In honor of our beautiful granddaughter, Peyton Jo, who was born today, thought I would share a couple baby photos of Houdini’s niece.
Credit: John Hinson Collection
Credit: HHCE Collection
This now makes 3 granddaughters and 1 grandson.
The Houdini Magical Fraternity was a club started by Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls around 1975.
Members would receive promotional discounts and the monthly newsletter, Tidings.
Below are the first two from my personal collection of 9 issues.
If you’re interested in reading the other 7 issues, Tom Interval posted them in the Tidings album of his Hall of Fame Facebook page
The Houdini Magical Fraternity also published a Catalogue of Magic at the same time.
Below is the first one from my personal collection of 6 issues.
Last week, I (along with other Houdini Nuts above) had the pleasure of attending the opening reception of “Houdini Unchained” at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, California.
It show-cased the amazing collection of Dr Randall Bell, which included an original milk can (below) that reportedly came from the basement of 278 W. 113th St, which I was dying to see in person. Randy Bell calls it “Can #1”. And Patrick Culliton thinks its Houdini’s “Last Milk Can”.
What a treat! Previously, I had only seen a picture of it in Patrick Culliton’s book, “Houdini the Key” on page 448. Per Mr. Cullltion (Nov 1993 Genii), if it is not a genuine Houdini prop, I’ll eat my hat. It’s the right age, the right size (small) and its beautifully gaffed.
The Milk Can measures 36 inches high, 26 inches at its widest point, and is 15 inches across the top. The top is secured by 4 hasps.
Besides this Milk Can, what other Houdini related Milk Cans are known to exist?
There is the first Houdini Can with straight sides (above) that Mueller acquired in 1967 from Dunninger and displayed in the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame, which later was sold in auction in 2008 for $13,000 to an unknown owner.
David Copperfield has a Houdini Milk Can (above Left) and the Houdini Estate in Laurel Canyon has the Milk Can (above Right) used in the Doublefold escape,
And Dr. Moore (Left Can Above) and the American Museum of Magic (Right Can Above) each have a Hardeen Milk Can.
What is curious about the Bell can is it only has 4 locks compared to the other cans with 6 locks.
While I am obsessed with milk cans related to Houdini, the highlight of the collection IMHO, was seeing Houdini’s Cone to Flower illusion with traveling crate (above). Houdini’s assistant would enter the empty BIG TALL cone (that was large enough to completely cover her). When the cone was whisked up, the assistant was replaced with a bouquet of flowers. The girl would then reappear at the back of the theater. Note: according to “Great Magic Shows” Reviewed by Arnold Furst, Houdini also did this effect with an Orange Tree.
Seeing the Houdini’s Blooming Rosebush illusion (above Left) in person was also a highlight, along with Houdini’s Personal Séance Clock (above Right).
With an imperceptible bit of pressure on a foot pedal, the cast iron table would sprout flowers before a stunned audience. Although it dates from the early years of the 20th century, it was modified repeatedly during Houdini’s lifetime. Very few magic tables exist today. Note: Per October 2014 Genii, The “Blooming Rosebush” would be used in conjuction with the “Cone to Flower Illusion” for a complete flower routine.
The clock was used in Houdini’s “debunking” séance performances of 1923-26 in which he demonstrated how fraudulent mediums use trickery (in this case a wax hand taking the place of the mediums hand while the real hands were busy stopping the clock!)
This is a “must-see” collection “in person”.
Related:
Special Thanks to John Cox for “Houdini Nuts” photo and Joe Fox for “Houdini’s Blooming Rosebush and Flower Cone” note references.
HHCE Collection
Recently I woke up in the middle of the night and couldn’t sleep, so I checked out eBay and saw the above photo with a dog that resembled the dog in the Terror Island movie, so I bought it.
Image from Terror Island Movie
The following morning, I took a closer look at what I bought, along with the description:
Harry Houdini, Trips to Europe 1900-1915(?)
Hmm, I had seen the photo before, but where? And who was in the photo and when/where was it taken?
Well, we know that is Houdini and Bess in the photo, but what about the dog and boy?
My initial thought was that I had seen it among the Library of Congress photos.
And sure enough, there it was with the following description:
Harry Houdini, 1874-1926, full length, standing, facing left; with boy, woman and dog on board the KROUP.
I also found it on page 108/109 of Houdini His Legend and Magic with scrapbook images of Bess and Houdini with the following description:
Enroute to Europe, nd
But the descriptions were not that helpful, so that led me to do a deep-dive on Houdini’s pets, family and voyages. And this is what I found:
Houdini and “Bobby” in front of a lost poster Credit: John Cox at WildAboutHoudini
The dog in the photo is the Houdini’s pet dog, Bobby. The key clues can be found at WildAboutHarry links below:
Bobby died on December 15, 1918 so he is not the same dog in Terror Island that was filmed in 1919.
But the kid is the same boy in both photos. And that boy is Theodore Hardeen Jr.
Photo of Harry & Bess Houdini with dog “Bobby” Credit: Potter & Potter
The clues were his dad, Dash (Theo Hardeen) in the WAH photo and a photo that sold for $1,200 on Potter & Potter with the following description:
Houdini’s, The. Candid photograph of Harry & Bess Houdini and Hardeen. Circa 1910. Possibly gathered on a ship, and standing with a small group. A dog, perhaps Houdini’s faithful escape artist terrior named Bobby, hangs on his shoulder. 6 3/4 x 4 3/4″. Image somewhat faded, one corner clipped.
