I recently acquired this Philadelphia newspaper dated April 18, 1920 advertising Houdini (on film) at the Regent.

The Regent was one of the first theatres to show Terror Island, charge ten cents, and feature a mammoth pipe organ.

The earliest theatre to show Terror Island that I could find was an exclusive first-run at Boston Massachusetts Modern and Beacon theatres,

Sunday April 11, 1920

Friday April 16, 1920

followed by Burlington Vermont Majestic, Alexandria Louisiana Saengers Strand, and Waco Texas Rex on Sunday April 18th

and then Philadelphia Pennsylvania Regent.

The below image of Houdini (on film) depicted in the newspaper is missing from footage available today.

It is from Part 3 of one of the missing reels from Terror Island. To find out what your missing, check out the following posts:

• Terror Island Part 3 (1 of 4) – Stills 9, 7, 1, 3, 8, 10, 6
• Terror Island Part 3 (2 of 4) – Stills 14, 19, 20, 16
• Terror Island Part 3 (3 of 4) – Stills 17, 18, 15
• Terror Island Part 3 (4 of 4) – Stills 4, 5

Other Related Posts:

• Premiere of The Master Mystery in Boston
• Houdini Opens at Broadway
• Private Showing of The Grim Game In New York

Congratulations to the winner(s) of the above two photographs (Lot 304 and Lot 308) that sold at the Potter & Potter Spring auction on April 8, 2017 for $1500.00 and $1000.00, respectively.

304. Houdini, Harry (Ehrich Weiss). Candid Photograph of Houdini Aboard a Ship, Annotated by Houdini. Circa 1919. Houdini stands at the center of the deck, his arms wrapped around his wife, Bess, and a girl identified as Lila. Another woman, identified by Houdini as “Minnie” sits at his left. The annotations in ink on the image are in Houdini’s hands, with a later inked in date of 1919 at the lower left. 4 x 3 ¼”. Scrapbook remnants on verso, else good.

 

308. Houdini, Harry (Ehrich Weiss). Photograph of Houdini and Company Aboard a Train Car. Circa 1920. Houdini and eight other individuals, including his wife Beatrice, stand on the rear of a train car. Houdini, at the left, has one arm outstretched. Old ink notation in the lower margin identifies several of the individuals. Possibly taken during the production of a Houdini movie. 7 x 5”. Corners with slight damage.

These are amazing photographs for a number of reasons:

• The girl identified as Lila is none other than Lila Lee, Houdini’s co-star in the movie “Terror Island” (TI).
• The woman identified as Minnie in Lot 304 may very well be Minnie Mooser, sister of Hattie Mooser.  Both knew Houdini well. Both women were born in Nevada, Hattie in 1878 and Minnie in 1881, but grew up in Sacramento and lived in Los Angeles before ultimately moving to San Francisco.
• There is speculation that Houdini may have been romantically involved with Lila and Hattie:
  • Houdini and his ‘girlfriends’ by John Cox
  • A Mysterious Houdini Girlfriend by Dean Carnegie
• The man identified as J. Cruze in Lot 308 is none other than James Cruze, the director of “Terror Island”.
• The photos most likely were taken while Houdini was filming the movie “Terror Island” on Catalina Island and Riverside respectively.  Houdini appears to be wearing the wooly jacket and light pants found in a number of stills for the movie. Still 318-9 can be seen below for comparison.

In addition to the photos, a nice Houdini Terror Island Movie Program (Lot 313) sold for $850.00

313. Houdini, Harry (Ehrich Weiss). Houdini Terror Island Movie Program. The Hippodrome Weekly, Vol. 1, No. 24 for the week of July 26, 1920, featuring Houdini and Lila Lee in a scene from Terror Island on the front wrapper. The interior features a “rhymed interview” regarding the film, and the program. Small 4to. Uncommon.

The Mission Inn 3649 Mission Inn Avenue, Riverside, California

Houdini stayed at the Riverside Mission Inn while filming underwater “Deep Sea Loot” movie scenes at Elliotta Springs Plunge.

Elliotta Springs Plunge, 1920

Let’s take a closer look at the evidence.

Based on an autographed letter on Mission Inn stationary that sold at auction,

HOUDINI, Harry. Autograph letter signed “Houdini” to Don Turley, “We are out here on location. Xpect to be here about 5 or more days.”

