No more posts this week as I'm shipping off to the Magic Collector Expo aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach. I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone, hearing some great talks, and giving my own talk about Houdini's ships on Thursday. Hope to see you onboard!Houdini aboard the SS Imperator in 1913. (Library of Congress)If you'd like a preview of my talk, click below to see a unique ..read more

We are fast approaching the centenary of Houdini's famous seances with Mina Crandon, aka Margery, in Boston. During this high-stakes battle, Houdini built a special box to control the wily medium. He called it the "Margie Box." Whatever happened to the Margery box? When I asked this question in 2012, Anna Thurlow, Mina Crandon's great-granddaughter, provided this intriguing answer:"When I ..read more

This historical marker can be found at the Old Stafford Opera House in Columbus, Texas. It shows Houdini performed at the historic theater. But did he?Unfortunately, I have no record of Houdini in Columbus, and I have a pretty complete listing of all the stops on his Texas tours of 1916, 1923, and 1924. However, there is still a possibility that he appeared at the Stafford due to a certain ..read more

Today marks the 100th Anniversary of Houdini's last book, A Magician Among the Spirits, published on May 2, 1924, by Harper & Brothers in New York.Below is a positive review of the book from The Evening Sun.The Evening Sun, June 28, 1924And a less positive review from the Cleveland Plain Dealer.Cleveland Plain Dealer, June 7, 1924Shortly after publication, Houdini discovered an error in the ..read more

Houdini Unbound: Mystery, Music and Flying Machines by Alan Attwood is released today in Australia and the UK. The novel mixes Houdini's real-life tour of Australia with fictional adventures, which is an approach to Houdini fiction that I like. Below is the description.It is 1910. Halley's Comet is coming. Harry Houdini is in Australia for the first time. The most celebrated escape ..read more

If you're a Houdini fan and an IBM member, then you will be happy with the April 2024 issue of The Linking Ring. The magazine contains three notable Houdini pieces.The first is "The Search For The Holy Grail of Houdini Handcuffs" in which Joe Notaro outlines his discoveries regarding the elusive Tatler Mirror Handcuffs. In the second, David Haversat tells the story of Bess and magician William ..read more

One of my favorite YouTube channels is Oceanliner Designs with Michael Brady. This guy is wild about ships! In the video below, Michael takes a look at three German superliners, including SS Imperator. Houdini fans will recognize this as the ship Houdini was on when he met and mystified President Theodore Roosevelt with the spirit slates. It's fascinating to learn the full story of this ..read more

Houdini's Water Torture Cell made its last public appearance on the night of October 11, 1926, in Albany, New York. This was the night Houdini broke his ankle. Despite plans to resume the cell in Detroit, Houdini died before that happened. After that, the famed prop remained out of sight for the next 45 years. Then, in 1971, two Water Torture Cells, both claiming to be the original, returned ..read more

The mighty Arthur Moses has released Houdini Periodical Bibliography References From 1898 - 2023: Revised Third Edition. First released in 2006 and revised in 2015, this latest edition includes over 3700 citations in 40 languages.Few legendary men, real or imagined, retain their celebrity nearly 100 years after their passing. However, Harry Houdini was one such man. Covering a time period ..read more

Tonight I'll be the guest of the S.A.M. Virtual Assembly #1. We'll be talking about, what else, Houdini! While this is something that's offered to S.A.M. members specifically, non-members can join with the Zoom info, so here it is:Topic: Assembly V1.1Time: April 21, 2024. 7:30 PM Eastern / 4:30 PM PacificJoin Zoom Meeting: [This meeting is now over] Hope to see you there! Related ..read more