In the P&P photo, you can see Dash and Elsie Hardeen with her hand on the shoulder of Theodore Hardeen Jr.
Last but not least, I believe the photo was taken aboard the Kronprinzessin Cecilie, while sailing from the UK [June 14, 1911] to New York City [June 20, 1911]. Note: Dates are from Koval.
The LoC photo description mentioned being on board the KROUP, where I believe the U should have been an N making it KRONP.
But, the key clue was in the captions of two photos found in the 1911 chapter of The Great Houdini British Tours:
Houdini celebrating his birthday in Hudderfield UK in April 1911. Pictured with him is his dog Bobby.
Houdini with his dog, Bobby. In the background is a poster advertising an appearance at the Palace Theatre in Halifax, UK [May 29th thru June 4th 1911]
Theordore Hardeen Jr. was born December 20, 1905, so would have been 5 1/2 years old at the time of the photo.
In 2017, I shared three rare 1976 Plymouth Volare auto brochures that featured HOUDINI performing the Dekolta chair, Sawing a woman in half, and escaping from a locked safe.
Today, I share another one from my collection that features Houdini’s Vanishing Elephant.
The Bros Hernes, were none other than Jacob and Joseph Hyman.
Credit: Harry Ransom Center (HRC)
You may recall that Jacob and Joe Hyman both performed Metamorphosis with Houdini as The Brothers Houdini.
As Joe put it:
Things were not so good for the The Brother’s Houdini in those days. Bookings were few and money was scarce. Suddenly my brother Jack decided to give up show business [April 10, 1894], even though the boys had a few more weeks booked under the team name, so my Brother suggested that I play these weeks with Harry. I did and became the second member of the Hyman clan, who appeared under the magic name of Houdini. [SAS]
Once Joe and Harry were finished with their engagements, Jacob took the name Jack Hayman, and began practicing a song and dance act with his brother Joe. [SAS]
After a short while, Jacob left the act, with his brother, and took off on his own as, Houdini, Oriental Conjurer and Mysterious Juggler. [SAS]
Sometimes his billing name was JH Houdini, which stood for Jack Hayman Houdini. [SAS]
He also went by JH Herne, when his brother (now Jos Herne) rejoined the act (now called The Bros Herne direct from Europe). Robert Fulgora of Hopkins Trans-Oceanic Star Special Co first booked them for 1897-98 season. The brothers would present the startling theosophical illusion, Substitution, which was their name for The Metamorphosis. [HRC]
Later, the Substitution transformed from a box into the prison barrel escape performed by The Bros Herne. [P&P]
1902 Postcard (Potter & Potter Auction 2014)
And, Houdini would eventually acquire the barrel [1903] used in The Bros Herne act and perform the Prison Cell & Barrel Mystery [1904-1906].
References:
Related:
Today, I share from my personal collection, Irvin’s S. Cobb book, Incredible Truth, published in 1931.
It contains a chapter, The Original Houdini Tells His Tale, which is actually a reprint of his 1925 article titled, Houdini Not First Handcuff King by Irvin S. Cobb
Is this Houdini in his past life?
Our good friend, John Cox, at WildAboutHoudini did a post on this in 2012. Click on the link above to check it out.
Today, I thought I would share The Magic and the Myths that appeared at the bottom of the article (Houdini Knew There Was No Escape From The Other Side) I shared last week.
Last week, I shared the Vanishing Elephant Photo (with Milbourne Christopher) from an article to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Houdini’s birth.
Today, I thought I would share the main article, Houdini Knew There Was No Escape From The Other Side, from my personal collection:
As promised, here is the caption and additional info on the photo I teased last week.
The National Star April 4, 1974
The image (with Milbourne Chrsitopher in tux performing the Vanishing Elephant) was used in an article to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of Houdini’s birth.
Unlike other authors (e.g., Gresham, Silverman, Culliton, Steinmeyer), Milbourne Christopher’s, Houdini The Untold Story, mentions Houdini firing a pistol to make the elephant disappear. Per Linking Ring [Vol. 48 No. 6], Walter B. Gibson would also echo this, “Four men push cabinet on wheels in center stage, Magician leads elephant up ramp into cage. Fires gun. Elephant disappears.”
And per WAH, David Haversat has Christopher’s” unpublished notes “explaining how he vanished his own elephant. Christopher writes that he believes the method is the same that Houdini used.”
On January 1, 1967, CBS presented, The Garry Moore Show, The Greatest Magicians in the world, where:
Milbourne Christopher [co-producer] closed the all too fast hour taking us back through time and space to present the Asrah Floating Lady, the Sword Basket and ending with the biggest effect in magic the vanish of an elephant, Miss Ronnie by name. Ronnie was brought on stage, a slat framed cabinet built around her and with a flash of flame and a puff of smoke she vanished. Needless to say, CBS, got a lot of publicity out of this effect and the audience wasn’t disappointed. [Genii Vol 31, No. 5]
Image from DVD
I recently acquired the hard to find historic magic special (of Milbourne Christroper performing the vanishing elephant effect) on DVD.
The sword basket from that special is on YouTube: