The Official Houdini Séance mystery envelope

Here's a clip from the 1987 Official Houdini Séance, which was held live on television that year. Here we see Sidney Radner showing the seance handcuffs, which still play a role in Official Séances and will be on the table tonight in Appleton. But then Sid shows a sealed envelope that he says contains "a very interesting document from the date of February 27, 1897."

Unfortunately, Houdini did not come back to tell us what was inside that envelope, and as far as I know, it never reappeared at another Official Séance.

What was in the envelope? I have an educated guess, but let's give Harry another chance. If he fails to manifest at any of today's seances, I will share my guess tomorrow.

Remembering

HARRY HOUDINI

on the

98th ANNIVERSARY

OF HIS DEATH

October 31, 1926

The reveal:

So I was all ready to share what I believed was inside the mystery envelope. Then, in a spooky Halloween coincidence, at the start of the Houdini Museum's Annual Houdini Seance online, Dorothy Dietrich showed this from their collection.

As it turns out, THIS is exactly what I think was inside the envelope. This is a reproduction of an advert in an early Houdini scrapbook that was owned by Sidney Radner. It advertises a spiritualist entertainment that Harry and Bess gave at the A.O.U.W. Lodge in St. Joseph, Missouri, on February 27 (the date "1897" is written on the ad, likely by Houdini himself). Dorothy wasn't aware of my post. It was pure coincidence that she decided to show this at the start of their seance.

Should we consider this a message from Houdini? I said that we would give him one more chance. Did he step in and reveal the contents of the mystery envelope via Dorothy? Believe.

However, there is a trick in this treat. The date on this is wrong. Houdini and Bess gave this show on February 27, but the year was actually 1898. Sid Radner didn't know this at the time. It's no wonder it took Houdini 37 years to figure this out!

Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween.

The Houdini way to San Jose

It was 100 years ago today on October 29, 1924, that Houdini gave his spiritualism lecture at the Victory Theatre in San Jose, California. This was Houdini's only visit to the city. A review of the lecture in the San Jose Mercury News began:

    A missionary with a message of sanity and common sense, Houdini, a powerfully built little man in a dress suit, left no doubt in the minds of an audience at the Victory theatre last night that so-called mediums are despicable frauds. It was a wonderful evening's entertainment, the best San Jose has offered in a long time.

During the lecture, SAM member Fred P. Faltersack came onstage to assist Houdini in demonstrations. Faltersack worked at the nearby Winchester Mystery House, the world's most vivid example of how belief in spiritualism can overtake a person's life. After the lecture, Faltersack gave Harry and Bess a midnight tour of the sprawling property. Houdini was reportedly impressed with Mrs. Winchester's seance chamber. The next day, Houdini and company left for San Fransisco.

I recently took a quick trip to San Jose and had a chance to visit the various Houdini locations in the city. There's more than you might think!

First up was the site of The Victory Theatre at 45 N 1st Street (the address later changed to 57 N 1st). The Victory later became a movie theater and was renamed The Crest. In October 1953, it played the Tony Curtis Houdini biopic. So I guess Houdini returned after all! It's fun to think that someone who saw Houdini at The Crest may have also seen the real Houdini there in 1924.

The Crest remained a popular San Jose cinema until 1965, when it burned to the ground. The fire was attributed to two teenage boys. The theater was never rebuilt. 

Today, the site of the Victory/Crest is a parking lot. Ironically, an escape room currently sits at the end of the block.

Just one block over from the Victory is the site of the Empire Theater at 23 N 2nd Street. Hardeen appeared here twice in July and November 1908. The theater closed in 1926. Today, an attractive building stands on the spot, but it's unclear if this is the original theater building. (I don't think it is.)

San Jose Mercury, Nov 17, 1908

Not far from the sites of the Victory and Empire is the still-active Jose Theater at 62 S. Second Street. The Jose's vertical sign once hung outside the Victory/Crest. It was moved and re-lettered after the Victory's destruction in 1965. Theater lore holds that Houdini performed here, but I think it's being confused with the Victory. However, Terror Island played here in 1920, so it still qualifies as a Houdini location to me!

Evening News, June 11, 1920.

