Today, I conclude the series, where I share escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:
This week, I share the Walking Thru Brick Wall scene:
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 Belle Isle Bridge scene:
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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 second Water Torture Cell scene:
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.
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 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.
Today, I kick off a series, where I share escape scenes from my personal copy of HOUDINI A Screenplay by Vince DiPersio:
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.
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,
And possibly a story serialized in the newspapers
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.
The common thread in all the story adaptations is Arthur B. Reeve.
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 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.
Last week, I (along with other Houdini Nuts above) had the pleasure of attending the opening reception of “Houdini Unchained” at the Muzeo Museum and Cultural Center in Anaheim, California.
It show-cased the amazing collection of Dr Randall Bell, which included an original milk can (below) that reportedly came from the basement of 278 W. 113th St, which I was dying to see in person. Randy Bell calls it “Can #1”. And Patrick Culliton thinks its Houdini’s “Last Milk Can”.
What a treat! Previously, I had only seen a picture of it in Patrick Culliton’s book, “Houdini the Key” on page 448. Per Mr. Cullltion (Nov 1993 Genii), if it is not a genuine Houdini prop, I’ll eat my hat. It’s the right age, the right size (small) and its beautifully gaffed.
The Milk Can measures 36 inches high, 26 inches at its widest point, and is 15 inches across the top. The top is secured by 4 hasps.
Besides this Milk Can, what other Houdini related Milk Cans are known to exist?
There is the first Houdini Can with straight sides (above) that Mueller acquired in 1967 from Dunninger and displayed in the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame, which later was sold in auction in 2008 for $13,000 to an unknown owner.
David Copperfield has a Houdini Milk Can (above Left) and the Houdini Estate in Laurel Canyon has the Milk Can (above Right) used in the Doublefold escape,
And Dr. Moore (Left Can Above) and the American Museum of Magic (Right Can Above) each have a Hardeen Milk Can.
What is curious about the Bell can is it only has 4 locks compared to the other cans with 6 locks.
While I am obsessed with milk cans related to Houdini, the highlight of the collection IMHO, was seeing Houdini’s Cone to Flower illusion with traveling crate (above). Houdini’s assistant would enter the empty BIG TALL cone (that was large enough to completely cover her). When the cone was whisked up, the assistant was replaced with a bouquet of flowers. The girl would then reappear at the back of the theater. Note: according to “Great Magic Shows” Reviewed by Arnold Furst, Houdini also did this effect with an Orange Tree.
Seeing the Houdini’s Blooming Rosebush illusion (above Left) in person was also a highlight, along with Houdini’s Personal Séance Clock (above Right).
With an imperceptible bit of pressure on a foot pedal, the cast iron table would sprout flowers before a stunned audience. Although it dates from the early years of the 20th century, it was modified repeatedly during Houdini’s lifetime. Very few magic tables exist today. Note: Per October 2014 Genii, The “Blooming Rosebush” would be used in conjuction with the “Cone to Flower Illusion” for a complete flower routine.
The clock was used in Houdini’s “debunking” séance performances of 1923-26 in which he demonstrated how fraudulent mediums use trickery (in this case a wax hand taking the place of the mediums hand while the real hands were busy stopping the clock!)
This is a “must-see” collection “in person”.
Related:
Special Thanks to John Cox for “Houdini Nuts” photo and Joe Fox for “Houdini’s Blooming Rosebush and Flower Cone” note references.