Today we continue the series on Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years. Last time, we looked at the Early Cinema Card category. This time we are taking a look at the Lobby Card category.
Today, I am going start a series on Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years. I plan to break it down by the following categories:
I am going to start with the Early Cinema Cards category.
Let’s start by looking at a couple cards that were handouts used at movie theatres:
Next, let’s look at some inserts:
Magician Harry Kellar, Harry Houdini, and director Irvin Willat on the set of The Grim Game (1919). Photo: Paramount/Arthur Moses Collection
Click the links below to find out more about the Grim Game that hasn’t been publicly seen in years.
Below are five romantic photos of Houdini with his leading ladies from his movies. Can you guess which movie each is from and who the lady is?
Image 1 – courtesy of Harry Ransom Center
Image 2 – courtesy of Wild About Houdini
Image 3 – courtesy of Wild About Houdini
Image 4 – courtesy of Random Treasures
Image 5 – courtesy of Harry Ransom Center
Each correct movie is worth one point and each correct lady is worth another point.
Click here for the answers.
How many did you get correct?
Hopefully you got lucky and scored a perfect 10.
And enjoyed the images and had a Great Valentine’s Day!
Courtesy of Kimberly Tarr
Click the link below to find out how NYU helped recover Houdini’s film, The Grim Game.
Courtesy of Kimberly Tarr
John Cox at Wild About Houdini shares HUGE Houdini news today:
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has acquired the only known print of Houdini’s 1919 feature, The Grim Game. The movie has undergone a full restoration by renowned preservationist and silent film scholar Rick Schmidlin. The restored film will have its world-premiere at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood in March with a live score conducted by composer Brane Zivkovic. It will then play on the TCM network later this year.
Click here for a link to the rest of the news shared by John Cox.
Our friends, Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of The Houdini Museum in Scranton, PA did a nice review of The Grim Game that they were fortunate enough to see several times in NYC, when they were living and performing in New York City, shown by collector Larry Weeks.
Check it out:
You will also find some other nice Grim Game links at their website:
Is 2015 the year of The Grim Game?
Related Posts:
Last Week, Random Treasures International had their inaugural auction that had approximately 25 Houdini items up for bid. Twelve of the items got passed on without a bid, including a Buried Alive Poster for $13,000. The starting bids were awfully high on most items IMHO. The items that did sell were the photos and movie related items and they went between $200 and $410 w/o auction fees, despite many of them being cropped on the web-page. I bid on one item and won, or at least I thought I did, but when I checked the site later, there was no confirmation. I sent an email via LiveAuctioneers to Random Treasures International requesting status, but never heard anything one way or another. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. That said, there were three Grim Game stills for sale, L302-54 (Lot 80), L302-14 (Lot 82) and L302-42 (Lot 84) which I would like to comment on:
To read about the events that led up to Houdini going over the wall in the movie, see the following post: Over the Edge With Death Below and Imprisonment Above!
To read about why Houdini is being visited at the jail cell in the movie, see the following post: THE GRIM GAME Cinema Trade Promotion (Stills 298-54 and 298-63)
And keep reading this blog to find out what the scene in still L302-42 is all about:
As Houdini creeps toward the door of the Lodge, the unknown assailant seizes a bolo from the wall and hides under the cot. Houdini cautiously, closes the door behind him and strikes a match. He throws the burning match on the floor, then turns and starts towards Ethel’s unconscious form. He steps in his tracks as the burning match which he dropped near the cot is put out by a hand from under the cot. Houdini is standing very close to the cot when he sees this.
We see Houdini’s boots standing near the cot. The bolo swings viciously toward them and they crumble.
We then see that Houdini, has swung himself to the rafter, leaving the boots on the floor. He swings his legs over the rafter, reaches down and lifts the cot from over his man. In the light we recognize Allison.
Houdini drops from the rafter and a terrific fight ensues between Allison armed with the bolo and Houdini. [Paraphrased from Paramount Files at Margaret Herrick Library]
Capital Times Madison Wisconsin Wed Jun 30 1920
The Terror Island ad above claims:
He has leaped, manacled off the Eiffel Tower and the Brooklyn Bridge, releasing himself before reaching the ground.
One of the FACT versus FICTION questions from the Houdini Miniseries Quiz was:
Houdini once jumped off the Brooklyn Bridge?
and the answer was:
Fiction, he leapt off Detroit’s Belle Isle Bridge, among others, but never New York’s favorite landmark.
Well, what about the Eiffel Tower? According to a Grim Game Ad, I blogged about a couple years ago:
As an instance he was once handcuffed, tied and sewn in a canvas sack, and thrown from Eiffel Tower, Paris. Halfway down Houdini was out of the manacles and the sack and clinging to a parachute.
Of course that same Grim Game Ad also claimed:
He was thrown from Brooklyn Bridge locked in a steel safe. He came up in one minute.
So take the ads for what they are.
Larry Weeks, the man who called himself “Houdini’s biggest fan”, passed away on October 13 at age 95. He was buried October 24, at Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, not far from Houdini’s grave just as he wished. The Official Houdini Séance in Danvers MA will pay tribute to Larry Weeks tonight on Halloween, the 88th anniversary of Houdini’s death.
Unfortunately, I missed my chance to meet Larry.
He was supposed to come to the Official Séance in 2012 in Fort Worth that I attended, but that was the week of Hurricane Sandy and his travel plans had to be canceled.
In 1981, I became a member of the Society American Magicians Southern California Assembly #22:
A short business meeting was held, and part of it was the third reading vote acceptance of Joe Notaro as a new member. He is a student of Houdiniana and brought part of his collection in for exhibition. He has photos, programs, posters, old and new books, and items of escapology. [MUM Volume 71 1982]
Had I lived in New York instead of Southern California at the time I became a member of the S.A.M., I may have met Larry and seen a showing of the Grim Game at “Houdini night” that he produced for Parent Assembly No. 1 in New York City:
The Oct 2 [1981] meeting of the Parent Assembly was truly inspirational. A vast gathering of members, friends and guests met for “Houdini Night”, produced by Larry Weeks. Before the evening’s entertainment however, it was announced that the annual service at Houdini’s grave site will be held on Nov. 1st this year.
…
In keeping with the “Houdini Night” theme, Larry Weeks introduced those present who were friends, acquaintances, or scholars of Houdini. These included: Sidney Radner, Mrs. Billie Dunninger, Dr. Joseph Fries, and Dr. Morris Young. [And Milbourne Christopher and Walter B. Gibson who each gave a talk and shared Houdini memories]
…
Larry displayed a miniature pair of Darby cuffs, which Houdini actually had made for his dog, Bobby, to slip out of. The only escape dog.
…
Larry Weeks presented the entire film, “The Grim Game” Houdini’s first feature length film. Although not an accomplished actor by any standards, Houdini’s skill and presentation were intriguing to watch.
A wonderful evening – thanks to Larry Weeks, Milbourne Christopher, Walter B. Gibson, Parent Assembly, and most of all Houdini
[MUM Volume 71 1982]
Have a Great Houdini Night!
H A P P Y H A L L O W E E N !
Addendum: In 1986, after a broken wand ceremony conducted at Houdini’s grave at Machpelah Cemetery in New York, on October 31st, Larry Weeks gave a lecture on Houdini and showed “The Grim Game” at the Glendale Public Library which is a short distance from the cemetery. [The Magic Circular Vol. 80 1986]