Two of the people who were key to opening that lock! Copyright Houdini Museum

Thanks to the efforts of Dorothy Dietrich & Dick Brookz of the Houdini Museum and their long-time friendship with Larry Weeks and their acquaintance with film producer Rick Schmidlin, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) acquired the Larry Weeks print of Houdini’s 1919 feature, The Grim Game (TGG). Fred Pittella (Larry Weeks best friend) was also an essential part of the recovery of TGG. The recovered movie underwent a full restoration and had its world-premiere at the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood on March 29th with a live score conducted by composer Brane Zivkovic. It was then shown in places like Wisconsin (Apr 16), Michigan (May 28), Pennsylvania (Jun 13, Jul 2), Texas (Jul 19), Finland (Aug 21), Scotland (Aug 22, 23), Illinois (Sept 16), New York (Sept 16), and England (Oct 11), before it was aired on the TCM network (Oct 18) with alternate scores, one by Brane Zivkovic and another by Steve Sterner.  And then as a grand finale, in November, John Bengtson, “the great detective of silent film locations,” revealed many of the Grim Game filming locations and historic LA landmarks.

[Harbour Apartments at 612 St. Paul Street; The Cahuenga alley; Bergstrom Estate 590 N. Vermont]

So 2015 was an amazing year for Harry Houdini Circumstantial Evidence (HHCE) because it was the year of the Grim Game.

Part I will cover the TGG highlights from HHCE and Part II will cover the other highlights from HHCE.

Let’s get started. The Houdini news that I had been waiting years to hear finally arrived on January 23^rd, 2015 in a press release from TCM:

• Let the Grim Games begin

This was followed by a number of other press releases in February and March:

• Link: NYU helps recover Houdini film
• Links: See Silent Film that Escapes from Obscurity
• Dorothy Dietrich & Dick Brookz are coming to Hollywood
• Houdini Museum owners behind effort to restore, share rare film

Then one week away from the premier of The Grim Game at the 2015 TCM Film Classic, HHCE shared a different Grim Game productions still each day leading up to the event on March 29, 2015:

• One Week and Counting – 7 days to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 6 days to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 5 days to go until premier of The Grim Game – Happy Birthday!
• 4 days to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 3 days to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 2 days to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 1 day to go until premier of The Grim Game
• 0 days to go – Let The Grim Games Begin

In April, shared my review of The Grim Game and the Festivities in Hollywood:

• Review of The Grim Game and the Festivities in Hollywood
• Additional Grim Game Title Cards added to the Restored Version

In June, HHCE and TGG went to Scranton:

• The Grim Game is coming to Scranton and so is HHCE
• LINK: Leonard to screen rare Houdini film
• Scranton Screening of The Grim Game – Same date, New Venue
• More background on Grim Game showing at Scranton’s Houdini Museum
• Houdini Dinner and Movie Tonight
• LINK: Grim Game on the News
• Trip to Scranton is Extra Special

In July, TGG screens at a Magic Convention Once Again:

• The Grim Game to screen at a Magic Convention Once Again
• LINK: S.A.M Podcast on “The Grim Game”

In October, The Grim Game made its television debut, but was first shown privately and publicly in August 1919:

• Tonight, TCM welcomes Houdini and “The Grim Game” to Television!
• Private Showing of The Grim Game In New York

Throughout the year, there were a number of posts on TGG music:

• LINK: Brane Zivkovic Conducts a Live Score for Harry Houdini’s Film
• The Grim Game has a Score to Settle
• Reuel Meditz conducts a Live Score for Harry Houdini’s Film
• 3 Grim Game Video Clips with the new piano music
• LINK: TCM airs a different score for its 2nd Showing of The Grim Game
• The Grim Game hits San Francisco

Other highlights on TGG included a series on Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years:

• Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years –Early Cinema Cards
• Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years – Lobby Cards
• Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years – Modern Trading Cards
• Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years – Sketch Cards
• Houdini Grim Game Cards throughout the years – Miscellaneous Cards

And sharing a number of posts related to the Aeroplane incident:

• LINK: L.A. Daily Mirror pinpoints Houdini’s plane crash
• What happened to Robert E Kennedy after the plane incident?
• What happened to David Thompson, whose plane flipped over?
• What happened to Christopher Pickup from The Grim Game
• Popular Mechanics – Aeroplanes Crash in Mid-Air as Camera Man Turns Crank
• Houdini Stanhope Lens Viewers

What a year for TGG, now if we could just get a DVD:

• New Grim Game Glass Slides and DVD info

Photo Credits:

• TGG film location images courtesy of John Cox and John Bengston
• TGG Still images courtesy of A.M.P.A.S
• TGG Movie Set image and TGG Souvenir Set image courtesy of Arthur Moses
• B&W Aeroplane images courtesy of Cecil B. Demille Trust
• Steve Sterner photo, TGG piano music, and Scranton Press release courtesy of Houdini Museum

Click to enlarge

Although the Grim Game was first shown privately and publicly in August 1919, it was not officially released until October 12, 1919. And that’s when it first appeared in San Francisco with live orchestra music on October 12, 1919 at the Portola Theatre located at corner of Market Street and 4^th.

96 years later, December 5^th at 3pm, you can see the restored film with live piano music by Donald Sosin at the San Francisco Film Festival at the Castro Theatre located at 429 Castro Street at Market Street.  You can buy a full day pass to “A Day of Silents” or an individual ticket to “The Grim Game”.

I highly recommend seeing it on big screen.  I was fortunate enough to see the TCM premier in Hollywood on a big screen with live orchestra music, as well as on a big screen at the Houdini Museum.  Two amazing experiences that I will never forget.

Check it out in S.F.!

You’ll enjoy it thoroughly.

