Stone Lithograph and Missing Scene from Episode Three of The Master Mystery

Posted on November 13, 2016 by hhce

The beautiful Otis Litho-one sheet poster (Lot 95) above just sold at the November 2016 Haversat & Ewing Auction for $28,080. It came from the collection of Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, which I was fortunate enough to see in person. Congratulations to the winner!

The Episode 3 scene depicted in the poster is missing from the current Kino DVD release of the film. Below is a description from my personal notes that may help put the scene in context:

Zita Dane tells Herbert Balcom “Before Brent went mad he made a list of inventions which we have suppressed.” Herbert says “That list would put me behind bars.”

Locke [Houdini] has combo to safe that Eva is about to open when Herbert and Zita walk in.

Eva opens safe and Herbert oversees numbers and writes them down. Eva hands Herbert a Letter:

Board of Directors

Internantional Patents, Inc

New York City.

Gentlemen:

In view of the Government’s anti-trust investigation I have prepared this list of inventions we have suppressed. I think we should discuss at our annual meeting the advisability of surrendering our rights to these inventions, no matter what may happen to the corporations we have been protecting.

Very truly yours,

Peter Brent

President

Herbert says “Should that letter reach the Department of Justice we are ruined.”

Eva puts letter and money back in safe and everyone leaves except Locke and Eva.

Locke [Houdini] tells Eva, “This electrical device will notify me, as well as hold anyone who attempts to open the safe. In this way I hope to discover who is in the automation.”

In fact most of Episode 3 is missing from the Kino DVD release, but is available on the print at the UCLA Film Archives:

Balcom and Brent, owners of International Patents, a firm that has made a fortune by keeping patented inventions off the market, quarrel, the outcome of which leaves Brent stricken by the “Madagascar (or laughing) madness.” A giant automaton whose secret retreat is under the Brent house is responsible for the crimes committed and Quentin Locke, the newly engaged head of the laboratories endeavors to aid Eva, daughter of Brent, in solving the mystery. In attempting to find an antidote to restore Eva’s father to sanity, Locke has been thrown from a dock by the emissaries of the automaton. Miraculously he escapes. One of the emissaries is captured and put in jail, and Locke impersonates him in order to get to the automaton at the acid mills. Eva is coerced into going to the acid mills to meet Locke, but instead is abducted by the automaton. Locke is left suspended over a seething vat of acid, with Eva unwittingly the key to his demise should she open the door to where Locke has been shackled.

Houdini Secrets For U.S. Soldiers

Posted on November 11, 2016 by hhce

Harry Houdini with doughboys (From the collection of Kenneth M. Trombly)

In honor of Veteran’s Day, a public holiday held on the anniversary of the end of World War I (November 11) to honor US veterans and victims of all wars, I thought I would share parts of an article that appeared in the Evening Star February 26, 1918:

Houdini is going to give away some of his secrets for patriotic reasons. He is going to show American soldiers and sailors just how he extricates himself from the tight fixes that are a feature of the Houdini acts at vaudeville performances.

….

The demonstrations are to be given to men in uniform during the intermission of “Cheer Up” at the Hippodrome, where a room has been fitted up on the promenade floor.

Officers who wish to make special arrangements to bring groups of men to these demonstrations can arrange to so by telephoning the Hippodrome and making appointments for the intermissions on any desired date.

Houdini has also offered to teach soldiers and sailors how to escape from sinking vessels and has received a letter from the Secretary of War thanking him for the suggestion.

Thank You for serving our country & protecting our freedoms.

Original Halloween Séance covered worldwide, plus Straitjacket Escape

Posted on November 7, 2016 by hhce

In my last post, I mentioned Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz promoting the movie “Houdini “by introducing it and Dorothy performing one of the best straitjacket straitjacket and handcuff escapes I have ever seen. Well, one week ago, at the Original Halloween Séance, Dorothy and Dick were at it again. Enjoy!

