This is fun. Some nice Houdini references, and I've had the pleasure of meeting three of these four magicians. Ladies and gentlemen, the Champions of Magic!
You can buy tickets and check out tour dates for the Champions of Magic at their website.
Thursday, April 3, 2025
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Doyle & Houdini comic from Spain
You can purchase Doyle & Houdini at the Amaniaco website, where you can also see sample artwork.
Tuesday, April 1, 2025
DIARY BOOK COVER REVEAL! (update)
Today, I'm thrilled to reveal the cover of my upcoming book annotating Houdini's first travel diary. I think you will all agree, this is magical.
Related:
Dear Diary: The Hopes, Dreams, and Secret Loves of Harry Houdini is at the printer and on track for a late summer 2025 release from Mike Caveney's Magic Words.
UPDATE: Just an April Fools Day joke, folks. But it is true that the book is at the printers and will be out this summer. 👏
Related:
Monday, March 31, 2025
Houdini and the wardrobe trunk
Did Houdini invent the wardrobe trunk? He did if you ask him! The full story behind this strange claim has finally come to light. I've shared it as a Patreon History Exclusive below.
Friday, March 28, 2025
Hardeen's last bow
We all know the details of Houdini's last performance at the Garrick Theater in Detroit. But what about Hardeen's last show? On what stage did he take his final bow? Until now, I only knew that it was in Ridgewood, New York, on May 29, 1945. So I decided to do a little digging and was surprised to find Bob Hope!
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| Brooklyn Eagle, May 29, 1945. |
If you look carefully at this ad, which ran in several New York papers on May 29, 1945, you'll see "Hardeen & others" in very small print along the side.
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This points to the RKO Madison Theater, located at 54-30 Myrtle Avenue in the Ridgewood area of Queens. The below confirms that.
It appears this was a one-day performance at the Madison, which was primarily a movie theater. But while waiting for the new Bob Hope film to arrive, you could catch a day of old-time vaudeville. It's interesting to think of how Hardeen's career spanned the history of vaudeville, from its beginnings at theaters like the Imperial to its decline as a one-day novelty at theaters like the RKO Madison.
It was during this final show that Hardeen named Douglas Geoffrey his successor, "Hardeen Jr." The next day, he went into Doctors Hospital for an operation. He never came out.
The RKO Madison opened in 1927 as the Keith-Albee Madison Theatre. It featured vaudeville and movies. It dropped vaudeville as a regular feature in 1932 when it became part of RKO. But its large stage was still sometimes used for live performances. In 1966, escape artist Mario Manzini performed there.
The Madison became a grindhouse in the 1970s and closed in 1978. But the building still stands today as the Liberty Department Stores. Where Hardeen took his last bow.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
The Magic Castle reorganizes with Houdini's help
The Academy of Magical Arts and Magic Castle Enterprises have signed a new agreement to share in the responsibilities and profits of the world's famous Magic Castle in Hollywood. The deal was signed in the newly refurbished Houdini Seance Room using a Houdini House Pen. A good way to start!
A new era begins! ✨ It’s official—the Academy of Magical Arts (AMA) and Magic Castle Enterprises (MCE) have signed the Resolution Implementation Agreement! This landmark agreement secures a vibrant future for the Magic Castle, preserving its legacy and ensuring that magic, artistry, and community continue to thrive for generations to come.
Photography by @danapleasantphotography from The Magic Castle Facebook page.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Ghost Adventures goes in search of Houdini
Check out this promo for the upcoming season of the popular Ghost Adventures. Zak Bagans and the gang are going in search of Houdini at the historic Winchester Mystery House.
You can see that our friend George Hardeen is part of the action. I also traveled to San Jose to participate in the investigation. I'm not sure if I made the final cut, but we'll see. Did we encounter any spirits? You'll have to tune in for the answer!
Prepare for the most intense season yet. Ghosts, witches, and a historic séance with a blood relative of Houdini. This is uncharted territory. A new season of #GhostAdventures Wednesday, April 16 on Discovery!
Monday, March 24, 2025
Houdini turns 151
We just wrapped up Houdini's birthday celebration on Zoom with Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum and a great gathering of Houdini nuts. We went for five hours and I think everyone had a good time, especially the guy below.
Below are some links to new books we discussed, including The Cancer of Superstition, which releases today!
Houdini The Ultimate Trivia Compendium (Collectors Edition)
and
Thanks to Michael Albright and The Magic Castle Facebook page for the above image.
Saturday, March 22, 2025
Come wish Harry a Happy Birthday on Zoom
Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz at the Houdini Museum in Scranton in association with the S.A.M will once again be holding a birthday celebration for Houdini live on ZOOM. You can join the fun on Monday, March 24, at 1:00 PM ET. Details below. Hope to see you there!
🎉 Houdini Birthday Celebration 🎂
March 24, 2025 01:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting:
Meeting ID: 856 0342 0717Passcode: 653777
Friday, March 21, 2025
Deconstructing Houdini '53: Come in, spirits
Continuing my scene-by-scene dissection of Houdini (1953). Last time, we discovered what Houdini had been doing in seclusion for two whole years. Now, we join him in his strange quest to reach the Beyond...
