On the 95th anniversary of Houdini’s Death, thought I would share the dressing room scene from my script for a Houdini movie that was never made:

Suddenly, we hear the orchestra tuning as the dressing room door opens: COLLINS.

COLLINS The college boys is here, Mr. H.

HOUDINI Time?

COLLINS Ten minutes to curtain.

INT. HOSPITAL — CORRIDOR — NIGHT

The DOCTOR sits next to BESS, grim.

DOCTOR It’s too late…

BESS What the hell do you mean it’s too late?

A moment.

DOCTOR He’s dying, Bess.

BESS looks up at him. Disbeleif, anger, tears.

BESS Dying… what are you talking about? Houdini can’t die… Houdini never dies…