And speaking of promotion, the séance got worldwide coverage as evidenced by the following links:

THE GUARDIAN

The Guardian’s print edition had an average daily circulation of 189,000 copies. The newspaper’s online edition was the FIFTH most widely read in the world as of October 2014, with over 42.6 million readers.[6] In the UK, its combined print and online editions reach nearly 9 million readers.[7]

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/oct/31/houdini-seance-new-york-dorothy-dietrich

NY1 TIME WARNER TV
http://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2016/11/1/upper-east-side-s-ance-attempts-to-contact-harry-houdini-on-the-90th-anniversary-of-the-escape-artists–death.html

FOX 5
http://www.fox5ny.com/news/214644555-story

FOX 11 NEWS
http://fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/halloween-is-90th-anniversary-of-houdinis-death

NY POST PAGE SIX
http://pagesix.com/2016/11/01/restaurant-tries-to-contact-houdinis-spirit/

OTHER:

http://patch.com/new-york/upper-east-side-nyc/magicians-attempt-contact-harry-houdini-upper-east-side-childhood-home

https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20161026/yorkville/harry-houdini-seance-halloween

WALL STREET JOURNAL:

U.S. NEW YORK NY CULTURE

Halloween Séance Calls for Harry Houdini at Home

This year’s event on the anniversary of the famed magician’s death will be at the building where he once lived

By SOPHIA HOLLANDER

The annual event to summon Harry Houdini’s spirit this year will be at Sojourn restaurant on the Upper East Side, located in the space where a young Houdini practiced tricks. Above, Houdini performed a rope escape, left, and a card trick in these undated photos. PHOTO: ASSOCIATED PRESS

It was to be the final escape.

Before Harry Houdini died on Oct. 31, 1926, he asked his wife to hold annual séances—and gave her a secret code so that she could verify his return.

“He said if anyone can come back, he would,” said George Schindler, the 87-year-old dean of the Society of American Magicians, where Houdini served as president for nine years.

This Halloween marks the 90th anniversary of the famed magician’s death, and at least the 90th séance trying to summon his spirit.

The séances are now hosted by the Harry Houdini Museum, based in Scranton, Pa., but this year museum officials selected an out-of-town spot for the event: the Upper East Side building where Houdini once lived.

A young Houdini practiced tricks in the space that is now Sojourn restaurant and lived with his family in the boardinghouse upstairs. Last week, the restaurant erected a plaque to Houdini’s memory.

“He kind of inspired me growing up,” said restaurant owner Sammy Musovic, a magic fan. Neighborhood old-timers had approached him for years about the site’s history, he said, prompting him to research it further and host the séance at the restaurant.

George Schindler, dean of the Society of American Magicians, speaks at Sojourn restaurant on E 79th St. about the séance on the 90th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death. PHOTO: PETER SAMELSON

Even though he called for a séance, Houdini was skeptical.

“That would be the final test,” said the museum’s co-director Dorothy Dietrich. “He was looking for some kind of proof.”

During his life, he never found any. Houdini scorned the spiritualists of his era as scam artists.

The promise to contact a lost loved one “would be worth anything to anybody,” said Ms. Dietrich, making the grieving particularly vulnerable to swindlers. “Houdini spent pretty much his whole life exposing them where ever he went.”

At the Society of American Magicians, Houdini even founded a “debunking” committee that still exists today, although it has been more than a decade since it received any requests, Mr. Schindler said.

According to Ms. Dietrich, the code he gave his wife was a way of protecting her from being scammed, since nobody else knew it.

Still, the séances, which are free and open to the public, have seen some odd moments, said Ms. Dietrich, who has been leading them for more than 30 years. There was the time when a Houdini picture fell off the wall just as attendees asked for his spirit or when a candelabra started flickering despite no wind or air-conditioning drafts.

This year’s event begins at noon on Monday, just before the time of his death at 1:26 p.m. The code has since been revealed: It combines the words “ Rosa Bell,” a nod to the couple’s favorite ballad, with an encrypted spelling of “believe” that his wife understood.

Mr. Musovic said he was slightly nervous to be hosting a séance in his restaurant.

“The hocus-pocus thing you always got to worry about, you know?” he said. “I don’t want to disappear.”

