Film Treatments by Houdini – Haldane of the Secret Service or Mysterious Mr. Yu

Houdini wrote, produced and starred in two of his feature films; he wrote a number of treatments – plots for potential productions; and he self-published several of these treatments. *

This post continues a series of posts where I summarize (or share tidbits about) the film treatments he wrote:

  • The Marvelous Adventures of Houdini (1917)*
  • The Man From Beyond (1921)
  • HALDANE OF THE  SECRET SERVICE or MYSTERIOUS MR. YU (1921)*
  • Frizzo––Master Magician (1921)
  • Yar, the Primeval Man (1921)*
  • Il Mistero di Osiris or The Mystery of the Jewel (1921)*
  • The Great Tontine (unpublished)* [Tom Boldt Collection (TBC)]
  • The Monster (unpublished)* [TBC]
  • The Vulture (unpublished)* [TBC]
  • Floating Through Space (unpublished)* [TBC]
  • Blood Brothers (unpublished) [TBC]
  • Out of the Shadows (unpublished) [HHCE Collection]

* “Film Treatment” can be found in Patrick Culliton’s book, Houdini’s Strange Tales – A Collection of fiction by the legendary Harry Houdini [1992]

A scarce pamphlet published by Houdini to secure a copyright to establish film rights. This one sold for $750 at 2018 Potter Auction and another one sold for $1600 at 2014 Potter Auction

Today, we look at, Haldane of the Secret Service or Mysterious Mr. Yu, courtesy of The Original Houdini scrapbook by Walter B. Gibson:

Note:  There is also a reprint put out by the Houdini Family Collection. Below is my copy:

2 thoughts on “Film Treatments by Houdini – Haldane of the Secret Service or Mysterious Mr. Yu

    • I picked up the reprint, along with one for Yar, when I met Jeff Blood at the screening of The Grim Game” at Houdini Museum in Scranton.

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