Showing posts with label Houdini. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Houdini. Show all posts

31 October 2013

Update from John Cox about Halifax Houdini seance


Storytime with The Professor

From John Cox at Wild About Houdini:
The October 2013 Magic Castle Newsletter has launched a new column, "Storytime with The Professor", featuring memorable tales told by the late Dai Vernon. The inaugural story is about, what else, Houdini, and in it Vernon recounts how S.A.M. members once "tricked" Houdini into going into a closest at the New York Hippodrome and locked him inside. "We pulled this trick on him because he was such a terrible egotist," said the man who's own ego was pretty well developed.

Read more.

24 October 2013

Details about Halifax Houdini Seance

From John Cox at Wild About Harry:
Official Houdini Séance will Haunt the

Halifax Citadel on Halloween


Famous Canadian fort to host an evening of
magic, mystery and history

Harry Houdini spent a month in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1896. This Halloween, some are hoping the legendary escape artist will return to the harbour city. The 2013 Official Houdini Séance is set to convene at historic Citadel Hill, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on October 31.

Before he died on Halloween in 1926, Houdini promised to send a message from the Great Beyond. His widow Beatrice held the first ten séances on the anniversary of his death, and each year since the Official Houdini Séance has been held in a city where Houdini performed. It is now organized by an American consortium of Houdini experts, piloted by Tom Boldt and Bill Radner, son of Sidney Radner who was caretaker of the Séance from 1947-2010. Halifax organizer is Nova Scotia author and Houdini historian Bruce MacNab.

Read more and buy tickets.


From the CBC:
Goulish thrill seekers in Halifax will be looking for signs of legendary magician Harry Houdini’s return from the grave this Halloween night.
Houdini, whose real name was Ehrich Weisz, died in Detroit at the age of 52 on Oct. 31, 1926. He was buried in Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, N.Y.

Just before he passed away, he promised his wife he'd send a message from the great beyond, if it was possible.

Since his death 87 years ago, there's been a séance — somewhere in the world — every Halloween night. This year it will be held in Halifax.  
Read more.

04 October 2013

Halifax to host Houdini Seance

From John Cox at Wild About Harry:
Great news today! Bill Radner informs me that the 2013 Official Houdini Seance will be held in the catacombs of the historic Citadel HIll in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Halloween of this year.

Houdini and Bess performed in Halifax during their first tour of the Canadian Maritimes in 1896. That formative tour is the subject of Bruce MacNab's excellent book, The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini. Bruce will be co-hosting this year's seance, which is going to have a terrific lineup of guests and performers and will have a limited amount of tickets available to the public.

Read more.

02 July 2013

Houdini diary entry from Toronto

From Wild About Houdini:
There's a lot to love about this. First is the glimpse into the politics of showbiz that a newspaper won't write stories about an act unless the theater buys advertising. Houdini's shorthand "O.D. Stunt" appears to be his catch-all for "outdoor stunts" (bridge jumps, overboard box, suspended straitjacket). Finally, Houdini's expression of hurt at not being thanked feels very genuine. Doesn't matter if you're the world's greatest mystifier; everyone likes to be thanked.

Read the quote.

22 May 2013

Truro: "Houdini in Truro" by Bruce MacNab

From Wild About Houdini:
Bruce MacNab, author of Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini, will be giving a talk about "Houdini in Truro" tomorrow, May 23, 2013, at the Colchester Historeum, 29 Young Street, Truro, Canada.

Read more.

20 March 2013

David Ben's review of "The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini"

Late last year, John Cox at Wild About Houdini posted about Bruce MacNab's book The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini, which details Houdini's 1896 Canadian tour.

From Sharing Wonder:
... David Ben, artistic director of Magicana, has penned a review, “The Handcuff King” for the Literary Review of Canada which has just been released (March 2012: Vol. 21, No. 2, p. 27). According to Ben: “Part biography, part travelogue, part magic book, Bruce MacNab’s The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini follows the exploits of Houdini as he laid the groundwork for becoming a 20th-century icon.”

Read more.

27 February 2013

Le Grand Gervais

Recently, John Cox from Wild About Houdini posted:
French Canadian escape artist Le Grand Gervais, who made a name for himself in the late 80s performing Houdini's Overboard Box escape and Water Torture Cell, is still going strong. He recently revived the Water Torture Cell to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the famous escape. You can check out photos, film, and posters of Gervais' USD at www.houdinithelastescape.com.

Read more.


26 February 2013

Toronto: Breakfast with Houdini

From the Casa Loma website:
Breakfast with Houdini

Delight in an exciting breakfast with the incredible Houdini in the Casa Loma Conservatory. Children will enjoy Performers Pancakes, Ringmaster Sausages, Stage of Syrup and Butter, Circus of Fruit. Price also includes self-guided touring and Casa Loma Carnival.

Dates: March 13, 14, 15, & 16

Read more.
 
[via Deborah Fallick]

20 February 2013

John Cox writes about Houdini Never Died

Over at Wild About Harry, John Cox writes about Houdini Never Died:
Here is the entire 1979 documentary Houdini Never Died. This was produced by John Watson and Pen Densham who later wrote and directed TNTs Houdini. It intercuts Houdini's story with footage of contemporary magicians including Doug Henning. It also has nice footage of James Randi performing a suspended straitjacket escape over Niagara Falls and the 50th Anniversary Official Houdini seance held at the Houdini Magical Hall of Fame. Definitely a product of its time, but that's what makes this great.

Read more.

25 December 2012

Houdini's 1896 Canadian tour

From John Cox at Wild About Houdini:
In The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini, author Bruce MacNab has combined his passions for Houdini and Maritimes history to create a book that is not only a terrific day by day account of Houdini's 1896 Canadian tour, but also a vivid snapshot of everyday life at the turn of the century. It really is one of the most remarkable books ever written about Houdini, as well as being a marvelous chronicle of what it was like to be a traveling magic troop in the 1890s.

Read more.

20 December 2012

Spellbinder: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning

John Cox has a nice review of "Spellbinder: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning".  From Wild About Houdini:
I really think this book is essential reading for anyone interested in magic history. In fact, I'd even go as far to say that it's as important as The Memories of Robert-Houdin in understanding how a single magician advanced the art of magic from one golden age to another. I also applaud Harrison for his amazing research and for telling the story of Henning, who I don't think always gets the credit he deserves. I put Henning right up there with Houdin, Herrmann, and Houdini as one of the seminal figures in magic history. I think that will become more apparent with time.

Read more.

06 December 2012

Harry Houdini in Vancouver



[via: MagicPedia]