Story Source: CLICK HERE

Straitjacket Escape to Promote “Houdini” Opening

Posted on November 6, 2016 by hhce

Below is an original 1953 Press Photo I recently acquired of a magician performing a straitjacket escape to promote the release of the Tony Curtis Houdini movie in front of the Paramount theater.

Click on the link below to find out who the magician is and to read the published text that went with the press photo.

Text for Press Photo

While I wasn’t born yet for the opening in 1953, the movie did change my life when I saw it as a kid in the 70’s. Below is a Oct 2, 1977 TV guide promotion for the movie, which shows Houdini hanging from a Straitjacket.

The movie also had a big effect on me in 2015, when the TCM Film Festival screened a rare 35mm print from the Paramount archive. I felt like I was able to experience the movie like it appeared back in the day. And to promote the movie, my friends Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, introduced it and Dorothy performed one of the best straitjacket and handcuff escapes I have seen, which received a standing ovation.

On November 15, Houdini (1953) is due to be released on a new DVD and Blu-ray with a Straitjacket on the cover.

“How Houdini Died” and “Was Houdini Killed?”

Posted on October 31, 2016 by hhce

Houdini died 90 years ago, today. What led to his death and was he killed?

The following snippet from an article written by Bayard Grimshaw gives a clue:

The full story of the events leading to Houdini’s death was first told, to the best of my knowledge, in a well-written, detailed article by Stanley Handman which appeared in the Canadian Weekend Picture Magazine for 12th September, 1953.

[Abracadabra Magazine Saturday 23^rd March 1974 page 230]

For years, I thought this article referenced by Bayard Grimshaw was the same article that Patrick Culliton posted the text for on his houdinighost.com website, which was titled:

“Was Houdini Killed?” by S. J. Smiley

That was, until I was finally able to get a copy of the Canadian Weekend Picture article, which was titled:

“How Houdini Died” by Stanley Handman

It turns out the source for the 12^th September 1953 article in the Canadian Weekend Picture article was the undated file (“Was Houdini Killed?” by S. J. Smiley) from the Fulton Oursler collection, currently in the Georgetown University Library.

FWIW: Fulton Oursler, aka Samri Frikell and Anthony Abbot, was an American journalist, playwright, editor and writer, who aided Harry Houdini in his crusade against fraudulent mediumship, and died May 24, 1952. Writing as Anthony Abbot, he was a notable author of mysteries and detective fiction. He also wrote under his own name on Christian themes.

With that, I leave you with a snippet from Was Houdini Killed? article to ponder:

While Houdini was thus discoursing and I drawing, there was a rap at the door, and Houdini’s secretary ushered in a rather tall individual – he must have been at least six foot two – wearing a blue gabardine coat that seemed much too small for him, and carrying three or four books under his arm. The newcomer appeared to have known Houdini and had, in fact, come that day to return a book Houdini had loaned him a few days before; his name was Whitehead, and he was the theological student at McGill University.
Whitehead was an oldish looking young man about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years of age. He impressed one as being the very genteel type of student. His face was ruddy, his hair very thin on top; his frame was powerful though loosely-knit, and his neck was inordinately long. He spoke softly with an exaggerated Oxford accent.
With the advent of Whitehead the conversation continued anew, and though I was disturbed from time to time by the fact that Houdini had to turn his head to answer Whitehead’s numerous queries (for he was an enthusiastic talker) I found a good deal of interest in what was said…
It seems that Houdini had been a detective for many years and had aided in unraveling so many mysteries and had read so many detective stories, that he boasted of being able to piece together any detective story, unknown to him of course, by hearing three or four paragraphs from different sections of such story. Whitehead, who had a mystery book with him, tried the experiment; he read excerpts from three or four different sections of the book, and Houdini apparently was able to give the gist of the story. At this juncture Houdini made an observation which I shall always remember, “think of the trouble I might have caused if I had used my talents for ill.”
More conversation and then Whitehead asked Houdini another question. “What is your opinion of the miracles mentioned in the Bible?”
Houdini tactfully replied, “I prefer not to discuss or to comment on matters of this nature. I would make one observation, however, – what would succeeding generations said of Houdini’s feats had he performed them in Biblical times? Would they have been referred to as ‘miracles’?”
Whitehead appeared to be somewhat taken aback at this statement.
It was at this point that Whitehead began to manifest what seem to me an astonishing interest in Houdini’s physical strength. Then, out of a clear sky, Whitehead asked, “is it true, Mr. Houdini, that you can resist the hardest blows struck to the abdomen?”

Thoughts?

Houdini’s Death Officially Laid to Boy’s Blow?

Lost Houdini Film(s) Based on The Master Mystery – Mystery Solved

Posted on October 30, 2016 by hhce

As promised, here is a post that sums up the mystery of all of the movies, we discussed in the previous four posts:

Well, it is pretty obvious, that The Master Mystery was re-cut into these four new attractions, which according to John Cox at Wild About Houdini was a practice that went on in the days of silent films.

With that said, I believe the following ad that appeared in the Moving Picture World on January 8, 1921 and January 15, 1921 pretty much sums up the mystery of the four movies:

Now, we just need to find prints of these pirated movies.

Possibly Depicting a Scene From The Master Mystery?

Posted on October 29, 2016 by hhce

The very nice publicity illustration above just sold ($1600) at the Potter & Potter Auction for the Magic Collection of David Baldwin. Congratulations to the winner!

Below is the auction description:

LOT 0288 DETAILS

[Houdini, Harry (Ehrich Weiss)] Ogle, R.B. Original Publicity Illustration of Houdini. Circa 1920s. Pen and ink on paper, possibly depicting a scene from The Master Mystery (1920), in which Houdini is shown climbing through an open window into a bedroom at night and bearing down on a man wielding a dagger. “Kinema Comic” annotated in pencil in lower margin, with scattered printer’s annotations and stamps. Artist’s name identified on verso. 10 x 13″. Old central vertical fold.

The description mentions that it is “Possibly Depicting a Scene from The Master Mystery”.

Well, we know the artist R.B. Ogle has created Aeroplane sketches for Kinema Comic that depict scenes from The Grim Game. The originals (seen below) are now in the Arthur Moses Collection which I was fortunate enough to see in person.

Since I have finally seen all of The Master Mystery, plus studied the script, synopsis, and book, I feel that I am qualified to answer the question if the publicity illustration sold by Potter & Potter auction depicts a scene from The Master Mystery. The short answer is, No.

That said, Episode 11 of The Master Mystery has an incredible scene in a deserted shack,where the Madagascan Strangler attempts to stab Houdini that I would like to describe.

The following are two title cards from Episode 11:

FOREWORD

At Paul’s instigation, Eva has

been abducted; and one of his

followers disguised as a minister,

attempts to perform a false mar-

riage ceremony.

—while Quentin Locke has been

bound and placed under the

coverings of a sofa, where he

is left to the tender mercies

of the Madagascan.

While Eva is being married to Paul against her will, the Madagascan Strangler thrusts a knife into the form of Locke (Houdini) laying on the sofa. To his surprise, the Madagascan is caught at his ankles and thrown to the floor. Houdini had shifted his position to meet the expected attack and ironically “strangles” the Madagascan Strangler.

A little later in Episode 11, they flashback and reveal exactly how Houdini caught the Madagascan off guard:

Houdini all tied up is seen rolling out from the sheet in the back of the sofa where he escapes his bonds. He then rolls underneath the sofa as the Strangler approaches with the knife.

Note: This scene only appears in the movie, it does not appear in The Master Mystery Novel.

Historic 90th Seance’ to be held at site of Houdini’s first New York home

Posted on October 25, 2016 by hhce

The Historic 90th Houdini Seance at Sojourn Restaurant-The Site of Houdini’s First Home in NY Oct 31, 2016.

It will be headed up by world renowned female escape artist Dorothy Dietrich and Broadway mentalist Marc Salem, and begins at noon, close to the time Houdini died on Halloween.

