Watch to the end to see Paul's outtakes!
From Paul Romhany's YouTube channel:
06 March 2017
05 March 2017
Canadians remember Daryl
Scroll to the bottom of this post to find out how you can donate to the Daryl Easton Family Fund, or visit the GoFundMe campaign for the Easton Family.
From Michael Close's blog post "Salute to our friend Daryl":
From Carey Lauder's Facebook page:
From Ben Train's Facebook page:
From Shawn Farquhar's Instagram:
Magicana has video of Daryl performing card magic and close-up magic on the Canadian television series "The Magic Palace." Also at Magicana, Jamy Ian Swiss writes about Daryl and Bob Cassidy.
I'm drifting a little here, hope you don't mind.
Michael Ammar has a fantastic Facebook tribute to Daryl that begins, "There's a hole in the curtain." This part continues to resonate (bolding mine),
Here's the post from Michael Ammar's Facebook page:
This is how I'll remember Daryl.
From Sorcerers Safari's Facebook page:
On Facebook, Kenton Knepper gave away a free video inspired by Daryl. More importantly he had this to say:
And with that, here's some information about how you can help the Easton family.
From Michael Close's website:
There is also a GoFundMe campaign for the Easton Family.
It's worth noting that Daryl's online shop remains open for business. An alternate method of showing your support for his family is by making an online purchase at his store.
From Michael Close's blog post "Salute to our friend Daryl":
When that tour wrapped up, Alison stayed in England to visit with relatives and Daryl returned to Vegas. The day he got in, he called to say he was back. I suggested he come over to our house for a home-cooked meal, something I thought he’d appreciate after such a long time on the road. He came by that evening.
Lisa and I prepared a pasta dish, with salad, bread, and red wine. We ate, talked, and listened to stories of the life of a lecturer. It was obvious Daryl was jet-lagged and beat to hell, which made him the perfect foil for a practical joke.
Read more.
From Carey Lauder's Facebook page:
From Ben Train's Facebook page:
From Shawn Farquhar's Instagram:
Magicana has video of Daryl performing card magic and close-up magic on the Canadian television series "The Magic Palace." Also at Magicana, Jamy Ian Swiss writes about Daryl and Bob Cassidy.
I'm drifting a little here, hope you don't mind.
Michael Ammar has a fantastic Facebook tribute to Daryl that begins, "There's a hole in the curtain." This part continues to resonate (bolding mine),
"with thoughts that maybe we could have said or done something, or with guilt over having missed any warning signs."
Here's the post from Michael Ammar's Facebook page:
This is how I'll remember Daryl.
 |
| Daryl. |
 |
| Learning from Daryl during free time. |
| 2015 camp photo. |
From Sorcerers Safari's Facebook page:
On Facebook, Kenton Knepper gave away a free video inspired by Daryl. More importantly he had this to say:
"All I ask is, in the present or future, you support magic and mentalism creators with your wallet, not just words, so they can make a living too."
And with that, here's some information about how you can help the Easton family.
From Michael Close's website:
PLEASE DONATE TO THE DARYL EASTON FAMILY FUND
The office at the Magic Castle has received calls from members and magicians around the world, asking how one can offer support and donations to the Daryl Easton family.
The Academy of Magical Arts has now established a fund to receive donations for Alison Easton, Daryl’s wife, and their two daughters. You can also send bereavement cards for Alison to the AMA offices as well, who will forward them to the family.
If you would like to make a donation to the family, please send a check payable to “The Academy of Magical Arts, Easton Family Fund” to:
The Academy of Magical Arts
ATT: Daryl Easton Family Fund
7001 Franklin Ave
Hollywood CA 90028
If you would like to donate via credit card, please call Trish Alaskey at 323-851-3313 ext. 301.
The Academy will work with Alison and the family, and pick a date in the future to hold a memorial for Daryl. If you have any questions, please email the General Manager, Joe Furlow, at: jfurlow@magiccastle.com.
You can also donate via PayPal directly using magic@daryl.net
There is also a GoFundMe campaign for the Easton Family.
It's worth noting that Daryl's online shop remains open for business. An alternate method of showing your support for his family is by making an online purchase at his store.
