While looking for information about Orson Welles I stumbled upon the Wild About Houdini blog which I had written about in 2014. Once there I noticed that there is a convention this weekend for the Texas Association of Magicians.
While reading the story I noted that the University of Texas has an extensive collection of Houdini artifacts and memorabilia. Yesterday they even had a virtual "live tour" of the Houdini Collection at the Harry Ransom Center there.
Houdini was born in Hungary. When he was a boy his family emigrated to Appleton, Wisconsin where he became Erik Weiss and eventually Harry Houdini. Why, then, is the Houdini Collection in Texas? Probably the same reason the Bob Dylan Center is located in Tulsa: the funding.
Having written about magicians and magic a number of times, I thought it may worthwhile to share some of those links here for those especially intrigued by the magic arts.
STORIES ABOUT MAGIC
“Pick A Card. Any Card.” Misdirection in the Magic Arts
Is The Prestige the Greatest Movie About Magic and Magicians?
Houdini and the Chinese Water Torture Cell
The Instant Orange Tree Trick in the Illusionist Wasn't Just a Hollywood Fiction
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Do you enjoy the world of magic? Check out the magical John Cox blog titled Wild About Houdini.
May your weekend be magical and your hearts filled with light.
Here's a fictional story I wrote a decade ago about Harry Houdini, Orson Welles and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. It's been revised since the initial writing to be more on par with my current works.
ReplyDeletePlease share the link. I started an Orson Welles blog post earlier this week. So many interesting people in the world. Yes, the connection between Houdini and Conan Doyle is an intriguing chapter in both their lives.
ReplyDeleteIn 1993 as I was looking for a missing piece to a collage on Bob Dylan famous song "Desolation Row" I find a poster of Houdini locked in a giant aquarium, I thought it was fitting well the verse: "check to see that nobody is escaping from desolation row"... Houdini is universal he goes on well with any kind of fiction...
ReplyDeleteVery interesting way to look at that. Thanks for sharing.
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