Riverside, CA: 2 November 1919. 1 page on The Mission Inn stationery. With original mailing envelope addressed in Houdini’s hand. Condition: usual folds, envelope torn at right where opened. harry houdini autograph letter written while on location filming the master mystery.

Houdini was at the Inn on 2 November 1919 and expected to be there about 5 or more days.

I contacted Steve Spiller, the executive director at the Mission Inn Museum, for more information on Houdini’s visit.

Steve got back to me right away and let me know that he forwarded my request to Karen Raines, the curator of history at the Mission Inn Museum and Kevin Hallaran, the archivist at the Riverside Metropolitan Museum.

Karen was able to locate a November 6, 1919 article in the Riverside Daily Press paper that says he was staying in Riverside. She confirmed he did film the underwater scenes for the movie at Elliotta Springs, which is no longer there; it was up on Strong Street near Main.

Steve looked through their holdings and let me know that they didn’t have much information on Houdini’s visit, but did provide me a nice 1920 photograph of Elliotta Springs Plunge and an excellent reference to a book by a local author Joan Hall, called Through the Doors of the Mission Inn. Vol.1 that contained a very interesting chapter on Houdini’s stay in town.  Below are a few relevant excerpts:

In NOVEMBER 1919, the Riverside Press noted that world-famous magician and escape artist, Harry Houdini, had been secretly staying at the Mission Inn for a week.  Normally, the publicity-seeking Houdini would have wanted the world to know where he was and what he was doing.  But in this instance Houdini was making a motion picture for Lasky Studio of Hollywood and he and the entire cast were quietly housed at the Inn.  Director Jim Cruze, a former motion picture star himself, was taking shots of Houdini in a series of underwater scenes at the Riverside’s Elliotta Springs Plunge. Crowds of fans were evidently to be avoided this time.

…

The plunge was located about a mile from the Mission Inn near north Main and Strong streets.  In 1898, William Elliott sank several wells to furnish a continuous flow of water to fill a large, public swimming pool.  The white sulfur spring water attracted swimmers as well as many early Hollywood motion picture companies.  Buster Keaton and Annette Kellerman were two stars who made movies in Elliotta.

…

While Houdini and the Lasky Studio crew were staying at the Mission Inn, Riverside experienced a sharp but quick earthquake on November 4.

…

Many years later, few Riversiders remembered Houdini had performed underwater scenes at Elliotta Plunge or that he had spent a week at the Mission Inn. The picture [“Deep Sea Loot”] was never completed and the Great Houdini received no publicity about his secluded Riverside visit.

Special Thanks to Steve Spiller, Karen Raines, Kevin Hallaran and Joan H. Hall for making this post possible.

Related:

• Deep Sea Loot 1919

Here is the fourth of four installments, where I share stills and describe the scenes in chronological order from Part 3 which is missing from the current version of Terror Island.  This post begins where the previous installment left off.

Beverly is worried having not received an answer to her call.

Harper drawing himself up painfully, by aid of desk, gains his feet. Sato staggers in from kitchen.  He explains how he was overpowered.  Starkey staggers in and falls.

Harper says:  “Miss West do you think she is safe?”

The phone is found to be disconnected.

[318-4]

Harper sees smashed model.  He goes to the fireplace and sits in easy chair.  The cat jumps on his lap.

[318-5]

Starkey fixes phone.

Harper looks in direction of Starkey – smiles – takes box from cat’s neck – glances at it – then let eyes turn upward as he thinks of Beverly.

Beverly answers phone as she hears the voice of Starkey on the other end. FADEOUT

Outwitted in his efforts to secure the map, Guy Mordaunt turns his attention to Harper’s submarine, hoping to block the inventor.

The next day, Harper, Starkey and Beverly are in the dining room and Harper hands Beverly the jewel-box.

Sato and the Watchman enter the dining room and the Watchman says: “Somebody knocked me cold and put the sub out of commission – all of the gauges are smashed.”

Harper jumps to his feet, Beverly rises. Starkey gets up.  All show excitement as they prepare to depart.

End of Part 3.

Credits:

• Cropped Stills – Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.)
• Paraphrased Scenes – Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library

Here is the third of four installments, where I share stills and describe the scenes in chronological order from Part 3 which is missing from the current version of Terror Island.  This post begins where the previous installment left off.