San Jose once again became the center of Houdini activity when the PCAM (Pacific Coast Association of Magicians) held its annual convention at the Civic Auditorium in July 1938. Bess was an honored guest and featured in their big show inside the Mongomery Theater. Here, on July 21, 1938, it was proclaimed that Halloween would henceforth be known as National Magic Day in honor of Houdini.

Evening News, July 19, 1938.

The San Jose Civic Auditorium and Mongomery Theater still stand today. So does the Hotel Sainte Claire (today the Westin), where Bess and Ed Saint stayed during the convention. The hotel sits just across the street from the Auditorium at 302 South Market Street.

Finally, the Winchester Mystery House still stands and is a very popular San Jose landmark and tourist attraction. They are proud of their Houdini connection. In their archives, they have a 1924 newspaper clipping that Houdini signed and sent to the house after his visit. A large Houdini poster also hangs in one of their dining rooms.

George Hardeen at the Winchester Mystery House in 2024.

There was a plan to hold a Houdini Seance at the Winchester Mystery House during the 1938 PCAM convention to be attended by Bess and conducted by Ed Saint. The seance was announced in newspapers and magic magazines. But it never happened. In 1976, a local SAM chapter held a 50th Anniversary Houdini seance in the house. 

Genii, July 1938. The seance never happened.

This week, Houdini seances will be held in Appleton, Scranton, Las Vegas, Chicago, and more. But if you ask me, I think this year Houdini's spirit is in San Jose!

Related:

• Houdini's 2nd lecture tour began 100 years ago today
• A Winchester Mystery House mystery...solved?
• Winchester rarities (Patreon exclusive)

When Houdini met Dracula (for real)

I'm kicking off Halloween week with a tale of Houdini and Dracula. This spooky speculation is a Patreon "History Exclusive" that you can read by clicking below.

This is a great week to join my Patreon as I'm planning something special for Halloween. You can join the fun and get access to a wealth of past content for as little as $5 a month. Cancel anytime. You will also be supporting all the work I do here on WILD ABOUT HARRY.

DO NOT subscribe via Apple's iPhone iOS or you will incur a 30% upcharge.

Related:

• Harry Houdini Vampire Hunter
• Harry Houdini VS Dracula (Spooky History)
• Houdini helps a fellow Hungarian from beyond

Houdini’s Library will also be a book!

Last week, I shared the exciting news of a 2026 exhibition at the Harry Ransom Center showcasing Houdini's Library. Here's more good news: Houdini's Library will also be a book!

Dr. Eric Colleary, who is organizing the exhibition, is also penning the companion book. Eric is currently back east doing research at major institutions, such as the Library of Congress, New York Public Library, and Harvard. As the Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center, Eric knows how to navigate large archives and has already unearthed treasures. We will all get to enjoy his discoveries in 2026!

You can read the details about Houdini's Library at the Harry Ransom Center.

Related:

• Houdini’s Library coming to the HRC in Fall 2026
• Eric Colleary mines Houdini gold in D.C. (Patreon exclusive)
• Houdini the bibliophile

Houdini Museum's annual Houdini Séance online

Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum in Scranton and the Society of American Magicians are once again holding their annual Houdini seance tribute live online. Details below.

HOUDINI SÉANCE 

JOIN US FOR AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENT!

YOU'RE INVITED

As a valued member of the Houdini Museum community, we invite you to join us for a special event steeped in mystery and history—Houdini's Séance on October 31, 2024, at 12:30 PM EST.

Every year on the anniversary of Harry Houdini's passing, we gather to honor his legacy with a traditional séance in an attempt to connect with the master illusionist himself. This tradition has been held since Houdini's death, and we continue to uphold it with respect and curiosity. 

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Thursday, October 31, 2024

Time: 12:30 PM EST

Location: Zoom

The actual Houdini Seance will begin at 1:26 PM Eastern, the time Houdini died on Halloween in 1926. This event has always been FREE. 

CLICK FOR ZOOM DETAILS

Whether you're a dedicated fan of Houdini or simply intrigued by the world of magic and mystery, this séance promises an experience you won't want to miss. We look forward to seeing you for an unforgettable afternoon. 

Hope to see you there!

Related:

• Halloween 1936: The Final Houdini Seance
• The secret origins of the annual Houdini Seance
• Houdini Seances go virtual for 2020

Appleton's Houdini 10K run 2024

The city of Appleton, Wisconsin, will hold its annual "Houdini 10K" run next Saturday, November 2. The run starts at Houdini Plaza. Below are details and this year's finishers medal.

