Last week, I shared Day 4 (Ken Trombly) of my incredible Houdini Adventure on the East Coast, made possible by my friend and tour guide, Fred Pittella.

Today, I share Day 5 (11/4), where Fred Pittella, John Cox and I got to track down Houdini locations in Baltimore and explore the Houdini exhibit at the Jewish Museum of Maryland (JMM), before John Cox gave his Houdini in Hollywood talk and screened The Grim Game at the JMM.

HOUDINI IN BALTIMORE

At the corner of Charles Street and Baltimore, we found the location where the Sun Building would have been where Houdini did his suspended straitjacket escape on April 26, 1916.

 

We then found what turned out to be the site of the Kernan Hotel (where Houdini may have stayed) now Apartments, and a theatre complex that consisted of the Maryland (where Houdini played in 1905, 1907, 1912, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1922, 1925) now gone,

the Auditorium (where Houdini played in 1906) partially standing

and the Academy of Music (where Houdini played in 1925) now gone.

For more details and information, check out John Cox post:

• Discovering Houdini’s Baltimore

Next stop, the Jewish Museum of Maryland (JMM) for their Houdini exhibition, John’s talk on Houdini in Hollywood and the screening of The Grim Game.

EXHIBITION INESCAPABLE: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF HARRY HOUDINI

The exhibition Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini is currently on display through January 19, 2019

It is a must see.  It covers the life of Harry Houdini from birth to death via films, rare artifacts and hands-on illusions.

It covers the early years including: Mayer Samuel & Cecilia Steiner in Budapest, Birth of Erik Weisz, Rabbi Weiss Ordination, Arriving in America, Appleton (1878-1882), Milwaukee (1882–1886), Running away from home, NYC (1887-1892), Dime Museums, Medicine Shows, Brothers Houdini, Metamorphosis, 1893 World’s Fair, Coney Island, Meeting Bess, Welsh Bros Circus, and Vaudeville.

It then covers Martin Beck, Challenges, and Houdini the Self Liberator AKA the Master Mystifier, Jailbreaker, King of Cards, America’s Sensational Perplexer, Handcuff King, Europe’s Eclipsing Sensation, and Genius of Escapes (e.g., Milk Can, Water Torture Cell and Straitjacket).

This is followed by Houdini the Film star,

Exposing Fraudulent Spirit Mediums,

The Final Bow & Curtain Call and Houdini in Maryland.

Thanks to everyone at the Jewish Museum of Maryland and all of the collectors for this incredible gift, truly an amazing display of artifacts and history.

HOUDINI IN HOLLYWOOD AND THE GRIM GAME

At 1pm, John was introduced by David London, the curator for the exhibition.

John then proceeded to give an excellent talk and presentation on Houdini in Hollywood.

He told the amazing story of Houdini’s involvement in early cinema, which included Houdini filming many of his outdoor escapes and showing them at the start of his vaudeville acts. John covered his films: Houdini Defeats Hackenschmidt (1906), Merveilleux Exploits du Celebre Houdini a Paris (1909), The Master Mystery (1918), The Grim Game (1919), Terror Island (1920), The Man From Beyond (1922), Haldane of the Secret Service (1923) and Velvet Fingers (1925-26). John also mentioned Houdini’s motion picture companies: Houdini Picture Corporation, Film Developing Corporation and the Mystery Pictures Corporation. Attendees were treated to dozens of rare photos and film clips of the legendary Harry Houdini in “Action!”, including the recently discovered lost overboard box footage from Terror Island.

John ended his presentation with a thank you.

Next was the 2 pm screening of The Grim Game, starring Harry Houdini.

Echoing John’s words, “Being able to see The Grim Game is now a rare treat. The movie never materialized on DVD and has never repeated on TCM. So it remains the hardest of all of Houdini’s movies to see.”

Everyone who attended were not disappointed, they were treated to something truly special.

Cheers to Houdini and John Cox for a job well-done!

CONCLUSION

Thank You to Fred Pittella, John Cox and everyone at the Jewish Museum of Maryland for making this such a memorable day.