Monthly Archives: October 2020

“Sagbacks blame the jinx”

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From my personal collection, the following article and Houdini quote [?] appeared in the October 25, 1926 Times The Weekly News-Magazine:

Harry Houdini, prestidigitator, handcuff king, foe of charalatan spiritists: 

“As I was about to perform my ‘Chinese water-cell trick’ * on the stage of the Capital Theatre at Albany, N. Y., faulty stage tackle let the ponderous wood-and-iron stock fall upon my left foot, crushing it.  Though my supple feet and ankles constitute great assets to me in my escapes from fetters, piano boxes, safes and other receptacles, I risked swelling and infection, stayed on the stage, did other tricks.  Afterwards one of my staff said something about a ‘jinx.’ wherat I rebuked him sharply, ‘There is no such thing as a jinx.’ An Albany newspaper said, “There is a line worth writing in the copybooks . . . Only the sagbacks blame the jinx.'”

* The footnote of the article goes on to explain the routine and expose a method. For more info, see page 442 of “the Key” by Patrick Cullition.

Six days after this article appeared, Houdini passed away on Halloween, October 31, 1926.

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Boys Cinema Jan 13 1923 v6 n162

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Boys Cinema ran every week from Dec 1919 (n1) to May 1940 (n1063). Houdini appeared in 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923 issues:

  1. Jan 17, 1920. v1 n6. “Houdini the Handcuff King”  cover & p26.  (HHCE Collection)
  2. Feb 21, 1920. v1 n11. “Houdini”  p12+.  (HHCE Collection)
  3. Jan 8, 1921. v3 n57. photo  p5. (HHCE Collection)
  4. Feb 5, 1921. v3 n61. photo p26. (HHCE Collection)
  5. Feb 19, 1921. v3 n63. photo  p5. (HHCE Collection)
  6. May 7, 1921. v3 n74. “The Grim Game”  p14. (HHCE Collection)
  7. May 14, 1921. v3 n75. “Terror Island”  cover & p2+.  (HHCE Collection)
  8. June 25, 1921. v4 n81. “The Grim Game”  p14+. (HHCE Collection)
  9. July 30, 1921. v4 n86.  “The Marvelous Houdini” (photo feature)  p14+.  (HHCE Collection)
  10. March 4, 1922. v5 n117. Houdini card on cover.  (HHCE Collection)
  11. March 25, 1922. v5 n120. Houdini cover with Famous Heroes Card # 4 insert. (Arthur Moses Collection)
  12. Jan 13, 1923. v6 n162. “Houdini In The Man From Beyond”  p14+.  (Arthur Moses Collection)

This week I share Houdini’s appearance in Boys Cinema Jan 13, 1923. v6 n162 from the mighty Arthur Moses collection.

The text covers Houdini’s career and gives a synopsis of the “The Man From Beyond”.

The photos are from incidents in “The Man From Beyond”.

Top photos are Harry Houdini (HH) as Howard Hilary (HH).

The three photos on the right show HH soon after being dug out the ice block when a rash act nearly cost him his life, Hilary’s rescue of Felice from the Niagara Falls, and his fight with Dr. Trent.

Middle left is Hillary and Dr. Sinclair rescuing Dr. Strange from the dungeon, whilst on the lower left Hilary is seen negotiating the rapids.

Bottom middle is when Howard Hillary comes back to life after being imprisoned in the ice for over hundred years.

Thank You Arthur!

 

The Grim Game Released 100 Years Ago in the UK

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Last week (Oct 11) marked the 100th anniversary of the release of Houdini’s “The Grim Game” in the United Kingdom.  Prior to the release, Trade Shows occurred earlier in the year.

To celebrate, I share a couple Bioscope Ads:

The Bioscope Feb 19, 1920; BTW: Aeroplane accident occured May 31st, 1919 and Houdini broke his wrist  June 28th, 1919.

The Bioscope Feb 26, 1920

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Boys Cinema Mar 25 1922 v5 n120

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Boys Cinema ran every week from Dec 1919 (n1) to May 1940 (n1063). Houdini appeared in 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923 issues:

  1. Jan 17, 1920. v1 n6. “Houdini the Handcuff King”  cover & p26.  (HHCE Collection)
  2. Feb 21, 1920. v1 n11. “Houdini”  p12+.  (HHCE Collection)
  3. Jan 8, 1921. v3 n57. photo  p5. (HHCE Collection)
  4. Feb 5, 1921. v3 n61. photo p26. (HHCE Collection)
  5. Feb 19, 1921. v3 n63. photo  p5. (HHCE Collection)
  6. May 7, 1921. v3 n74. “The Grim Game”  p14. (HHCE Collection)
  7. May 14, 1921. v3 n75. “Terror Island”  cover & p2+.  (HHCE Collection)
  8. June 25, 1921. v4 n81. “The Grim Game”  p14+. (HHCE Collection)
  9. July 30, 1921. v4 n86.  “The Marvelous Houdini” (photo feature)  p14+.  (HHCE Collection)
  10. March 4, 1922. v5 n117. Houdini card on cover.  (HHCE Collection)
  11. March 25, 1922. v5 n120. Houdini cover with Famous Heroes Card # 4 insert. (Arthur Moses Collection)
  12. Jan 13, 1923. v6 n162. “Houdini In The Man From Beyond”  p14+.  (Arthur Moses Collection)

This week I share Houdini’s appearance on the cover of Boys Cinema March 25, 1922. v5 n120 from the mighty Arthur Moses collection.

The set of 24 Famous Heroes cards came out in the Weekly Boys Cinema Magazine, with the first card (No. 1) being inserted in the Boys Cinema Issue No. 117, Vol. 5 March 4, 1922.

Each week, they issued another card. The Harry Houdini card (No. 4) came out in Boys Cinema issue No. 120, Vol 5 March 25, 1922.

And the card is available on eBay from time to time, but the magazine is extremely hard to find. So it appears more cards have survived than the magazine the card was inserted in.  Thank You Arthur!

Book features info and trick(s) on Celebrity Magician Dorothy Dietrich

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Below is a 7 minute 41 second youtube video link advertising the book that mentions our friend Dorothy Dietrich at the beginning and shows you how to create an included illusion (page 91) with the celebrity magician (starting at 3:10 mark).

The book is believed to be Portuguese. Any additional info on this book and how to obtain a copy would be greatly appreciated.

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