The Capital Credit Union Houdini 10k recognizes Appletons iconic resident Harry Houdini and ushers in the beauty of a Wisconsin fall with a scenic course including the Newberry Trail and Appleton Locks. Participants will start at Houdini Plaza and finish in Jones Park to enjoy post-race food & beverage including Copper State Brewing Co. beer to those 21 & older. Additionally, there will be Magicians strolling throughout the morning performing for you to enjoy before and after your run. This event is part of the 4imprint Race Series.

For more information and to register, visit the race's official website.

Related:

• Appleton holds "Houdini 10k" run
• Appleton's Houdini 10K run 2017
• Harry's Thanksgiving run

Jeremy Dimick brings Houdini to Marysville, Oct. 28

Jeremy Dimick, the director of collections and curatorial at the Detroit Historical Society, will host a presentation about "Houdini in Detroit" at the Marysville branch of the St. Clair County Library System on Oct. 28 at 6 p.m.

"The talk is really centered on how Houdini’s 19 different performances in Detroit mirror the trajectory of his career as a whole," Dimick tells The Voice. "He started out performing small Detroit venues, and as his fame grew, he eventually booked larger and larger venues until 1926, his last trip through Detroit, he was headlining his own three-hour long, one-man show. He performed all of his signature tricks for Detroit audiences and by looking at these performances you come away with a really good idea of what it was like to see him perform,"

The presentation will include images, video, and audio of Houdini. Dimick has been hosting presentations about Houdini since 2018.

The Marysville Library is located at 1175 Delaware Ave. in Marysville, Michigan. You can register HERE.

Related:

• Houdini's Detroit today
• Houdini giving his all in Detroit
• The Belle Isle Bridge jump

The Official Houdini Séance returns to Appleton

The Official Houdini Séance returns this year to Houdini's adopted hometown of Appleton, Wisconsin. Below are details.

Houdini Fans to conduct annual Halloween Séance in Houdini’s Hometown

Houdini experts and magic historians will convene in Appleton, WI, for The Official Houdini Séance® at 7:30pm on Oct. 31. The event has been a tradition since Harry Houdini, the world’s greatest magician and escapologist died on Halloween in 1926. The private affair will be conducted at the Trout Museum of Art in downtown Appleton.

“Houdini made a pact with various magicians that if there was a way to return from the dead, he would do it,” said Séance co-director Bill Radner, West Springfield, MA. Radner’s father, Sidney, a protégé of Houdini’s brother, Hardeen, conducted many seances including two in Appleton in 1986 and 1988. “My father was a devoted fan of Houdini his entire life. Houdini’s rise from humble beginnings to world fame inspired him and inspires us today. Houdini was a very determined man and we owe it to his memory to continue our attempt until he breaks through.”

The Official Houdini Séance® has taken place throughout America and internationally with prestigious groups of Inner Circle members. This year is no exception. Dr. Bruce Averbook, noted Houdini collector from Cleveland, OH will lead a distinguished delegation. Besides Radner and Averbook, Debbie Hardeen Bloom-Hardeen’s grandniece, Houdini author Arthur Moses, Houdini enthusiast Midge Markey, handcuff expert Fred Pittella, Meg Hoppe- the great granddaughter of Houdini’s Appleton friend and postmaster Gustav Keller and Houdini collector Robert Somerdin will attend. Séance co-director Tom Boldt will provide the history of Houdini and his family’s ties to Appleton.

“Before Houdini Plaza was created, most people believed Houdini left and never returned to Appleton. Our research proves this was not the case,” said Boldt. “He and his family were always fond of Appleton. Houdini would claim to be born here. He performed here in 1896. He was interviewed by Edna Ferber in Appleton after his European triumphs, visited here numerous times and maintained contact with friends in the city throughout his life.”

The séance venue is also important in the Houdini-Appleton story. The Trout Museum of Art literally sits in the backyard of where Houdini and his family lived between 1878 and 1882. It’s a featured location of the Houdini Walking Tour of downtown Appleton. The museum formerly was a funeral home and Trout Museum staff have reported several unusual occurrences over the years.

The séance will be conducted by medium Cheryl Burch of DePere, WI. She is known for her ability to conduct group seances.

