I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a December 15th Letter:

My Dear Quincy Kilby,

…

Re my Buried Alive Illusion of Mystery, it is not certain, for the Movie Fans are “clambering” for another Houdini serial, and as that is much easier than my Self created hazardous work, I may step that way.

…

Houdini

In 1914, Houdini copyrighted “Buried Alive” with a play and had a poster made for the effect, but the stage version would have to wait for Houdini to perfect and perform.

Per John Cox:

The Buried Alive is one of Houdini’s most elusive escapes. Houdini himself claimed to have performed it as early as 1908 in Germany. In 1914 he had a lithograph made for the effect, but there’s no record of him performing it at this time. In 1918 he announced Buried Alive for his return to the Hippodrome in Everything, but when he broke his wrist making The Master Mystery he had to substitute it with a suspended straitjacket escape. There’s also his famous 1919 accident while rehearsing a Buried Alive stunt in California, but that was an outdoor stunt, not the stage version.

Now here we have evidence of the apparatus being built in 1922.

…

Buried Alive wouldn’t surface until 1926, and then only for a couple performances.

 

Related:

• Houdini Breaks into Playwriting – Buried Alive
• The Master Mystery postpones Buried Alive Stunt on Stage
• Buried Alive surfaces in 1922

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a November 14th Letter:

My Dear Q.K.,

I am led to believe that I shall have to be in Boston Monday for the opening of the Houdini serial, which takesplace at the St James Theatre, and you understand you need no tickets.

Shall be at the Copley Plaza, and espect to hear phonisch from you.

Rush letter, this is, and this all for the moment.

Regret that I cant remain any longer must return to finish the picture.

Yours as always the same old,

Houdini

Will you please phone through to our Artist friend and tell him he is invited Walter Brackett.

Related:

• Premiere of The Master Mystery in Boston

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a November 7th Letter:

My Dear Q.K.,

…

Am enclosing you a programme, signed and if you wish one signed by the entire company, will send one along.

The play is a hit. And I know you will like all the episodes.

…

My wrist is getting along alright, have to have a new baking electrical treatment, so as to ease the joint, hope to be okay in a month or so.

…

Houdini

On November 7th, The first four episodes of The Master Mystery had a trade screening at the Strand Theatre, New York, NY.

Related:

• “The Master Mystery” Broadside of Newspaper Reviews

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a October 27th Letter:

My Dear Q.K.

…

Close at the Hip for ten weeks, must finish my Master Mystery picture.

…

Nothing new, my wrist is better but far from being well.

It will take a few more months before I can hope to bend it as in days of yore.

It seems to be stronger than ever, for the bone has knitted with rings around, so I am better than ever.

….

Houdini

…

The Houdini picture has been sold to New England and you will see it in your own home town.

Houdini’s Everything contract expires November 2nd and he focuses on finishing the rest of his Master Mystery serial.

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a October 7th Letter:

My Dear Q.K.,

Glad to hear from you. Met Mr. Hubble, in Yonkers, as the Movie Studio is in Yonkers.

…

My wrist is now out of the splint, but far from being well.

It will take a few more months, but it does not stop me from working, oney frim performing my heavy stunts, so alls well.

…

Houdini

Filmed in and around Yonkers, New York, shooting began in late July and continued throughout the summer and fall of 1918. Every day Houdini commuted 28 miles to Yonkers from his home in New York City. Houdini suffered minor injuries, including a broken wrist [on Saturday August 10, 1918] when he lost his grip on a chandelier from which he was swinging.

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a July 14th Letter:

My Dear Q.K.,

…

I shall be very busy from now on, as I have the Serial to make, invest, construct and present two new tricks at the Hippodrome, for I have been so “Eminently” successful that the management have seen to reengage me.

With the Film Developing Corp [FDC]. I now have three business’ to attend to, hope I have not bitten off more than I can chew, for it’s a lot of work, but as it is the work I like we will start at it anyway.

Just think of it I must create and present two tricks of fifteen minutes duration up to my usual standard of mystification for the Hip and think I will be okay.

…

Houdini

Work on the Master Mystery Serial was just about to start.

And because Houdini’s “Cheer Up!” show was so successful, the Hippodrome extended his contract to do the “Everything” show in the Fall of 1918. “Everything” was a Mammoth Musical Spectacle with a ton of acts that would include Houdini producing his pet eagle “Abraham Lincoln” from beneath the folds of an American flag.

So Houdini was a busy man with  the Master Mystery Serial, his Hippodrome show, and the FDC to attend to.

I recently went through a Houdini scrapbook compiled by Houdini’s personal friend, Quincy Kilby, and thought I would share items related to his movies in chronological order.

Today, I share a June 14th Letter:

This is where we find out that he has “signed with B.A. Rolfe for a ten-reel serial” to be written by Arthur B. Reeve, and Charles A. Logue.

He signed the contract on June 5, 1918 and was guaranteed a salary of $1500 per week during production and promised half the net profit (a codicil over which he would later sue). The proposed serial’s length was contractually specified at 10 chapters but later increased to 15.

Last week, I shared my miniature Houdini Master of Mystery pinball machine, so today, thought I would share my backlit, Houdini Master Of Mystery Translite (above), in my houdini room.

The American Pinball Houdini Master Of Mystery Translite is a collectible piece featuring artwork from the pinball game designed by Joe Balcer. This particular translite has been signed by Joe Balcer, adding a unique and valuable touch to the item.

Below is the translite with signature before I put in a backlit frame.

Today I continue my series of posts, where I share different Master Mystery Exhibitors’ Ads from my personal collection:

• Houdini Talks About Himself and the Master Mystery
• Ruth Stonehouse Writes Plays When Only Six
• Houdini’s Tame Eagle in “The Master Mystery”
• The Triumph of Science. A Mechanical Man with a Superhuman Brain
• By Request of Hoover Houdini Chaffs Miss Marsh
• Kidnapped into Pictures
• Handcuffs I Have Met
• Houdini Breaks Own Record in “The Master Mystery”
• Why “The Master Mystery” is a Sure Record=Breaking Serial
• $25 for Houdini’s Secret
• Houdini Made the Kaiser Apologise. The Great Mystic a Victim of Hun Arrogance
• About Publicity

Related:

• German Berliner Handcuffs used during trial?
• German Slander Third Trial?