing in New York City to see Houdini vanish his elephant and escape from an underwater packing case at the Hippodrome. In fact, I could see it twice as the Hippodrome had a matinee (at 2:15) and an evening show (at 8:15). After the evening show, I could zip over to Martinka's magic shop and, using a 1918 S.A.M. card borrowed from one of my collector friends, I could attend the 174th regular meeting of the S.A.M. which Houdini presided over as President. But there's more! This was the week Houdini was giving World War I soldiers lessons on how to escape from German handcuffs. So, disguised as a soldier, I could get a lesson in escapes from the Handcuff King himself! Although, a 60-year-old private might seem a bit suspicious. He might think I'm an imitator come to steal his secrets! Maybe I need to rethink this one.

My last choice has to be a performance of the 3 Shows in One. But which one? While it is tempting to see Houdini's final show in Detroit, I think it would be too upsetting. So I'll leave that to others. Instead, I'm going to...

Thursday, September 30, 1926

This was when Houdini was playing his 3 Shows in One in Worcester, Massachusetts. This is also the day of the Summerfield's Department store test, in which he was sealed in a glass casket for an hour propped up on view. Unlike his other outdoor stunts, which were over relatively quickly, this is one I could savor. I'd get to stand and look at the 52-year-old Houdini for an hour! Heck, maybe I could even strike up a conversation with Jim Collins. Maybe get a backstage pass to the show that night! And speaking of that show, Houdini was doing the onstage Buried Alive in Worcester at this time. So I can see exactly how he presented this still largely mysterious escape. Yes, this means I would not see the Water Torture Cell, but I want to learn during each jump. I would also get to see all the new and improved magic for the 1926-27 season, including Slicing a Girl. And how poetic to see Houdini at age 52 doing his King of Cards routine, just as I had seen him do it three days and 28 years earlier.

How about you? What would your three days with Houdini be? Let us know in the comments below. I've also launched a POLL on my Patreon.

Thank you for your patronage and support this year. It was a big year for centennials and celebrations, and I expect more of the same in 2025. Happy holidays. I'll see you all in the future!

The Houdinis 1924 Christmas Card.

2024 in Review:

January (23 posts)

February (20 posts)

March (20 posts)

April (20 posts)

May (21 posts)

June (19 posts)

July (11 posts)

August (18 posts)

September (19 posts)

October (22 posts)

November (19 posts)

December (8 posts)

Most Viewed New Post of 2024

Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire (Oct. 21)

When Houdini (1953) came home

I've covered the theatrical release of Paramount’s Houdini on June 25, 1953, and its television debut on January 30, 1963. So today I'm going to tackle the Home Video release. I recently nabbed this still-sealed VHS on eBay, and it made me curious to know exactly when it came out. Turns out there's a bit of a story behind it.

Houdini was released on VHS on April 8, 1991. If you think that seems late, you're right. VCRs had been around since 1976, and movies on VHS were ubiquitous throughout the 1980s. I remember waiting and wondering why Houdini had yet to appear. But to understand why Houdini took so long, we need to review the history of Home Video and, especially, pricing.

In the beginning, home video was primarily a rental market. Studios did not believe people were interested in owning movies to watch again and again. You could still buy a movie, but they'd cost between $50 and $100. I actually bought the entire James Bond series, one tape a month, at this full price. I also snapped up The Man From Beyond. Yes, The Man From Beyond appeared on VHS before Houdini!

In these rental days, studios primarily focused on providing video stores with new releases, recent hits, and classic films. Paramount Home Video was one of the best for classics, releasing Houdini producer George Pal's War of the Worlds (1953) in their first year of operation. You could find older and more obscure movies on independent labels at lower prices, but many of these were movies that had fallen into the public domain and were offered in poor EP mode quality.

Houdini (1953) did not fall into either category. It was not in the public domain, and while I consider it a classic, it appears Paramount did not. So, year after year, there was no Houdini in video stores. There could also be reasons that I don't know. Houdini was still shown often on television, so maybe it was part of a television package that prevented a VHS release at the time?

Disney was the first studio to offer movies on quality tapes at a consumer-friendly price. This would come to be called the "sell-through" market. But it was the sell-through releases of E.T. in 1988, and especially Batman in 1989, that proved the viability of this market. Turns out people did want to own movies! Suddenly, the average price of a movie came down to $29.95, and studios began reissuing new sell-through versions of their most popular rental titles. (Guess who bought the Bond series...again.)

With the rental market becoming "sluggish" and the rise of new stores devoted to just selling videos, such as Suncoast (a Paramount and Musicland joint venture), studios began to mine their archives for older movies and, slowly but surely, began releasing those to the hot sell-through market.

Hence, on April 8, 1991, Houdini appeared alongside Lil Abner (1959), Waterloo (1970), The Klansman (1974), and Is Paris Burning (1966). It was priced at $14.95, recorded in good quality SP mode, and used the original poster art on the box. It was also released on Beta, Paramount Home Video being one of the last companies to offer movies on that format.

Houdini's release on VHS was extra exciting as it was the first time one could be assured they were seeing the entire film. When Houdini aired on television, it was always edited for time, and whole scenes would be missing. But here was Houdini exactly as it appeared in theaters in 1953. The quality of the movie is, and has always been, surprisingly excellent. We've never had to wish for a better quality Houdini. Thank you, Paramount!

The Plain Dealer, June 17, 1991.

Looking back on the original newspapers, it's nice to see how much attention Houdini received. It was certainly the star title of its bundle. And it would remain so. In 1994, Paramount released the movie on the premium LaserDisc format (I snapped that up, too). When DVD and Blu-ray took over from VHS in the 2000s, it did not take long for Houdini to appear on both formats. And when streaming emerged, Houdini was there at a click.

Houdini may have been a little slow in coming to home video, but it has never left our living rooms. Hopefully, people are still discovering the story of Houdini via what I consider to be the best biopic.

Want more? You can see more advertisements for the Houdini VHS, along with other Houdini gems from the 1990s, as a member of my Patreon. It was a good decade for Harry!

Related:

• Houdini (1953) premiered 65 years ago today
• When Houdini (1953) came to TV
• When The Man From Beyond came home

Wand breaking ceremony at Houdini's grave 2024

The SAM Parent Assembly #1 held its annual wand-breaking ceremony at Houdini's gravesite on November 24. Dorothy Dietrich of the Houdini Museum in Scranton broke the wand. This long-standing tradition dates back to Houdini's funeral in 1926.

The SAM used to do the wand-breaking ceremony on Halloween. But it was feared the ceremony was drawing too much attention to the gravesite and resulting in vandalism. It was decided to hold the ceremony on the date of Houdini's death on the Jewish calendar, which is why the ceremony was so late this year.

I, for one, would love to see the ceremony move back to Halloween or the day after. As long as it's not promoted in advance, it will not draw a crowd, and the area has improved. Maybe for the 100th?

Photos courtesy Benjilini and AJ Bernstein.

Related:

• S.A.M. wand breaking ceremony in 1976
• Houdini's grave is in trouble
• The Houdini-Weiss exedra turns 100

Timeless Houdini

Back in 2017, Houdini made an appearance on the time-traveling television show Timeless. Houdini was played by Michael Drayer. Now, you can watch one of the Houdini scenes via the YouTube channel Scene City.

This episode was called "The World's Columbian Exposition" and is set during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. It first aired on Monday, January 16, 2017. Timeless ran for two seasons on NBC.

If you could travel back in time and see Houdini, what would you go to see? I will reveal my own choices in my year-end sign-off post at the end of this week.

Related:

• 'Timeless' Houdini episode will air January 16
• Timeless crew werk'in on Houdini episode
• Houdini will appear in 'Timeless'

Houdini's grand finale at the Bardavon

Let's wrap up the story of Houdini's 1924 spirit lecture tours by marking his last stop (as far as I know) one hundred years ago today at the Bardavon in Poughkeepsie, New York. This was also Houdini's one and only appearance in the city. A fun detail is that magician John Mulholland attended the lecture as an "escort" to 18 Vassar College girls.

 Billboard Dec. 28 1924.

The Bardavon was named for William Shakespeare (the Bard of Avon). In 1924, the theater played a mix of vaudeville, silent movies, and stage plays. The theatre survived the wrecking ball in the 1970s and still stands today as a popular live performance venue. According to its history page, the Bardavon holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating theater in New York State and one of the oldest in the entire country.

Houdini's 1924 lecture tours covered almost 12,000 miles. Surprisingly, these tours barely warrant a mention in most Houdini biographies. But they were filled with interesting stories and took him to many places where he had never appeared before, and Houdini was very proud of his work.

Want more? You see all the stops on Houdini's tours as a member of my Patreon below. Heads up that this is the last day of my Black Friday sale, offering 10% off all new memberships with the promo code BESS.

Related:

• Houdini's war on fake mediums began 100 years ago today
• Houdini's 2nd lecture tour began 100 years ago today
• Houdini describes his spiritualism lecture in full

Deconstructing Houdini '53: Resurrection

Continuing my scene-by-scene dissection of Houdini (1953). Last time, an overboard box escape went horribly wrong and Houdini finally met his end. Or has he?

Chapter 19: Resurrection

This scene is the conclusion of the famed trapped under the ice sequence, but it's worth examining on its own as it contains a significant moment in Houdini's life. Maybe even THE most significant moment.

We dissolve from Otto standing alone by the side of the hole in the ice to Bess back in the hotel room, still dressed in black with the lights low. She hears newsboys calling on the street: "Houdini lost in Detroit River!" This atmospheric addition to the story was the creation of Bess Houdini herself. It first appears in the Harold Kellock book:

    Back in the hotel Mrs. Houdini was lying uneasily in bed when she heard newsboys crying in the street.

    "Quick, open the window wide," she said to her attendant, and suddenly the cries became clear: "Extree! Extree! Houdini dead!" "Extree! Houdini drowned in river."

Bess closes the door and breaks down in tears. But then the hotel door silently opens behind her. Bess turns to see a darkened silhouette of Houdini standing there. Is it a ghost? No, it's Houdini in the flesh, accompanied by Otto. He is risen! (At this point, the ten-year-old me decided I needed to devote my life to Houdini.)

Harry and Bess embrace. He explains that the current swept him downstream. He feared he'd "never find the opening," but then heard his mother's voice calling to him. He swam toward the sound of her voice and found the opening in the ice. (Presumably, with Otto still standing vigil.) Bess cries as Harry assures her, "I'll never leave you. I'll never leave you."

The addition of Houdini's mother's death and guiding voice is a deviation from the established mythology. Here, divine intervention saves Houdini from his Halloween fate (this time). But Houdini's own "true" version of the story has none of this. In fact, he goes out of his way to say that he searched and found no "greater" or "guiding light" to rescue him. In his own version of events, Houdini saves himself.

I do think it's inspired to not show Houdini's escape from his icy confinement. Letting the scene end on a down note makes his mysterious reappearance feel like an actual resurrection. It makes him an even more mythic and powerful figure. But his ascendancy comes with a cost.

The phone rings. Harry takes the call, and darkness descends over his features. "What time did she die?" he asks. When he hangs up, he tells Bess that his mother died at the same time he heard her calling to him. Houdini collapses into Bess's arms and we fade to black.

It's interesting to note that because the filmmakers chose to stage this on Halloween, it means his mother also died on Halloween. A bad day indeed! Houdini's mother actually died on July 17, 1913, and Houdini learned of her death during a press conference in Copenhagen. But the movie is correct in showing that Houdini was not present for his mother's death, and the news came as a great shock to him. Such a shock that it will change the course of his life and career.

But we'll save that for next time.

Click to see all chapters of Deconstructing Houdini '53

Related:

• Trapped under the ice with Houdini
• Punching a new hole in the ice story
• The Mother scrapbook

Hungary issues an official Houdini stamp

The Hungarian postal service Magyar Posta revealed their new Houdini stamp at The House of Houdini in Budapest, Hungary, today. The stamp commemorates the 150th anniversary of Houdini's birth. The stamp has a face value of HUF 1,270 and was produced in conjunction with The House of Houdini and David Merlini, based on the work of Tamás Ajtai and Barnabás Baticz. The stamp folds open to reveal an image of Houdini. The inside image even includes a hidden lock that is visible under UV light. 

I think this stamp looks fantastic, and I'm thrilled to see Houdini honored in his home country. You can purchase the stamp HERE.

Congratulations to Magyar Posta and The House of Houdini!

Photo courtesy Artin Diramerján and The House of Houdini. You can see more photos from today's event on my Patreon.

Related:

• Marking Houdini's 150th in Budapest
• Houdini honored with U.S. postage stamp
• Houdini stamp from 1951

Houdini's greatest outdoor stunt determined!

Recently, I asked my patrons to vote on which regular Houdini publicity stunt was their favorite. By this, I mean a stunt that Houdini did off-stage, typically outdoors, that was strictly about getting newspaper coverage. Here are the scientific results.

