Not only did we get to see Houdini, Bess, Sir Arthur, and Lady Doyle at their dinner table, but there's also footage of Howard Thurston, Horace Goldin, Max Malini, Carl Rosini, and Houdini on-stage magically producing their wives from a large cloth. Wow!
It's likely the production acquired this footage from a stock footage house. There are several listed in the credits. However, a search of their websites turned up nothing. It's also possible this came from the Doyle estate. Whichever the case, there may be more than what we see here!
I ran a moving picture, taken at the banquet, and if you desire a copy, I shall be pleased to let you have one. It is a remarkably good picture of Lady Doyle, and you have a very amused expression on your face as if you were in a good humor—and I hope you were!
- Houdini to Conan Doyle, June 1922.
If you missed the series, you can watch it for a limited time on the PSB website. The Houdini footage appears in S1 E3: Shadows and Sleuths. You can also buy the series on Amazon. For those in the UK, you can watch the series on the BBC iPlayer under the title Killing Sherlock: Lucy Worsley on the Case of Conan Doyle.
You can also view the footage and read MUM's report on the banquet as a member of my Patreon. Just click below.
Do you know where the footage has been all these years?
ReplyDeleteI don't! They likely got it from a stock footage house. There are several in the credits. I checked all their websites, but nothing online. Next step is emails. I'm also trying to find contact info for the production company. I reached out to Lucy herself on social media, but so far no response. I'm sure there's more footage!
DeleteIt's also possible it came from the archives of the Doyle estate. Houdini appears to have sent Doyle the footage. I just added a quote to the story.
DeleteWhat a great find!
ReplyDeleteA stunner. I screamed and shot out of my seat when it came on.
DeleteAwwwwe. Harry’s so cute when he’s smiling in this one. I can’t help it! 😭❤️ - Abby Martin
ReplyDeleteOh yeah! My mom watched this documentary series recently. She’s really into writing and mysteries and stuff. On our way to the mall she told me she never knew Arthur Conan Doyle was friends with Houdini. I was really excited to talk about that with her and we talked about ACD losing his son, him getting more mystical believing and how he must’ve grown tired of writing Sherlock Holmes. I mean, as a writer I understand writing the same characters for years can be existing. And especially with Arthur, he probably didn’t want to just be known as the guy who created Sherlock Holmes. Yeah, it was so awesome to talk about that with my mom! 😊
*exhausting 😳
DeleteWonderful!
DeleteBy the way, the fact that Houdini is wearing medals on his coat is just priceless.
ReplyDeleteTell me about it! It’s so cute! ❤️ - Abby Martin
Delete*Harry opens his coat and all his metals are shiny*
Great seeing Houdini doing his famous thumb trick for Doyle!
ReplyDeleteBut he flashes! :o
DeleteHoudini: 🎶I’d rather be shiny🎶 ✨ 🤣🤣🤣
DeleteLook at that smile! Be still my heart! What a treasure! I just saw there is a program of the banquet on eBay too and that's so cool.
ReplyDelete