Bonus:

San Francisco Chronicle Oct 13, 1919 Page 5

Last month when The Grim Game made its Television debut on TCM, I mentioned that it originally made its debut at the B.S. Moss Broadway Theatre in New York City on August 25^th, 1919.  Well prior to its original debut, Houdini gave a private showing in NYC, which I promised to comment on.

The following passage is excerpted verbatim, even to the punctuation from a private letter WRT to a private showing of The Grim Game on August 18^th, 1919:

Monday night 8 o’clock shapr [sic] there will be a private show of my latest picture The Grim Game which will be shown only to a few chosen magic friends before the regular trade showing and if you have desire to see same would like to have pleasure of having you attend.  Takes place at the production room of Lasky Famous Players offices, 400 [485] Fifth Ave near 42^nd St. Monday August 17^th [Note: Monday was really August 18^th] Tried to get you twice on phone and no answer. Regards sincerely yours Houdini. [The Houdini Code Mystery by William V. Rauscher, page 106]

Note:  Koval places the private showing at 485 Fifth Avenue, which was the address of the corporate main office right across from the New York Public Library.

Aug 18 – A private showing of “The Grim Game” is given to Houdini’s chosen friends at the Lasky Famous Players Offices at 485 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

The Society of American Magicians officially endorsed The Grim Game at this private showing:

The endorsement was given at a private showing of the picture for the members of the society in New York, which was attended by Messrs. Houdini, Howard Thurston, Francis E. Werner, G.G. Laurenz, Hardeen, William J. Hilliar and about forty others.

…

After the showing,  Mr. Howard Thurston said: “I have always thought Houdini was a great showman, but I expected nothing like this.  It leaves nothing undone.  Houdini may now retire, confident that he has done his greatest work.  It is one of the most wonderful things I have ever seen”.  At the conclusion of Mr. Thurston’s speech, Oscar S. Teale, Secretary of the S.A.M. said:

“Gentlemen, I move that the Society of American Magicians pronounce the picture a glowing success, worthy of highest commendation, and that it go forth as officially endorsed by this society.”

[The Sphinx, September 1919]

Bonus:

According to a 17 September 1919 New York Clipper article, the Famous Players also had New York City offices at 428 Fifth avenue, 729 Seventh avenue and at 469 Fifth avenue, but at the termination of the leases, the company will use the entire front of the Putman Building [at Forty-Third street and Broadway] for its offices:

Armistice Day (which coincides with Remembrance Day and Veterans Day, public holidays) is commemorated every year on 11 November. The First Official Armistice Day was held on the Morning of 11th November 1919. This would set the trend for a day of Remembrance for decades to come.

Please honor and remember those who have served in the Armed Forces.

“The Grim Game” makes its Television debut tonight on TCM:

Originally, The Grim Game made its debut at the B.S. Moss Broadway Theatre on August 25^th, 1919.  Below is the front and back of a program from the opening:

I hope everyone enjoys the restored 1919 thriller that will keep you guessing from start to finish.  The question is –who did it?  Watch as the screen unfolds the secret!

Enjoy!

I recently did a post, 3 video Grim Game Clips with new piano music, that had a link to Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Videos for The Grim Game Webpage:

• http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/496393/T he-Grim-Game/videos.html

If you click on the same link above, you will find they have made some additions which include a couple of glass slides for the film.

Glass slides were used by many theaters to promote coming attractions during slide shows between coming screenings.

You can also vote for The Grim Game to be released on DVD.

There is still a score to settle.

On October 18th, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) airs a different score for its 2nd showing of Houdini’s “The Grim Game” than the one Rick Schmidlin first added to his restoration of Houdini’s finest movie.

Steve Sterner The Grim Game Main Theme – Music Copyright 2015 Steve Sterner All Rights Reserved

That is, the first showing will be the ensemble music as was shown in Hollywood and the second showing will be Steve Sterner playing original piano music written by him at the request of TCM. It will have 4 themes (which include a Main theme, Love theme, Villain theme and Servant theme), along with other minor themes with a lot of ad-libbing and changes of moods and keys to keep it moving.

Steve Sterner The Grim Game Servant Theme – Music Copyright 2015 Steve Sterner All Rights Reserved

Since I did the post titled “The Grim Game Has a Score to Settle” there has been a number of piano scores.

According to a post at Houdini.org who has been keeping score:

Critics and experts most common critique of the restoration as supervised by Rick Schmidlin was that the music was repetitive.

…

Since the restoration, the film has had several showings and for whatever reasons they decided to have their own live piano accompaniment instead of the score Rick Schmidlin provided. A few examples follows;
Sun. July 19, Composer/Pianist Reuel Meditz accompanied the film with his original score at the historic Paramount Theater, Austin, TX.
Sept. 16 Northbrook Public Library in Northbrook, IL, It was screened twice with live piano accompaniment by Dave Drazin.
Oct. 11, 2015 Performed with live piano accompaniment by Neil Brand at Barbican Cinema 1 in London.
Dec. 5 Live musical accompaniment by Donald Sosin at Castro Theater at The San Francisco Silent Film Festival.

 

Most telling is Turner Classic Movies having silent movie pianist Steve Sterner add a new score to the 2nd of the screenings on Oct. 18. They’re also using the music for trailers and clips of the film.

Click the link below to read the full article at Houdini.org which also includes quotes from reviews of the Hollywood score, how the composer and music was selected for the original restoration music, a list of other options for music and composers, and the consultant’s frustrations with the producer. Also, included is the lead sheet music for the four main new themes of Steve Sterner’s score.

• LINK: TCM airs a different score for its 2nd Showing of The Grim Game

All of this said, I am assuming we have not heard the last word on the score.

Either way, please enjoy the music and TCM airings of Houdini’s finest movie!

Images courtesy of Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz