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- The Great Tontine (unpublished)* [Tom Boldt Collection (TBC)]
- The Monster (unpublished)* [TBC]
- The Vulture (unpublished)* [TBC]
- Floating Through Space (unpublished)* [TBC]
- Blood Brothers (unpublished) [TBC]
- Out of the Shadows (unpublished) [HHCE Collection]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:
Oh wow, I didn’t know about the reprint. Would love to get one as I don’t have this in any printing. I just use the Gibson book!
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.