The Official Houdini Séance ® is by invitation only. Members of the media may contact Mr. Radner at rendar1@aol.com or Mr. Boldt at tom.boldt@boldt.com for press passes and additional information.

Sounds like another first class event. How can Houdini resist?

Related:

• Inside The Official Houdini Séance 2023
• New Houdini Plaza opens in Appleton
• The secret origins of the annual Houdini Seance

Geno Munari Houdini collection lost in fire

The $750,000 Houdini collection that Geno Munari donated to Vanishing Inc.'s ShareMagic in 2023 appears to have been lost in a catastrophic warehouse fire. The collection included personal letters, props, scrapbooks, posters, and one-of-a-kind memorabilia. Many of the items had once been part of the Sidney Radner collection.

Vanishing Inc. co-founder Joshua Jay tells me they have not yet been able to access the section of the warehouse that held the collection, so there's still a chance some items could be recovered. But I have also heard it is a total loss. The fire occurred on June 6, 2024, at their Sacramento warehouse, which had been the company’s retail headquarters for over a decade. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

The company's computers were also casualties of the fire, so it's unclear if even an inventory of the collection survived. However, the good news is Geno professionally photographed and documented every item, so there is a complete record of what went to Vanishing Inc. This means the vital history contained in the collection is retrievable, even if the artifacts themselves are now lost.

ShareMagic, a 501(c)3 nonprofit, had planned to use the collection to create "an unparalleled exhibition that will bring Houdini's legacy to life for generations to come." Instead, this may turn out to be the single largest loss of Houdini history ever.

You can read Vanishing Inc.'s account of the fire on their blog and find additional details at One Ahead.

Related:

• Geno Munari donates Houdini collection to Vanishing Inc. charity fund
• Sidney Radner collection to be auctioned in Las Vegas
• Burglar destroys Houdini collection in arson fire

Houdini’s Library coming to the HRC in Fall 2026

Exciting news! Our good friend Dr. Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center, is organizing a major Houdini exhibition for Fall 2026. You can read the details below or at the Harry Ransom Center website.

Discover the hidden treasures of Houdini’s Library, an exhibition that delves into the life and extraordinary collection of Harry Houdini, one of history’s most famous illusionists. On stage, Houdini crafted his performances with a deep sense of history and the magicians who came before him. Off stage, he spent years building a collection of books, manuscripts, and ephemera documenting the long global history of magic and theatre. From a first edition of Reginald Scot’s 1584 classic The Discoverie of Witchcraft to the handwritten travel diary of legendary actor David Garrick, delve into how Houdini’s collection reflected his quest to preserve history—a tradition continued by the Ransom Center since it acquired his collection in 1958. Commem-orating the centenary of Houdini’s death in 1926, Houdini’s Library invites visitors to explore the intersections of magic, history, and collecting. 

This exhibition is organized by Dr. Eric Colleary, Cline Curator of Theatre and Performing Arts.

Looks like we're all going to Austin in 2026!

Related:

• Houdini the bibliophile
• Treasures from the Harry Ransom Center revealed
• Harry Ransom Center reopens Houdini and magic collections

Houdini's Ku Klux Klan encounter

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Houdini's spiritualism lecture at the Ku Klux Klan Auditorium in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 18, 1924. Yes, you heard me right. Houdini, a Jewish immigrant, spoke at a Ku Klux Klan Auditorium.

However, this was not a Ku Klux Klan event. While the auditorium bore the Klan's name and held Klan gatherings, it also served as a general civic auditorium for Fort Worth. The 2000-seat theater saw many varied events, including a concert by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. It was also where the Lyceum circuit booked their lecturers, so...

The lecture that night proved to be one of Houdini's more combative. He was confronted by a medium named Howard Whitesides, who had failed to produce spirit photographs for Houdini earlier that day. The account in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram gives a blow-by-blow:

Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Oct. 19, 1924.

If Houdini had any reservations about appearing at an auditorium bearing the name of the Ku Klux Klan, he never voiced them, as far as I know. But some citizens of Fort Worth voiced theirs. Just three weeks after Houdini's appearance, the auditorium was destroyed in a bombing.

The Paterson Evening News, Nov. 13, 1924

Want more? I've uploaded a collection of clippings related to Houdini's infamous Klan auditorium lecture, including the full Star-Telegram review, for my "Scholar" patrons below. 

