The Bros Hernes, were none other than Jacob and Joseph Hyman.
Credit: Harry Ransom Center (HRC)
You may recall that Jacob and Joe Hyman both performed Metamorphosis with Houdini as The Brothers Houdini.
As Joe put it:
Things were not so good for the The Brother’s Houdini in those days. Bookings were few and money was scarce. Suddenly my brother Jack decided to give up show business [April 10, 1894], even though the boys had a few more weeks booked under the team name, so my Brother suggested that I play these weeks with Harry. I did and became the second member of the Hyman clan, who appeared under the magic name of Houdini. [SAS]
Once Joe and Harry were finished with their engagements, Jacob took the name Jack Hayman, and began practicing a song and dance act with his brother Joe. [SAS]
After a short while, Jacob left the act, with his brother, and took off on his own as, Houdini, Oriental Conjurer and Mysterious Juggler. [SAS]
Sometimes his billing name was JH Houdini, which stood for Jack Hayman Houdini. [SAS]
He also went by JH Herne, when his brother (now Jos Herne) rejoined the act (now called The Bros Herne direct from Europe). Robert Fulgora of Hopkins Trans-Oceanic Star Special Co first booked them for 1897-98 season. The brothers would present the startling theosophical illusion, Substitution, which was their name for The Metamorphosis. [HRC]
Later, the Substitution transformed from a box into the prison barrel escape performed by The Bros Herne. [P&P]
1902 Postcard (Potter & Potter Auction 2014)
And, Houdini would eventually acquire the barrel [1903] used in The Bros Herne act and perform the Prison Cell & Barrel Mystery [1904-1906].
References:
- SAS: The Brothers Houdini lecture notes by Stephen A. Sparks (HHCE Collection)
- HRC: Harry Ransom Center
- P&P: Potter & Potter
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