#1 Suspended straitjacket (42%)

Can't say I'm surprised to see this one reach #1, as it would be my choice as well. Houdini first started doing the suspended straitjacket in 1915 and continued it until the end of his career. Not only could the escape be viewed by a maximum number of spectators, but it always drew headlines along with photos of the incredible crowds. It was also an escape that looked much more dangerous than it actually was. It was a winner in Houdini's day and still a winner today!

#2 Bridge jumps (24%)

Houdini began bridge jumping in 1906, and it quickly replaced jailbreaks as his go-to publicity stunt. Unlike jailbreaks, a bridge jump could be witnessed by the public, and provided dramatic images that always made the papers. However, it was dangerous. Houdini could hit the water wrong or collide with underwater objects, both of which happened. One can understand how Houdini would turn to the lower-risk suspended straitjacket. But bridge jumping remains a classic, and it's the stunt that introduced Houdini as a death defier.

#3 Jailbreaking (15%)

A nice ranking for Houdini's earliest publicity stunt of breaking out of jails after being stripped and searched. He became so associated with the stunt that he was sometimes billed as just "The Jail Breaker." But jailbreaking had its drawbacks. It could not be witnessed by the public; Houdini had to rely on newspapers to tell the story. And while not dangerous, it was high risk as far as exposure or failure was concerned. There was no stopping reporters from sharing any embarrassing moments, which did happen. But these escapes, especially when he swapped prisoners around the cells, were spectacular.

#5 Seance busting (9%)

Contrary to popular belief, Houdini only did a few exposures of mediums during seances themselves. But when he did, it drew headlines as large as any escape. Houdini would attend a seance in disguise, typically with an undercover reporter and policeman. At the right moment, he would dramatically reveal himself and the methods of the medium. Apart from a potential lawsuit, there was little risk, and the reward in publicity was well worth it. However, news of such encounters made mediums reluctant to give him sittings, so there was a cost.

#4 Overboard Box (6%)

I'm surprised to see the Overboard Box, in which Houdini would be nailed into a packing case and lowered into a river, rank this low. It's one of his most iconic escapes. However, it does overlap with bridge jumps, so maybe that skews the results. Like a bridge jump, the Overboard Box could be witnessed by the public, it would draw huge crowds and had little risk of exposure. But it was also dangerous and logistically difficult to perform, requiring a crane or a tugboat or both. This might be why, of all of Houdini's outdoor escape stunts, the Overboard Box was the one he did the least.

#5 Feats of strength and endurance (3%)

Houdini occasionally did publicity stunts that had nothing to do with escapes or exposure. I'm calling these "feats of strength and endurance." The most famous of these was his remaining in an air-tight casket submerged in the pool of the Hotel Shelton for over an hour. Had Houdini lived longer, I believe we would have seen these feats become his standard outdoor stunts, replacing the suspended straitjacket escape. Being frozen in block of ice was definitely something he was planning.

#6 Other (0%)

No patrons opted for this, so it looks like we pretty much covered it!

These are the results as of today. However, the poll is still active, so if you want to have your say and maybe move your favorite up a notch, you can still vote as a member of my Patreon. I'm currently offering a special Black Friday sale of 10% off all new memberships by using the promo code BESS.

Happy Thanksgiving

Related:

• Discovering Houdini's "O.D. stunt" at last!
• Pittsburgh fire truck escape mystery
• Boxcar straitjacket escape mystery (SOLVED!)

Houdini wanted to sleep in a Haunted House

Attention Houdini fiction writers! Here's a hook for a story that also happens to be true. When Houdini brought his 3 Shows in One to the Academy of Music in Baltimore, Maryland, for the week of November 9, 1925, he took out the following ad in The Afro-American newspaper.

The Afro American, Nov. 7, 1925.

I've never seen anything like this before. Is it just a clever way to advertise his upcoming appearance at the Academy? For sure. But I also think if someone came forward with a "Haunted House," Houdini would have absolutely followed through and spent the night. He also would have mined it for all the publicity it was worth, and that would have been great! Unfortunately, I could not find any follow-up, so it appears a suitable house did not materialize. 

It's up to you fiction writers to tell the story!

Related:

• Houdini and the Omro possession
• Spooks ahead
• Discovering Houdini's Baltimore

Houdini's house is getting a touch up

If you're heading to New York over the holidays and hoping to get a photo in front of 278, heads up that seeing the outside of the house is a little tricky right now. Our friends Vincent and Niro are having the exterior power washed, cracks repaired, the cornice is being repainted, and other cosmetic touch-ups. It's going to look as good as the day Harry bought it. Probably better!