Related:

• Houdini's 2nd lecture tour began 100 years ago today
• Houdini's Fort Worth street feats
• Report: The Official Houdini Séance 2012

No escape

Here's a fun one that's new to me. I'll let it speak for itself.

Bangor Daily Commercial, Sept. 27, 1921.

By the way, $12,500 is the equivalent of $197,646 today. Maybe the three of them could have worked something out!

Related:

• Houdini has no time for love
• Houdini is a Historical Hottie
• VIZ names Houdini the "Hunkiest Harry"

The Legend of Houdini with Greg Chapman

Magician Greg Chapman will debut his new show, The Legend of Houdini, at Alvechurch Village Hall in Birmingham, England, on October 23, 2024. Below are details. 

Even though Harry Houdini passed away nearly 100 years ago, he remains one of the most famous magicians the world has known. This is mostly because Houdini, as well as being a respected magician and escape artist, was above all a wonderful self publicist.

Never one to let the truth get in the way of a good story, especially one about himself, Houdini created his own legend.

Now, modern magician and escape artist Greg Chapman (creator and performer of The Non-Psychic ‘Psychic’ Show and writer of Greg and Felicity’s History of Magic) is taking to the stage with a new show, in which he performs effects and escapes inspired by Houdini, and shares some of the stories, both true and… exaggerated… that make up The Legend of Houdini!

£1 from every ticket sold for this show will be donated to Rescate Wildlife Rescue Center, Costa Rica.

You can purchase tickets at Ticket Source.

Greg will be touring The Legend of Houdini throughout the UK. You can see a list of upcoming shows HERE.

Related:

• Everyone's first Houdini poster
• I'm starting to think Houdini isn't always honest with us
• All posts related to Houdini events

Dunhill's Harry Houdini Commemorative Pipe

If I smoked, I would smoke a pipe. And if I smoked a pipe, it would be this one! Famed pipe maker Dunhill has crafted a special pipe commemorating Houdini's 150th birthday. Breathe in the details below.

Dunhill Harry Houdini Commemorative Pipe
In 2024 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of entertainer Harry Houdini they released a special book edition pipe. A forward leaning dublin shape with an eye catching diamond shaped shank. The tamper captures in fine detail the bust of Harry Houdini wrapped in chains descending into a trademark milk churn. As this quaint pipe is not one of Dunhill's regular production shapes, it does not feature a traditional 4 digit code. The base is stamped with a 4 in a circle, indicating it's group 4 size. The collectable set is completed with a leather bound book case and a certificate of authenticity.

You can buy Dunhill's Commemorative Harry Houdini pipe at Smoking Pipes.com (this is the pipe pictured above). I also see a different pipe style at Goodfella's Cigar Shop, so you might want to investigate before buying.

Related:

• Houdini is alive and well at 150
• Houdini's Water Torture Cell 1 oz Silver Coin
• Houdini & Doyle (ep. 4): Spring Heel’d Jack

LINK: Harry Houdini in Salt Lake City, 1915

Here's a nice post on Rachel's SLC History about Houdini's appearance in Salt Lake City in 1915. Rachel gave me a nice shout-out, so happy to return the favor. I enjoy supporting blogs that are still created by human beings! And Rachel's story graphic (right) is pretty cool.

Click the headline to read at Rachel's SLC History.

Related:

• Houdini's Salt Lake City sequel
• Salt Lake City History Minute - Harry Houdini
• Hardeen in caricature

Ragtime restored 40th Anniversary Blu-ray

I don't know how I missed this, but in 2021, Paramount released a newly restored version of the 1981 film Ragtime on Blu-ray. The Blu-ray contains the restored theatrical cut, a recently discovered workprint featuring additional scenes, including the lengthy cut scene with Emma Goldman, and lots of extras. 

Layering fascinating characters with the riotous events of early 1900s America, the best-seller by E.L. Doctorow became a cinematic epic under the direction of two-time Oscar winning director Miloš Forman. From the emerging New York suburb of New Rochelle to the flashy spectacle of Atlantic City, a family faces racial tensions, scandals and violence that will test everything they believe in. Newly remastered from a 4K film transfer for its 40th Anniversary, RAGTIME features an unforgettable music score by Randy Newman, and an incredible all-star cast that includes/ James Cagney in his first (and final) role in nearly two decades, Donald O’Connor, Mandy Patinkin, Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Elizabeth McGovern, Moses Gunn, Pat O’Brien, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, John Ratzenberger, Michael Jeter, Norman Mailer, and Samuel L. Jackson.