04 March 2017
Peter Mennie on Roger's Daytime London Jan. and Feb. 2017
From Peter Mennie's Facebook page:
And from Peter's Twitter feed:
ICYMI: January's Daytime appearance. https://t.co/zw2j00YjaI @daytimeLondon @RtvLondon @RTVWoodstock #magicontv— Peter Mennie (@petermennie) February 2, 2017
And from Peter's Twitter feed:
ICYMI. Here's my February appearance on @daytimeLondon on @RtvLondon for #FamilyDay https://t.co/YvIIiFijY4— Peter Mennie (@petermennie) February 22, 2017
03 March 2017
Toronto: Free magic club
From the Browser's Den of Magic Facebook group:
This Saturday at Browser's Den
Dear Magic Friends,
All of us here at the shop hope that you and yours are well and happy.
This Saturday, March 4 at Browser's Den is our next Free Magic Club Meeting.
All those interested in talking magic are welcome and encouraged to join us.
The club meets at our shop from 2:30pm to 5:30pm.
Yours very truly,
Jeff & The Browser's Den Team
[Guest post] Houdini in Vancouver: part 7
The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.
--
March 3rd, 1923 (Saturday)
Houdini's Final Day in Vancouver
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic.
Houdini has his final two vaudeville appearances today (a matinee and an evening show) of his seven in total this week at the Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Reviews have been superb.
His outdoor publicity stunt of hanging upside down and escaping a straitjacket in full view has been major front page news (actually getting more column inches than reviews of his vaudeville show).
What more could one ask?
Well, I had hoped today for an editorial summing up of his impact or at least some kind of "goodbye and thanks Harry" - but neither The Sun nor The Province refer to him at all. (They do, however, both run a final Orpheum Theatre advertisement for his shows).
It's as if they have nothing more to say. (I guess they didn't).
And as if Houdini has no further need for continuing coverage. No doubt he was busy this weekend accepting via telegram another "unique challenge" from the chosen newspaper ally in the next city of his vaudeville tour.
But what I did find, Houdini-related, in The Province on its front page was this curious story:
Subtitled:
and
What better timing could this have had than the end of Harry's Vancouver visit? I wonder what thoughts raced through his mind as he read this (as I'm sure he must have done).
The story recounts a letter published recently in The New York Times, in which the famous author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries and an ardent spiritualist, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, tells of a "demonstration of ectoplasm" (which he himself apparently had not actually witnessed) by mediums in front of multiple distinguished Austrian scientists which, in his mind, "puts an end to the whole debate so that anyone who reopens it is inexcusably ignorant or willfully perverse."
Gee. I wonder to whom he might he be referring?
The next paragraph is headed,
Doyle is quoted as writing:
And of course, as we know, Houdini would show no restraint in exposing fraudulent mediums to the end of his days and this public campaign (as well as comments like those expressed above by Doyle) would put an effective end to their trans-Atlantic friendship.
----
This was to be Houdini's first and only professional visit to Vancouver. Just over three and a half years later he would once more be front page news but for quite a different, unexpected reason. (His death.)
It's been fun reliving day by day Houdini's triumphant appearances in Vancouver during this week in 1923. I wish I could have been there but I guess this was the next best thing.
I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed researching it for you.
-
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic. With thanks to the Vancouver Public Library and The Vancouver Sun. The VPL and its staff are awesome!
--
Thank you to The Magic Demon for guest posting this fabulous Houdini series at Canada's Magic!
--
March 3rd, 1923 (Saturday)
Houdini's Final Day in Vancouver
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic.
Houdini has his final two vaudeville appearances today (a matinee and an evening show) of his seven in total this week at the Orpheum Theatre, Vancouver, British Columbia.
Reviews have been superb.
His outdoor publicity stunt of hanging upside down and escaping a straitjacket in full view has been major front page news (actually getting more column inches than reviews of his vaudeville show).
What more could one ask?
Well, I had hoped today for an editorial summing up of his impact or at least some kind of "goodbye and thanks Harry" - but neither The Sun nor The Province refer to him at all. (They do, however, both run a final Orpheum Theatre advertisement for his shows).
It's as if they have nothing more to say. (I guess they didn't).
And as if Houdini has no further need for continuing coverage. No doubt he was busy this weekend accepting via telegram another "unique challenge" from the chosen newspaper ally in the next city of his vaudeville tour.
