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| South Bend News-Times, Jan. 30, 1924 |
Why was this so hard to find? I've discovered many newspapers ignored a Houdini stunt if it was performed in conjunction with a rival paper. If that rival paper isn't archived online, it's like it never happened. How many more of these are waiting to be discovered, I wonder?
The News-Times building stood at 210 W. Colfax Avenue. Below is a photo of it as it appeared in Houdini's time. Today, the building is long gone.
Happily, the South Bend theater where Houdini appeared, The New Palace, survives today as The Morris Performing Arts Center. So we can add to the list of surviving Houdini theaters as well!
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As a South Bend native, Doug Henning and Harry Blackstone, Jr. were my first magic show experiences in this very theater. My Uncle had told me about Houdini there even though he hadn’t seen it. Howard Thurston had played South Bend as well, my uncle recalled his floating ball fooling him.
ReplyDeleteWow, you saw Henning and Blackstone Jr. in a Houdini theater? Spectacular! Sounds like South Bend has some great magic history. Wonder if Copperfield ever played the Morris?
DeleteHow dare they underplay or ignore The Great Houdini. And, kudos to our favorite digital magician, John Cox, for finding this latest "double" listing.
ReplyDeleteIt was really the rival paper they were ignoring. You'll find plenty of interviews with Houdini in the other papers at this time.
DeleteThe photos in the South Bend News Times look strange. Washed out it white.
ReplyDeleteYeah, not sure if that's the scan or they scanned a misprinted issue. It happens.
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