While you can't see the outside of the house, remember you can see the inside. The owners offer tours. Check out their website house.278.nyc for details, or email Vincent at tours@278.nyc to schedule a time.

We love our friends at 278!

Related:

• Take a tour of Houdini's 278
• New 278 owners committed to preserving Houdini history
• The owners and occupants of Houdini's 278

WIN a FREE one month subscription to my Pateron

Would you like free access to my WILD ABOUT HARRY on Patreon? Here's your chance. I am offering TWO FREE "Handcuff King" subscriptions for the month of December. All you need to do to enter is show off your patron-worthy expertise by answering the following question:

In which theater did Houdini first present 

his Vanishing Elephant Illusion?

You are not obligated to join after your free month, but of course, we would love to have you, and Patreon will make that step very easy for you.

And remember, if we hit 100 paid members, a special treat awaits.

Thanks to all my current and future patrons for your support!

UPDATE: This competition is now closed. Thank you for the entries, and congratulations to our two winners: Rick Belford and Kerry Walton.

Related:

• Announcing WILD ABOUT HARRY on Patreon

Houdini and Edwin Booth's hair

Our friend Eric Colleary, who is currently organizing an exhibit and penning a book devoted to Houdini's Library, alerted me to this post by The Player's Foundation on Facebook. I never knew about this! Eric pointed out that the Harry Ransom Center has the receipt for this donation, an image of which is shared in the comments. The only mistake here is the year is 1917, not 1911.

Collecting someone's hair? What a weirdo. Oh, wait...

Thank you, Eric!

UPDATE: Chuck Romano of My Magic Uncle sent over a clipping from the March 1920 issue of Photoplay with the following quote from Houdini:

 

   "I would not think of carrying a lock of hair," he said. "To me that is the true sign of the hardest of hard luck. Once I bought a collection. In it was a letter written by the Duke of Wellington to an artist who had painted his portrait. In the letter was a lock of the Duke's here. All the time I had it hard luck pursued me.

   Finally I tossed the thing into the fire. The very next day bad luck and Houdini parted company.

   I once had a lock of Edwin Booth's hair that I bought in another collection. Hard luck seems to creep upon me again. I gave that away–and once more, hard luck left me."

Thank you, Chuck!

UPDATE: This story keeps developing. Joe Notaro reminds me of a post he did last year on his blog about Houdini's Duke of Wellington hair lock. He even has a pic. Check that out HERE.

Thank you, Joe!

Related:

• Find of the century?
• Houdini’s Library coming to the HRC in Fall 2026
• Houdini’s Library will also be a book!

Houdini (1953) production stills sell at auction

A remarkable set of 150 production photos from Paramount's Houdini (1953) sold last week at Bonhams "Gone With The Wind: The Walter O'Conner Collection" auction for $3,072 (including buyer premium). This blew away the auction estimate of $300-$500. Lot description is below.

A Houdini Group of Set Stills Paramount Pictures, 1953 

Comprising approximately 150 silver gelatin photographs, all 8 x 10 in., many date stamped (Oct. 1952) to verso, featuring various scene setups including the honeymoon room, the island bridge, the machine shop, Coney Island, the Virginia Theatre, the Houdini home, the Alhambra dressing room and theatre, and many more, most with the scene identification chalkboards indicating the production number and director George Marshall's name and other details, a few featuring the stars of the film including Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. Please note that there may be some duplication of photographs.

Congratulations to the winner of this important Houdini (1953) history. I would love to get a look at these someday.

Related:

• Houdini rises at Paramount
• Houdini (1953) Confidential
• LIFE photos reveals cut wing walking scene from Houdini (1953)

Photos from 'Houdini Odyseia Magiczna'

Here's a nice collection of photos from the play Houdini Odyseia Magiczna (Houdini A Magical Odyssey), which played at the Senatorska 35 in Warsaw, Poland, last summer. The play was written and directed by Michał Walczak. Multiple actors played Harry and Bess at different times in their lives and, based on these images, sometimes at the same time. Looks very stylish and interesting.

These photos come from the website Teatr Zydowski, where you can get more information about the play and flip through the show program.

Related:

• Houdini Plays
• 'Houdini A Magical Odyssey' in Warsaw
• Houdini A Circus Opera (1977)