Continued from Sequence E

Powers shakes his head no, when the Manager of the Empress Theatre in Times Square asks if Houdini is here.

Houdini is still at the hospital with his sick kid, which has taken the kick out of all the success he had in New York.

Houdini is leaning up against the wall of the corridor. Bess sits in the little chair next to him. They quickly turn as the door near which they are placed, opens.  Two Doctors come out. These are Doctors Perry and Kahn. Houdini quickly straightens up.

The doctors tell Houdini the baby is very sick and they are doing everything they possibly can and that they should get some rest.

Houdini insists on the truth; Dr. Khan tells him it is out of his hands and he needs a little help (and with that he looks up)

Next, we see Houdini sitting in a cab looking up and saying a prayer:

I don’t know whether YOU’RE up there or not.  They say you are.  I want to believe that. Don’t do anything to my son — If you want, do something to me, but leave him alone — he’s so little.  You’re the top act – the top magician — Open up your bag of tricks – Help my boy. Help him! Please – help him!

Next, we see Houdini is being tied to a board on a buzz saw.

An assistant on the stage pulls a huge lever. There is the sound of the buzz saw turning. In another instant the traveling table, with Houdini bound to it, his head facing the saw, slowly begins to move toward the saw.  There is a distance of about 12 feet from Houdini’s head to the saw.

On the table as he begins to move his arms.  He shakes his head as if trying to fight off something. He’s usually free by now.  The table is much closer to the saw. He is struggling with his bonds.  Again he makes that gesture of shaking something off his mind.

Houdini has freed the upper part of his body and struggling with the bonds around his knees which still hold him fast to the table.  He comes nearer and nearer to the saw then suddenly he gets free just as it would appear as if the saw must strike him. As Houdini frees himself. He half turns his body and we can the saw clip his coat.

After the show, a doorman walks into scene and Houdini asks if he saw the show. The doorman says no and Houdini tells him he missed a great show, death just missed me like that.

The doorman bows his head and tells Houdini he’s got a message from the hospital.

Death didn’t miss Houdini altogether.

Houdini closes his eyes in shock and quickly runs off stage.

Houdini is then seen standing with Bess at the hospital. He holds her close in his arms as she sobs.  In front of them is a small bed.  Houdini is looking at the bed, his face is grief-stricken.

Bess asked why did it have to be that way, she prayed and prayed for some help.

Houdini said he prayed too, for the first time in his life and the last.

To be continued…Sequence G