“The Master Mystery” Film Daily Ad – August 25 1918

Harry Houdini is recovering from injuries received while working in the new Houdini (Rolfe) serial [The Master Mystery] at Yonkers, Houdini bumping against a wall while making an indoor descent in a parachute. His left wrist was fractured and bruises suffered, but the injuries will not prevent him from opening with the Hip show, New York, Aug 22. [Variety Fri August 16 1918 page 6 Vaudeville]

“Everything” opens Thursday August 22, 1918 at the Hippodrome (aka the Hip) in New York.

Houdini appeared with his left hand bandaged.  He explained that because of an accident in which his wrist was fractured, he could not present his burial trick.  But he escaped from a straight jacket, while hanging head down, at a height near the top of the proscenium.  He must have been in pain, for he never did the escape quicker in public. [Variety Fri August 30, 1918 page 16 Show Reviews]

Houdini felt called upon to apologize for the simple nature of his stunt. [New York Tribune August 23 1918]

Several acts left “Everything” at the Hippodrome Saturday [Nov 2], including Houdini, Reynolds and Donegan, and Gerda Guida, the Danish danseuse. They had been engaged on a ten-week basis with contracts expiring and not renewed.  Houdini had been working under a handicap ever since the opening of the show because of a broken bone in his wrist. [Variety Fri November 8 1918 page 5 Vaudeville]

When Houdini returns to the Hippodrome he promises to present the most sensational act he has ever attempted.  In full view of the audience, lying flat on the floor of the stage itself, he will allow himself to be covered with three tons of sand — dumped on him out of a big automobile truck.  Then he will dig himself up through the pile in less than 60 seconds.  To make it more difficult Houdini will be put in a strait-jacket before the sand is dumped on him.  The date of his reappearance at the Hippodrome will depend on his complete recovery from a recent accident in which he broke his wrist. [Variety Fri November 29 1918 page 7 Vaudeville]

Harry Houdini was in New York Monday [Dec 2] with the plaster cast off his wrist.  He has a ten weeks’ leave from the Hippodrome.  Three of them have been spent by Houdini before the camera [The Master Mystery].  He may play vaudeville during the other seven weeks outside Greater New York, according to permission given by the Hip management. [Variety Fri December 6 1918 page 11]

Buried Alive Stunt on stage is postponed until September 1926.  The escape is finally debuted at the Majestic Theatre in Boston:

• John Cox blog – Ad shows Houdini performed Buried Alive in 1926
• Dean Carnegie blog – Episode 3 Additional Information (Includes another 1926 Buried Alive ad)