The Houdini Seances were done by Ms. Dietrich many years at New York’s legendary Magic Towne House. Dietrich is the Director of The Houdini Museum in Scranton, PA, the only building in the world dedicated to Houdini. The Houdini Museum is under the close guidance of Houdini’s family. They have also asked the museum to do upkeep and repairs at the Houdini’s Grave. The not for profit 501 C-3 museum recently received world wide acclaim for replacing the bust of Houdini at his grave that had been destroyed by vandals 41 years ago, at a cost of $10,000, and for discovering and getting restored, by Turner Classic Movies, Houdini’s best and long lost feature film, “The Grim Game.

Also attending will be paranormalist Dick Brookz currently appearing on Travel Channels Mysteries At The Museum, and star of The Houdini Museum’s Haunted-Mysteries of the Beyond, the longest running paranormal and seance show in history. Several original Houdini items will be on display as part of the event, that is free and open to the pubic. Reservations suggested

The Sojourn Restaurant is located at 244 East 79 St, NYC

HOUDINI SEANCE HISTORY
Each year since his death a tribute in the form of a seance has been conducted on that day. The first ten were done by his wife Bess as a tribute and test, each year after Houdini died. In his effort to challenge the crooked mystics and psychics who claim they can make contact with the dead. He told people to save their money and not be cheated by those who make such claims! Houdini said if he, the greatest escape artist of all time, could not escape from the beyond and return, no one could. After ten years, Houdini’s wife passed on the legacy and tradition to Houdini biographer, friend and writer Walter B. Gibson. Gibson was the creator of “The Shadow” one of the most famous mystery series of all time that started out as a novel, a radio show, a television show and then a movie starring Alec Baldwin. The shows catch phrase, “The Shadow knows!” has been repeated thousands of times by comedians and others through the years. Gibson also helped Houdini in some of his literary projects, and after Houdini died Gibson wrote several biographies and magic secret books culled from Houdini’s private notes that Bess let Gibson use. Before Mr. Gibson died he passed on the legacy and the tradition of the Houdini Seance to well known magic celebrity, Dorothy Dietrich. http://DorothyDietrich.com

Walter B. Gibson – Dorothy Dietrich – Milbourne Christoper

Dorothy Dietrich has been named “one of the most noted magicians of the late 20th century” by Columbia Encyclopedia. Dorothy Dietrich is one of the world’s best known magicians and has also been called “The First Lady of Magic and “The Female Houdini”. She has appeared in many television specials, and is the first and only woman in history to perform the death defying Bullet Catch in her mouth, that has killed 12 men. It’s the “the stunt that scared Houdini” who backed out after announcing he would attempt it. She is also the first and only woman to perform a straitjacket escape from a parachute ride while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope, as shown on the HBO special, The World’s Greatest Escapes, that she starred in. She is also known as “The first woman to saw a man in half!” She is considered a leading collector and expert on Houdini. Recently, the Internet’s main site for Houdini news, WildAboutHoudini.com, heralded, “She’s not only a bonafide legend of magic, but she is a tireless and selfless promoter of Houdini’s history and legacy. With her museum, radio show, TV appearances, and her continued upkeep of Houdini’s grave site, it could be said that no one is as devoted to preserving Houdini’s memory as Dorothy Dietrich.” When not traveling, Dietrich performs at The Houdini Museum. The Houdini Museum has the largest display to the general public, anywhere, of artifacts, historical displays and information on Houdini. She is considered a leading expert and collector on Houdini. She has been featured on numerous television shows and channels world wide including the BBC, CBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, The Travel Channel, Biography Channel, History Channel, TV Land, “Mysteries at the Museum”, etc.