But what I did find, Houdini-related, in The Province on its front page was this curious story:
"Doyle Sure of Ectoplasm"
Subtitled:
"Twenty Three Austrian Professors Said to Have Been Convinced"
and
"Famous Writer Thinks Controversy Should Now Be At End."
What better timing could this have had than the end of Harry's Vancouver visit? I wonder what thoughts raced through his mind as he read this (as I'm sure he must have done).
The story recounts a letter published recently in The New York Times, in which the famous author of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries and an ardent spiritualist, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, tells of a "demonstration of ectoplasm" (which he himself apparently had not actually witnessed) by mediums in front of multiple distinguished Austrian scientists which, in his mind, "puts an end to the whole debate so that anyone who reopens it is inexcusably ignorant or willfully perverse."
Gee. I wonder to whom he might he be referring?
The next paragraph is headed,
"Houdini Is Wrong."
Doyle is quoted as writing:
"We are publicly assured. . . I am sorry to say, by my friend Houdini, that this was all what they called 'bunk' and that [the ectoplasm] was really regurgitated food. . ." [but according to Doyle it could not be as it was often the wrong colour.] "Criticism is most welcome and helpful, but I would beg our opponents to exercise some restraint in it, or they will make the subject and themselves rather ridiculous."
And of course, as we know, Houdini would show no restraint in exposing fraudulent mediums to the end of his days and this public campaign (as well as comments like those expressed above by Doyle) would put an effective end to their trans-Atlantic friendship.
----
This was to be Houdini's first and only professional visit to Vancouver. Just over three and a half years later he would once more be front page news but for quite a different, unexpected reason. (His death.)
It's been fun reliving day by day Houdini's triumphant appearances in Vancouver during this week in 1923. I wish I could have been there but I guess this was the next best thing.
I hope you enjoyed reading about it as much as I enjoyed researching it for you.
-
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic. With thanks to the Vancouver Public Library and The Vancouver Sun. The VPL and its staff are awesome!
--
Thank you to The Magic Demon for guest posting this fabulous Houdini series at Canada's Magic!
02 March 2017
[Guest post] Houdini in Vancouver: part 6
The following is a guest post from an author who wishes to be known as The Magic Demon.
March 2nd, 1923 (Friday)
Houdini Continues Triumphantly in Vancouver, B. C.
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic.
Houdini continues to thrill citizens of Canada's west coast "third city" twice daily at the local Orpheum Theatre. Two shows are scheduled today; the final two tomorrow (Saturday).
Reviews have been universally complimentary for this, his first (and only), appearance in the city.
Today's front page Houdini story in The Sun, however, deals with the publicity stunt he performed outside the newspaper's office around 137 West Pender Street at high noon the previous day. The paper had been building it up with great flair and deceptive hyperbole in previous issues.
I'd like to be able to tell you exactly what is on page one of The Sun. I really would.
Unfortunately, to paraphrase Apollo 13 - Houdini, we have a problem.
No front page exists today!
Despite every attempt to locate the front page in both the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) microfilm collection and the official Vancouver city archives, no extant copy has been found. Perhaps it will turn up elsewhere another day.
However, we can certainly piece together what must have been a triumphant page one headline story about Houdini's upside down straitjacket escape from surviving photographic evidence and from the story as it is continued on an inside page of the paper.
Both the Vancouver Archives and VPL have public domain photographs of the stunt, at least one of which might have appeared on the missing page one. I've also attempted to photograph the same location in 2017. My photo re-creation of the scene as well as original 1923 photos will accompany this post.
As for the feature story, an inside page headline screams, "Houdini Free in 3 Minutes (Continued From Page 1") - so I think we can conclusively rest easy that all went well!
Bess Houdini is referenced for the first (and only) time, "a comely, shy little woman," making her way through "the dense crowd" with traffic "inspector Hood" to talk with Houdini before he began his "perilous attempt."
A theatrical embellishment or was it genuine concern for Harry? He was after all approaching age 49 in just three weeks. Or did she secretly pass to him some hidden device? He'd done this kind of stunt thousands of times but it is impossible to know for sure at this point. "There was. . . anxiety mirrored in Mrs. Houdini's eyes" reports the anonymous scribe, who felt such alarm genuine and who felt that her concern really "amounted to something" quite apart from the free show about to commence.
