A Look Back at 2022

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One year ago today, I proudly published and released Houdini’s Lost Novella, The Zanetti Mystery plus candidates for ghostwriting the story.

If you want more information on Houdini’s Lost Novella, please check out my presentation below:

And if you would like a copy of the book, it is still available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

Besides publishing my first book, there were many more highlights for HHCE in 2022.

Shared some special posts that included not widely known information:

  • Houdini Fights Film Expose of Illusion Parts 1 and 2

Shared “Houdini Nuts” related adventures:

Shared a series of posts where I summarized or shared tidbits about the film treatments Harry Houdini wrote:

Shared escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:

Shared a number of other items from my personal collection:

  • Houdini Historical Center Museum Souvenirs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

In 2023, I plan to continue to share research, items from my collection, and publish my next Houdini book.

H A P P Y  H O L I D A Y S  !

HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio July 1994 – Water Torture Cell Part 1

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Today, I continue the series, where I share escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:

This week, I share the first Water Torture Cell scene:

Next, Rahmen Bey challenges Houdini trick for trick.

HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio July 1994 – Coffin Escape

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Today, I continue the series, where I share escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:

  • Buried Alive
  • COFFIN ESCAPE
  • Water Torture Cell Part 1
  • Water Torture Cell Part 2
  • Belle Isle Bridge
  • Walking Thru Brick Wall

This week, I share the Coffin Escape scene:

We see, Collins and Jeffrey at the Hippodrome, where Rahmen Bey is about to perform the coffin escape handcuffed. Collins makes a scene about the cheap handcuffs and ends up slipping his own handcuffs on Rahmen Bey who struggles. Houdini proceeds to the stage and exposes Rahmen Bey’s coffin that is tricked. Houdini then shows everyone how the great Houdini does it.

HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio July 1994 – Buried Alive plus

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Today, I kick off a series, where I share escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:

  • BURIED ALIVE
  • Coffin Escape
  • Water Torture Cell Part 1
  • Water Torture Cell Part 2
  • Belle Isle Bridge
  • Walking Thru Brick Wall

This week, I share the Buried Alive scene:

The movie opens with Houdini being buried alive in a 6ft grave.

Next, Houdini performs magic at Hippodrome New York, but crowd wants to see an escape, instead of doing coffin trick, decides to do a mystic show. Mina Crandon and other mystics are in attendance. $10K challenge if Mina or anyone else can guess what word Houdini has written on a piece of paper. An old woman guesses “Mother” and it turns out to be correct. Houdini needs to know how she did it, but she disappears without collecting her money.

The theater owner hired a magician and wanted the coffin trick, not a mystic show, so he cancelled Houdini.

Houdini, Bess, Collins and JEFFERY (good looking Times reporter) go to  John L Sullivan’s (retired champion of the world boxer) Restaurant in Manhattan. John L tests Houdini with a punch and gets a free dinner to the delight of the guests.

Margery then enters the restaurant with a dashing guy, Rahmen Bey, who is in his 20s. The theater owner gave Rahmen Bey Houdini’s weekend show dates. Margery claimed that anything Houdini could do, Rahmen Bey could go better.

Houdini, Collins, and Jeffrey are in heavy disguise at a Margery Séance at 92nd street YMCA. Suddenly there is a commotion and a ghostly figure tumbles to the ground and the lights are turned on by Collins and reveal Houdini and Margery’s assistant locked together on the ground. Margery calls Houdini a rotten bastard and says she will see him rot in hell for this.

Houdini Adaptations – Arthur B Reeve

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Adaptation – a movie, television drama, or stage play that has been adapted from a written work

Arthur B. Reeve and Houdini worked on three silent film stories together,

  • The Master Mystery (1918)
  • The Grim Game (1919)
  • Terror Island (1920)

And possibly a story serialized in the newspapers

  • The Zanetti Mystery (1925)

HHCE Collection

The Master Mystery silent film was adapted to a book.

HHCE Collection

Terror Island film script was adapted to a story paper format.

Published by Joe Notaro (copyright 2022)

The Zanetti Mystery was planned to be adapted to a novel and movie.

HHCE Collection

And there is now evidence that The Grim Game, was planned to be adapted to a stage play.

  • Circumstantial Evidence (1924)

The common thread in all the story adaptations is Arthur B. Reeve.

It’s a Girl!

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In honor of our beautiful granddaughter, Peyton Jo, who was born today, thought I would share a couple baby photos of Houdini’s niece.

Credit: John Hinson Collection

Credit: HHCE Collection

This now makes 3 granddaughters and 1 grandson.

The Houdini Magical Fraternity

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The Houdini Magical Fraternity was a club started by Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls around 1975.

Members would receive promotional discounts and the monthly newsletter, Tidings.

Below are the first two from my personal collection of 9 issues.

If you’re interested in reading the other 7 issues, Tom Interval posted them in the Tidings album of his Hall of Fame Facebook page

The Houdini Magical Fraternity also published a Catalogue of Magic at the same time.

Below is the first one from my personal collection of 6 issues.