In May, I shared an ad for Houdini’s Grand Magical Review that shared 6 effects. The above ad from 102 years ago today shares the same 6 effects plus two additional effects, Lady Godiva and DeKolta’s Marvelous Cube.
- Lady Godiva – A lady and pony disappear.
- DeKolta’s Marvelous Cube – A large black die, about eight inches square, with white spots painted on it expands in a fraction of a second to a giant die about a cubic yard.
This appearance at the Empire Theatre in Nottingham was most likely the last time Houdini presented his Grand Magical Review.
Some of the other places he presented it were at Tivoli Theatre Barrow-in-Furness, Empire Theatre Leeds, Empire Theatre Bristol, Palace Theatre Oldham, Palace Theatre Hull, and King’s Hall Dover.
Source:
- The Repro 71 Harry Houdini Portfolio
- Hiding The Elephant by Jim Steinmeyer
- The Illustrated Houdini Research Diary Part 4: 1911 to 1915 by Frank Koval
- Houdini The British Tours by Derek Tait, 2011
I’m not 100% certain but I believe that the secret to the Lady Godiva illusion is in the back section of Hyla Clark’s World’s Greatest Magic along with explanations of other illusions.
Good call. On page 196-197, they refer to it as the “Disappearance of a Horse and Rider” and provide a method.