But events quickly moved forward as Detective Ricci (as announced yesterday) with Traffic Inspector Hood (who appears to have replaced Detective Sinclair, reported yesterday) quickly confined Houdini into the awaiting straitjacket.
The Sun records:
Then,
Edited to add this close-up of the above photo Tweeted by the Vancouver Archives:
And,
Houdini was free!
And what a crowd it was that had assembled.
I'd love to know what those other (non-motor) vehicles were. But I'd be afraid to ask police who left "no room for discussions!"
And how did Houdini feel about it?
"It was the greatest outdoor crowd I have ever seen. . . I have never seen a more orderly crowd. . . it was a pleasure to work for them and a double pleasure to have such an enterprising newspaper as The Sun to vouch for my efforts..." Could the paper have asked for a better endorsement for their week long publicity efforts on his behalf? He then went on to thank the local Vancouver police for their help. (Especially "decent and gentlemanly officers as Inspector Hood and Detective Ricci. . .") Harry knew exactly what to say at these occasions having done so many in the past.
The rest of the article describes with some quiet awe all the still photographic and silent film coverage of the event. ("Nothing like it has ever been seen before in Vancouver.")
Cameras from every major news reel service were in evidence. To accommodate the most important of them, The Sun had erected a platform above their illuminated sign. You can see it if you look closely at the photograph of the event. On the ground, thousands of amateur photographers snapped away as Houdini "wiggled and twisted himself out of the straitjacket:"
And so did The Sun feel that Houdini had honoured their "unique challenge?"
Uh, I'll assume that as affirmative.
Taking advantage of the new medium, Houdini arranged that footage of his Vancouver straitjacket escape would be projected during that very evening's Orpheum performance (and possibly at all remaining performances). Clearly his fascination for the relatively new medium continued unabated, as the reporter noted
"Houdini himself was an interested spectator. . . he came down from the stage. . . while they were being [projected] on the screen. The film was evidently pleasing to the magician, for at its conclusion, he faced the audience with a smile of satisfaction, exclaiming 'Isn't that a wonderful crowd?'"
I'm sure most of Vancouver felt the same way about him.
A paid Orpheum Theatre advertisement similar to the first also appears in this issue.
TOMORROW: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Says "Houdini Is Wrong"!
-
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic. With thanks to the Vancouver Public Library, The Vancouver Sun, and the City of Vancouver Archives.
--
Thank you to The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!
--
March 2nd, 1923 (Friday)
Houdini Continues Triumphantly in Vancouver, B. C.
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic.
Houdini continues to thrill citizens of Canada's west coast "third city" twice daily at the local Orpheum Theatre. Two shows are scheduled today; the final two tomorrow (Saturday).
Reviews have been universally complimentary for this, his first (and only), appearance in the city.
Today's front page Houdini story in The Sun, however, deals with the publicity stunt he performed outside the newspaper's office around 137 West Pender Street at high noon the previous day. The paper had been building it up with great flair and deceptive hyperbole in previous issues.
I'd like to be able to tell you exactly what is on page one of The Sun. I really would.
Unfortunately, to paraphrase Apollo 13 - Houdini, we have a problem.
No front page exists today!
Despite every attempt to locate the front page in both the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) microfilm collection and the official Vancouver city archives, no extant copy has been found. Perhaps it will turn up elsewhere another day.
However, we can certainly piece together what must have been a triumphant page one headline story about Houdini's upside down straitjacket escape from surviving photographic evidence and from the story as it is continued on an inside page of the paper.
Both the Vancouver Archives and VPL have public domain photographs of the stunt, at least one of which might have appeared on the missing page one. I've also attempted to photograph the same location in 2017. My photo re-creation of the scene as well as original 1923 photos will accompany this post.
As for the feature story, an inside page headline screams, "Houdini Free in 3 Minutes (Continued From Page 1") - so I think we can conclusively rest easy that all went well!
Bess Houdini is referenced for the first (and only) time, "a comely, shy little woman," making her way through "the dense crowd" with traffic "inspector Hood" to talk with Houdini before he began his "perilous attempt."
