Today, I share the first part of a Billboard article from my personal collection that includes a letter from Houdini.
New York April 15, 1922 – The Society of American Magicians, thru its president, Harry Houdini issued a direct appeal to theater managers all over the country to aid in its campaign to suppress magical expose. This step was taken after it became known that a motion picture disclosing the secrets of a major illusion had been placed on the market and had been booked for a showing in a Broadway picture theater.
Mr. Houdini’s communication to the managers of the country read:
The Society of American Magicians numbers one thousand members , and we, individually and collectively, are trying to suppress the expose of magic and illusions. We magicians have a hard enough time inventing and creating new ideas, and it is an injustice for anyone, for any reason whatsoever, to expose the mysteries of our protection.
We ask you, as a body, please not to present any film exposing the mysteries to the public, and you, as a showman, know it is unethical, unprofessional, and far from belonging to the decorum of any gentleman in any stage of life to deliberately, either for gain or revenge, injure another’s profession.
We understand that a certain film exposing a major illusion is seeking bookings, which prompts our addressing this letter to you,
(Signed) HARRY HOUDINI
In two weeks, I will share the rest of the article, which explains what major illusion Houdini is referring to.
Next week, I am off to the Magic Collectors Expo and the Harry Ransom Center in Austin Texas.
Nice. I think I know what this trick is. But I won’t spoil it. 🙂
Six months later in the October 1922 issue of Popular Radio, HH exposed David P. Abbott’s Talking Teakettle. The article was called “Ghosts That Talk–by Radio.” Mr. Abbott was not happy about that. In his expose of fake mediums, Harry went a bit too far.
Source notes: Silverman page 285.
Bada Bing!