While Houdini plays a sizable role in the Ragtime book and stage musical, his role in the film is reduced to newsreel footage and a suspended straitjacket. However, I still consider it part of the larger Houdini filmography. There are no extra Houdini scenes in the cut footage, but I did learn from the commentary track that James Randi served as technical adviser for the straitjacket escape, which actor Jeffrey DeMunn performed himself.

I also learned that Robert Altman of M*A*S*H and Nashville fame was initially attached to direct Ragtime from a script by E.L. Doctrow himself. This is likely when John Belushi was in the mix to play Houdini, as the role would have been much larger. I have to say, I love the idea of a Robert Altman-directed Ragtime. He would have kept the ensemble and the sprawl. But I still enjoy the film that we have, especially the score by Randy Newman.

Purchase the Ragtime 40th Anniversary Blu-ray at Amazon.com.

By the way, I learned about this Blu-ray from the below interview with Charlotte Barker, Director of Film Preservation and Restoration at Paramount Pictures, who championed this release. It's a good interview worth a watch.

Related:

• Houdini in the 1981 Ragtime movie
• John Belushi almost played Houdini
• Houdini on the covers of Ragtime

Houdini's 2nd lecture tour began 100 years ago today

It was 100 years ago today on Oct. 9, 1924, that Houdini kicked off his second Spiritualism lecture tour at the Pine Street Church in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Houdini began his talk by telling the crowd that he had first been to Williamsport during his 1895 tour with the Welsh Bros. Circus and that he had never seen a town that had changed so much over the years.

Today, Williamsport commemorates both his appearances with a historical marker erected by Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz in 2016.

Houdini's second spiritualism tour, now called "Can the Dead Speak To the Living?" took him on a 9000-mile cross-crossing route through Texas, Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, California, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Ohio, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York. His two combined tours covered almost 12,000 miles during this single year.

For this occasion, I've created an interactive Google map showing the complete route of Houdini's two tours (as far as I know them). If you're a member of my Patreon, you can start the journey by clicking below.

Thanks to my patrons for supporting content like this.

Related:

• Houdini's war on fake mediums began 100 years ago today
• Houdini describes his spiritualism lecture in full
• Williamsport honors their "Wild Man" with historical marker

Gary Larson on his Houdini Far Side

Here's a classic from The Far Side with a Houdini twist. Pretty funny. Last week, Screen Rant published an interview with artist Gary Larson, who talked about this specific comic. Says Larson, "I remember all too well my long day in hell with this cartoon."

From Screen Rant:

Despite the comic successfully conveying its joke, Larson spent hours trying to get Houdini's 'corpse' right. Larson had to walk a fine line for what was acceptable to publish in newspapers all over the country, but also thought that a corny Halloween skeleton wouldn't achieve the darkness needed to make the joke genuinely funny. 

The Far Side creator recalls: Now, if you will, please pretend that you are the Cartoon Coroner and take a closer look at the "deceased." What we have here is a decomposed body, with the main focus on the head. If it's too gruesome, it doesn't work. If it's too corny, it doesn't work. The expression on that face has to simultaneously capture silliness and scariness, horror and hilarity, sadness and stupidity. For me, this meant draw, erase, draw, erase, draw, erase ... for hours. I couldn't get it, although I think in the end I got sort of close. ... If it hadn't been for my deadline, I might be sitting there to this very day, doomed to draw Houdini's skull for the rest of my life until I, too, am discovered one day looking much like this very drawing, only perhaps funnier.

You can read the full interview at Screen Rant. Below are some (less funny) Houdini corpse-related posts.

Related:

• What remains of Harry Houdini?
• Houdini death photo keeps us guessing
• "Death expert" Bill Bass to examine Houdini's corpse

Halloween screening of The Grim Game in Chicago

Here's an exciting Houdini Halloween event from Sideshow Gelato and the Society of American Magicians. Details below.

You don't want to miss this SPOOKTACULAR Double Feature! Starting the night off right with a LIVE ESCAPE SHOW! See straight jacket escapes! lock picking! chains! and more! Our show before the show will begin at 7pm! The lost silent film, The Grim Game featuring Harry Houdini will begin at 8:30!