A theatrical embellishment or was it genuine concern for Harry? He was after all approaching age 49 in just three weeks. Or did she secretly pass to him some hidden device? He'd done this kind of stunt thousands of times but it is impossible to know for sure at this point. "There was. . . anxiety mirrored in Mrs. Houdini's eyes" reports the anonymous scribe, who felt such alarm genuine and who felt that her concern really "amounted to something" quite apart from the free show about to commence.
 |
| Harry Houdini preparing to hang upside down from The Sun newspaper building. W.J. Moore's photo, Vancouver Public Library 70208A. |
But events quickly moved forward as Detective Ricci (as announced yesterday) with Traffic Inspector Hood (who appears to have replaced Detective Sinclair, reported yesterday) quickly confined Houdini into the awaiting straitjacket.
The Sun records:
"Strong men lifted him from the truck. In another few seconds he was swinging from his ankles above the heads of the multitude... inch by inch, foot by foot he was hoisted aloft."
 |
| Harry Houdini hanging upside down from The Sun newspaper building. W.J. Moore's photo, Vancouver Public Library 70208. |
Then,
"Houdini furiously struggled to escape..."
 |
| Harry Houdini hanging upside down from The Sun newspaper building. W.J. Moore's photo, City of Vancouver Archives AM54-S4-: Port N100. |
Edited to add this close-up of the above photo Tweeted by the Vancouver Archives:
Today in 1923: Houdini escapes while hanging upside down outside the Vancouver Sun building https://t.co/ExwEahv5T2 pic.twitter.com/l7PgyVY375— Vancouver Archives (@VanArchives) March 1, 2017
And,
"Three minutes and twenty nine seconds later he tossed the jacket to the ground"
Houdini was free!
"A cheer arose and swelled into roar" from the crowd.
And what a crowd it was that had assembled.
"Perhaps no greater outdoor crowd ever assembled in Vancouver than the one in front of the Sun office yesterday" boasts the breathless reporter, taking time to praise the Vancouver police force's foresight in arranging details of diverting "motors and other vehicles, which left no room for discussions or even a chance for accident."
I'd love to know what those other (non-motor) vehicles were. But I'd be afraid to ask police who left "no room for discussions!"
And how did Houdini feel about it?
"It was the greatest outdoor crowd I have ever seen. . . I have never seen a more orderly crowd. . . it was a pleasure to work for them and a double pleasure to have such an enterprising newspaper as The Sun to vouch for my efforts..." Could the paper have asked for a better endorsement for their week long publicity efforts on his behalf? He then went on to thank the local Vancouver police for their help. (Especially "decent and gentlemanly officers as Inspector Hood and Detective Ricci. . .") Harry knew exactly what to say at these occasions having done so many in the past.
The rest of the article describes with some quiet awe all the still photographic and silent film coverage of the event. ("Nothing like it has ever been seen before in Vancouver.")
Cameras from every major news reel service were in evidence. To accommodate the most important of them, The Sun had erected a platform above their illuminated sign. You can see it if you look closely at the photograph of the event. On the ground, thousands of amateur photographers snapped away as Houdini "wiggled and twisted himself out of the straitjacket:"
And so did The Sun feel that Houdini had honoured their "unique challenge?"
"The Sun's challenge. . . melted as the immense crowd faded, not unlike a February snowstorm before a gentle chinook wind."
Uh, I'll assume that as affirmative.
Taking advantage of the new medium, Houdini arranged that footage of his Vancouver straitjacket escape would be projected during that very evening's Orpheum performance (and possibly at all remaining performances). Clearly his fascination for the relatively new medium continued unabated, as the reporter noted
"Houdini himself was an interested spectator. . . he came down from the stage. . . while they were being [projected] on the screen. The film was evidently pleasing to the magician, for at its conclusion, he faced the audience with a smile of satisfaction, exclaiming 'Isn't that a wonderful crowd?'"
I'm sure most of Vancouver felt the same way about him.
A paid Orpheum Theatre advertisement similar to the first also appears in this issue.
 |
| What the site of the Houdini escape looks like in 2017. Photo by The Magic Demon. The actual Vancouver Sun building at this location (137 West Pender Street) was demolished many years ago. |
TOMORROW: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Says "Houdini Is Wrong"!
-
Researched by The Magic Demon exclusively for Canada's Magic. With thanks to the Vancouver Public Library, The Vancouver Sun, and the City of Vancouver Archives.
--
Thank you to The Magic Demon for guest posting at Canada's Magic!
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