Chapter 21: Come in, spirits
Most people fault Houdini (1953) for creating the myth of (spoilers!) Houdini dying in the Water Torture Cell. But the far more pernicious myth to come out of the film is the idea that Houdini's mother's death is what led directly to his involvement in spiritualism. The truth is Houdini's interest in spiritualism goes all the way back to the beginning of his magic career, and his crusade against fraud mediums came ten years after his mother's death. As far as I know, he did not attend any seances immediately after her demise.
However, his mother's death provides such a perfect narrative link to spiritualism that screenwriter Philip Yordan fused the two, and later screenwriters and documentarians all followed suit. Thus, the idea is still ingrained in the minds of the public today.
Having got that bit of business out of the way, let's go to a séance!
We drop into the scene mid-séance as Harry, Bess, and reporter Simms sit around a table with an unnamed medium played by Mabel Paige. She intones, "Come in, spirits. Come in, spirits." And they do! Spirit hands, a tambourine, and a spirit trumpet all float through the air. A veiled entity whips past the sitters. Mr. Simms looks ready to bolt, but Bess tells him to remain steady.
Suddenly, the French doors burst open, and the spirit of a woman floats just outside the window. The strains of "The Golden Years," which we first heard when Harry and Mama danced in Germany, mysteriously plays in the room. This manifestation is the grand finale as the medium wavers and then faints, her head falling atop the table with a thunk.
After the lights come on, the attendees discuss what they saw. Bess says the spirit in the garden "did bear a resemblance to Mama," and Houdini notes that the waltz they heard was his mother's favorite song. The medium tells them they are fortunate, as most first sessions produced nothing. "It usually takes several before the receptive vibration is established."
I always found it amusing that they only discuss the music and apparition in the garden and not the far more baffling manifestations that preceded this. Of course, those were done via optical effects in post-production. I would be interested to know if they even appear in the script. They may have been added after the fact to provide the séance with some more spooky thrills.
The French doors burst open again. This time, Otto comes in holding a man, Kit Guard, who has the "Mama" spirit apparition on his head. Houdini then pulls a microphone down from the chandelier. He then fishes under the table with his foot until he finds the trigger that starts the music, which is supplied by a phonograph hidden in a chair. Busted!
A bemused Simms asks Houdini if all mediums are fakes. Houdini quickly answers, "No, I'm sure there are those who are sincere and believe what they're doing. I just haven't found them yet."
This sentiment isn't too far from Houdini's real statements. However, I sense this line is in the movie to head off potential controversy. If so, it worked. As far as I know, Houdini (1953) did not draw any ire from the Spiritualism community.
As they depart, the medium looks to her accomplice and whacks him hard, barking, "Take that thing off!" Funny.
So did this kind of thing happen? Absolutely. However, it happened far less than most people think. While Houdini attended hundreds of séances, he rarely exposed mediums on the spot. He would generally thank the medium but say that he hadn't seen anything "evidentiary" and depart. However, there were a few high-profile exposés that did play out on the spot and drew headlines as a result.
Speaking of headlines, we now get Montage #3, beginning with the "What's become of Houdini?" layout now filled in with his spirit exposures. Notice there are dates visible on these newspaper pages. The first is dated March 2, 1922, which is pretty accurate to the start of Houdini's public activities related to Spiritualism.
If you look closely, you can see three illustrations from Houdini's Margery pamphlet on the page below. So, technically, the famous Margery does appear in Houdini '53!
We then see a headline touting Houdini's $25,000 challenge for proof of contact with the spirit world. This one is dated August 28, 1924, and is generally accurate, although Houdini's personal bounty was $10,000.
We end with a headline in Billboard dated September 11, 1925: "Houdini Returns to Magic: Goes on Tour." Notice the cigar in the astray and the shadow of the telephone, suggesting this is the desktop of a showbiz bigshot. Martin Beck or E.F. Albee maybe?
While the date here is accurate to the launch of Houdini's first "3 Shows in One" tour, spiritualism remained a big part of his life and act. But as far as Houdini '53 is concerned, his time among the spirits is now over.
Want more? I have a special epilogue to this installment on my Patreon. Click below for a quick trip to the afterlife.
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Houdini: The Ultimate Trivia Compendium Limited Edition
Joe Hernadez is now offering a special hardcover edition of his book Houdini: The Ultimate Trivia Compendium. The book is signed and limited to 200 copies with new cover art by Tom Interval and gold color metal corners.
To commemorate Houdini's 150th birthday anniversary, Joe Hernandez—an accomplished magician and devoted Houdini enthusiast—brings the man behind the magic to life. This compendium is not just a collection of trivia but a captivating exploration of mastery, determination, and the relentless pursuit of the extraordinary. 359 pages with over 208 photographs.
The cost is $95 plus $6.50 for Medial Mail shipping. You can only buy this edition directly from Joe via PayPal joedez53@gmail.com. Please use "Friends and Family" when making your PayPal payment. Be sure to provide an address.
If you tell Joe you saw it on WILD ABOUT HARRY, he will select a low number for you!
Related:
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
No love for The Truth
That's why I'm so surprised to read this review in the December 30, 1970 Northern Echo that excoriates it! But the doc did generate controversy, at least in the UK. The Magic Circle objected to what it believed were exposures. However, apart from the cross escape (which was removed at some point), there are no significant exposures.
Anyway, this is a fun read, and I can't condemn someone for defending Houdini, even though, in my opinion, it was unnecessary.
Related:
Want more? You can view the cut cross escape footage as a Scholar member of my Patreon below.
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