Marc Salem came to international prominence when he was featured on 60 Minutes by Mike Wallace and amazed Wallace and viewers around the world. He also had a feature story in the New York Times. His show MIND GAMES concluded two extended runs on BROADWAY to both critical and popular acclaim. The Sydney Opera House, the Edinburgh Festival and Singapore’s Esplanade have also hosted his extended runs. He has been featured on the The O’Reilly Factor, Montel, Maury, CNN, and is a regular guest on Court TV, and has had two network television specials. Salem was last on the New York stage with his show Mind over Manhattan in 2012, and, most recently, concluded a three month run in Chicago with his show Mind over Chicago. He recently completed five sell out seasons in London, along with many theatres from Montreal to Capetown. Marc Salem’s all new show “Haunted Mind” will play a special Halloween night event at The Gramercy Theatre at 127 E. 23rd Street in Manhattan onOctober 31st at 7pm. For more info, go to http://concerts.livenation.com/event/0000511CE8674890
or http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Mentalist-Marc-Salem-to-Bring-New-Show-HAUNTED-MIND-to-the-Gramercy-for-Halloween-20161010

During the Fall and Winter months The Houdini Museum is open weekends for tours and a magic show, as well as being available any day of the week for school and bus groups, and magical parties.
For pictures and more information go to:
Houdini Seance web page http://Houdini.org/houdiniseance.html

For more information or to RSVP contact Penny Wilkes at
The Houdini Museum
1433 N. Main Ave, Scranton, PA 18447
(570) 383-1821 or (570) 342-5555.
magicus@comcast.net http://Houdini.org

Lost Houdini Film(s) Based on The Master Mystery – The Doctor’s Vengeance

Posted on October 23, 2016 by hhce

As promised in my last post, here is evidence of another one of the four films based on The Master Mystery – The Doctor’s Vengeance.

The first ads that I could find are from January, 1921:

[The Public Ledger (Maysville, Kentucky)]

I also found some ads from March 1921:

[Witchita Daily Times (Wichita Falls, Texas)]

May 1921 is the last time I could find an ad for the picture.

[The Houston Post (Houston, Texas)]

Next week:

Lost Houdini Film(s) Based on The Master Mystery – Mystery Solved

Lost Houdini Film(s) Based on The Master Mystery – The Law Pirates

Posted on October 16, 2016 by hhce

As promised in my last post, here is evidence of another one of the four films based on The Master Mystery – The Law Pirates.

The first ads that I could find are from October 31, 1920. Below are a couple of them.

[The Pittsburgh Press, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania]

So what was the gist of The Law Pirates.

According to an ad for the Colonial Theatre, dated Nov 17, 1920, it was:

“Reaiizing the menace that the future wars will bring by the deadly submarine the government has placed a premium on all devices that will overcome it. A poor inventor has perfected a wonderful submarine suit and in seeking aid in his experiments interests Houdini. A band of ‘law pirates’ headed by a clever but unscrupulous lawyer try to steal the invention.”

[The Daily Gate City and Constitution Democrat, (Keokuk, Iowa)]

[The Journal News, (Hamilton, Ohio)]

And from ads for the Grand Theatre, dated Nov 19, 1920, we know that Houdini is Very Pleasing in “The Law Pirates”:

“Houdini is just as mysterious an ever in ‘The Law Pirates’ in which he is now being seen at the Grand theatre. Houdini is just naturally a man of mystery and in ‘The Law Pirates’ he does all kinds of thrilling mysterious things. Big houses saw the initial presentation of this picture last night and everyone was pleased. It remains the attraction at the Grand today and tomorrow with ‘The Water Plug’, a clever comedy as the added feature.”

[Hamilton Evening Journal (Hamilton, Ohio)]

“Unusually large houses greeted Houdini in ‘The Law Pirates’ at the Grand last night. Houdini is becoming quite a screen favorite in Hamilton especially among those who like mystery and action and Houdini is not anything if he is not mysterious.”

[Hamilton Evening Journal (Hamilton, Ohio)]

And from ads, dated Dec 13 and 14, 1920, we learn the following:

“Supported by Ruth Stonehouse in this great picture Houdini will be seen as an inventor of a device for the government to overcome the deadly submarine and a band of parties seek to steal it. If you have seen Houdini in ‘Terror Island’ you know him as the man of mystery.”

[The Gettysburg Times, (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)]

And from an ad, dated March 10, 1921:

[The Public Ledger, (Maysville, Kentucky)]

October 1921 is the last time I could find an ad for the picture.

[The Des Moines Register, (Des Moines, Iowa)]