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Fact Checking Harry Houdini 69

Fact Checking Harry

Houdini

by Wild About Harry

Did Houdini give his mother a royal reception
in Budapest?
T R U E
It is true that Houdini brought his mother to
Europe and gave her a lavish "royal" reception
with relatives in Budapest. The dress Houdini
had purchased for her was said to have been
designed for Queen Victoria before her death.
However, Houdini did not pour gold coins into
his mother's lap on this occasion. He did this
privately when he asked for his salary in gold
coins so his could fulfill a childhood promise to
his mother that one day he would pour gold into T R U E tells were that his mother's spirit made the sign
her lap. Houdini did indeed walk through a brick wall in of the cross (she was Jewish), wrote in English
(she spoke German), and there was no mention
July 1914, although he performed the illusion at
Did Houdini own and fly his own airplane? Hammerstein's Roof Garden Victoria Theater in that the day before was her birthday (not
T R U E New York, and not in London as shown in the Houdini's birthday as shown in the miniseries).
In 1909 Houdini became fascinated with miniseries. Houdini only performed the effect This seance was the beginning of the end of
aviation and purchased a Voison biplane. He for a short time before turning it over to his Houdini's friendship with Sir Arthur Conan
flew in exhibitions in Germany and England, brother Hardeen. Yet it left such a strong Doyle.
and became the first man to ever fly a plane in impression that he is still called "the man who
Australia. However, the depiction of Houdini walked through walls" today. As to whether the Did Houdini crusade against fraudulent
mediums?
barnstorming across Europe with Bess on-board method shown in the miniseries is the correct
is fiction. As with almost all planes at the time, one... I'm not saying. T R U E
Houdini's Voison could only hold a pilot and It is true that during the final years of his life
was not capable of sustained and reliable flight Did The Houdinis perform as spiritualists Houdini exposed fraudulent mediums, both on
for travel. early in their careers? stage and by going to seances in disguise. He
T R U E also employed a small "secret service" of
Was Houdini's brother also a magician and It is true that Harry and Bess worked briefly as investigators who would go to seances on his
escape artist? spiritualists, and it's said Harry even called out behalf and bring back information. He testified
T R U E the identity of a murderer from the stage one in front of Congress in support of a bill to outlaw
fortune telling in the District of Columbia. He
Houdini was very close with his younger brother night. (The man jumped up and fled the room.)
Theo a.k.a. Dash. In November of 1900, The parents who confront the Houdinis published a book on his investigations called A
Houdini invited Dash to come to Europe where backstage are based on a mother who did accuse Magician Among The Spirits.
he set him up with a complete act and named Houdini of black magic when he predicted that
Did Houdini break his ankle in the Water
him Hardeen. The idea was for Dash to take her son would fall from his bicycle and break his
bookings in theaters and circuits that Houdini arm. Houdini had earlier seen the mother Torture Cell?
didn't play, and the brothers could effectively scolding the boy for riding recklessly, and T R U E
shut out the many cheap imitators of the escape prediction had inexplicably come true. After It is true that Houdini broke his ankle while
act. This worked well and Hardeen established this, Houdini gave up the spiritualism act. being raised from the stage during a
himself as a popular and credible escape artist in performance of his Water Torture Cell at the
his own right. While the brothers sometimes Did Houdini star in silent movies? Capitol Theater in Albany NY on October 11,
posed as "rivals" for the press -- and might have T R U E 1926. Unlike what's shown in the miniseries, he
had a few moments of genuine competition -- Houdini did indeed have a career in silent did not continue with the escape, but was tended
they were not rivals as shown in the miniseries. movies between 1918 and 1923. He made a on stage by a doctor. Houdini cut the USD from
Dash left show business to run Houdini's film successful 15-part serial called The Master his show and never performed it again. He died
developing lab in New Jersey in 1916. After Mystery; two feature films for Famous Players- 20 days later.
Houdini's death in 1926, Hardeen inherited his Laskey Paramount, The Grim Game and Terror
brother's props and resumed his magic career Island (the clip we see in the miniseries is actual Did Houdini die on Halloween?
until his own death in 1945. (Read: The Houdini footage from The Grim Game); and two films T R U E
franchise.) for his own production company, The Man From Houdini did indeed die in Room 401 of Grace
Beyond and Haldane of the Secret Service. He Hospital in Detroit on Halloween of 1926.
Did Houdini make an elephant disappear? also owned and operated a motion picture film Houdini died with his brother Theo (Hardeen)
T R U E lab in New Jersey. The Houdini miniseries is the by his bedside at 1:26 p.m. []
Houdini performed his Vanishing Elephant first biopic to acknowledge Houdini's film
during a record-breaking engagement at New career.
York's Hippodrome Theater in 1918. But unlike
in the miniseries, Houdini vanished his elephant Did Lady Doyle give Houdini a seance in
in a gigantic box made to look like a circus which she contacted his mother?
wagon. Houdini later revived the illusion using T R U E
a smaller elephant for live appearances at the It is true that in 1922 Sir Arthur and Lady Conan
Time Square Theater to promote his film, The Doyle gave Houdini an automatic writing seance
Man From Beyond. How exactly Houdini made that supposedly contacted his mother. In fact, the
his elephant vanish is still debated today. words Lady Doyle speaks in the miniseries is
largely verbatim. It's also true that Houdini did
Did Houdini walk through a brick wall? not accept the seance as legitimate. The three