ABOUT THE SHOW

We are once again collaborating with The Society of American Magicians to bring you a show loaded with action! See recreations of some of your favorite Harry Houdini Escapes! We'll have straight jackets! Handcuffs! Chains! and more!

To reserve your spot we ask for a $31 donation. If you would like to donate any other amount come see us day of show. However we can not guruntee space for everyone with our seating limit. The show is BYOB with a $5 corkage fee (please drink responsibly).

For more information and to buy tickets CLICK HERE.

Thanks to Cassidy Rose.

Related:

• Houdini sells out in Sierra Madre
• The Grim Game is a hit on Terror Island
• Houdini conquers Hollywood (at last) in The Grim Game

The Columbia was wild about Harry!

I've seen effusive Houdini advertising before, but this ad for the independently run Columbia Theatre in Cincinnati, Ohio, takes the cake. This was for Houdini's two-week run in January 1908. I love how it adds "And Houdini" after every other name on the bill.

Cincinnati Post, Jan. 6, 1908

I would love to know what exactly was displayed in Max Joseph's cigar store window. 

This was Houdini's third appearance at the Columbia. During his first week, he escaped from a cell at Cincinnati’s Central Station in 31 minutes. The cell had once held the infamous Scott Jackson (right), a murderer whom some believed had hypnotic power and was able to impose his will on victims using his steel blue eyes.

During his second week, Houdini featured a string of challenges: packing case (Monday), leather bag (Tuesday), iron-bound willow hamper (Wednesday), paper bag (Thursday), and a packing case built on the stage (Friday). He finished his run on Saturday with a straitjacket escape in eight minutes on a $100 wager.

Another nice detail about this engagement is that Houdini's mother joined him. Houdini recorded in his diary that, upon her arrival in Cincinnati, “Charlie the dog went wild for thirty minutes with joy.”

The Columbia Theater stood at 525 Walnut Street. It became part of the Keith circuit in 1910 and was renamed the B.F. Keith Theater in 1912. Houdini played the theater seven times. It closed in September 1965 and was demolished in July 1966. Today, it is the site of Fountain Square.

Want more? You can download research related to Houdini's 1908 engagement in Cincinnati as a Scholar member of my Patreon below. Thanks to my patrons for supporting content like this.

Related:

• Off-script in Cincinnati
• LINK: Houdini, Martin Beck, and Herrmann in Cincinnati
• Houdini living on the air in Cincinnati

Houdini and The Last Action Hero

The Last Action Hero is an awful movie—famously awful. It was the first bomb after a string of successes for star Arnold Schwarzenegger. However, The Last Action Hero has a Houdini reference that's integral to the plot. Luckily, you don't need to watch the movie to see it. The entire "Houdini's Magic Ticket" scene is below.

If you're curious, the theater we see here is the 1927 Orpheum in downtown Los Angeles. The exterior is the Empire Theater on 42nd Street in New York. Houdini never played either theater.

Related:

• Houdini nods in Disney's new OZ
• The best Houdini movie without Houdini
• List of surviving Houdini theaters

American Oddities Museum Houdini Seance

What better way to kick off October 2024 than with news of a Halloween Houdini seance. This sounds like a must if you live near Alton, Illinois. Details below.

Join author and host Troy Taylor at the American Oddities Museum in the Mineral Springs Hotel in Alton for this special Halloween event as we continue the tradition of attempting to contact the spirit of one of the great magicians and illusionists who ever lived! On Halloween night of 1926, Harry Houdini stepped through the curtain from this world to the next, promising that if it was possible to reach out from beyond the grave — he would do so! Over the years, there have been many attempts to reach Houdini in the next world — and despite several close calls — his spirit has remained elusive. Will this finally be the year? And will it happen at the American Oddities Museum, where relics from Houdini’s life are on display?  

This is your chance to find out — and we’ll have VERY LIMITED SPOTS AVAILABLE, so you don’t want to miss out!

You can get more information and purchase tickets HERE.

If you are organizing or know of any Houdini seances or Houdini-themed Halloween events, feel free to let me know, and I will give it a shoutout!

Related:

• The secret origins of the annual Houdini Seance
• Halloween 1936: The Final Houdini Seance
• The Final Houdini Seance redux 1986