[318-17]

The two sailors rush forward.  Guy and two more sailors enter.  All begin a search of the desk and surroundings. Guy kneels beside Harper and searches his pockets, throwing a bunch of keys on desk which he takes from pockets.

[318-18]

The Japanese Assistant disables phone.

Guy reaches into basket and lifts out cat – holds cat by the neck while he empties contents of the basket – then tosses cat from him.  He is unable to find the box.

Guy looking down at Harper with angry, vengeful expression – leans forward as if to vent his wrath on the unconscious man.  Suddenly he straightens – picks bunch of keys and turns toward model.

[318-15]

Guy goes toward model in angry mood – picks up hammer and smashes model.  Guy and Sailors exit.

Credits:

• Cropped Stills – Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.)
• Paraphrased Scenes – Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library

Here is the second of four installments, where I share stills and describe the scenes in chronological order from Part 3 which is missing from the current version of Terror Island.  This post begins where the previous installment left off.

Sato, Harper’s Japanese Assistant opens the door and is confronted by Mordaunt’s Japanese Assistant.

As Starkey exits, one of two sailors that slipped along the wall fells Starkey with blackjack.  He crumbles on the steps.

[318-14]

Harper slowly rises to his feet, revolver in hand.  With left hand he motions over shoulder and calls “Sato!”

Mordaunt’s Japanese Assistant is seen bending over Sato, who has been rendered unconscious. We then see  Mordaunt’s Japanese Assistant pick up a heavy steel from table and exit toward where Harper is.

[318-19]

Without looking around, Harper motions, who he thinks is Sato, to come forward.  The Mordaunt’s Japanese Assistant comes quickly and silently behind him and raises steel.  At the same time, the faces of the two sailors appear in hall door.  Harper raises revolver.

[318-20]

The sailors are slowly raising their hands at a command from Harper.  Their eyes are staring as they watch the Japanese Assistant behind him.  By their faces, one sees the blow has fallen.

[318-16]

The Mordaunt’s Japanese Assistant stands over Harper, ready for another blow, but Harper is unconscious.

Credits:

• Cropped Stills – Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.)
• Paraphrased Scenes – Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library

[318-45]

As promised in a previous post, here is the first of four installments, where I share stills and describe the scenes in chronological order from Part 3 which is missing from the current version of Terror Island. This post begins where Part 2 ends on Kino; Part 2 ended with Beverly giving Harper[Houdini] the box with the pearl in it. “My uncles coming! Keep this for me!”

One of Guy Mordaunt’s men “saw the dame slip the box to that scrappy guy”.

We see a close-up of the pearl in jewel box, held in Harper’s hand and Guy crouching outside the window of the Library

Stella has a plan to get the jewel-box from Harper.

[318-9]

Harper rises as Stella enters.

Stella speaks: “My Cousin West, is terribly worried about her jewel – a keepsake, you know – and she sent me for it – just couldn’t sleep without it.“

Harper is about to hand her the box when he looks down beside desk as though attracted by a sound.

A cat on floor looks up at desk.  Harper speaks to cat, stoops and picks her up, placing her on the desk and strokes her back.

[318-7]

Harper is praising the cat, as Stella holds hand out for jewel.  The phone rings; Harper sits and places cat on lap and picks up phone.  It is Beverly on the phone who says: “I am a bit nervous and – worried. I know my jewel case is safe with you – but don’t let it out of your hands”

Harper hangs up, as Stella demands the jewel case.  Harper says: “Tell your cousin that I will give it to no one but herself.”

[318-1]

As Harper is stroking cat on lap, his hand comes from jacket pocket and secretly fastens box to cat’s collar by a rubber band which the long hair of the cat covers.

[318-3]

Stella demands the box and Harper shakes his head.

[318-8]

As Harper sits at desk stroking cat, Starkey comes from behind chair

[318-10]

and indicates he will take Stella home.

[318-6]

Stella and Starkey exit.

Credits:

• Cropped Stills – Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (A.M.P.A.S.)
• Paraphrased Scenes – Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library

Terror Island Parts 3 and 4 according to Kino:

Below is Kino’s brief explanatory text for Parts 3 and 4 which are considered missing:

The reality is Kino’s brief explanatory text only covers Part 4 and not Part 3.

In future posts (i.e. four installments), I will share Stills from Part 3 and describe the scenes that lead up to Part 4.

Related:

• 23 to 25 Minutes of Terror Island is Missing