Law and Magic Blog

In His Footsteps

Sort of.

Courtesy Icanhascheezburger.com.

Chopin Liszt

This "escaping Houdini" mug from the Unemployed Philosophers Guild is neat. The UPG has other interesting products too, including a Harry Houdini puppet, a Shakespearean insult mug ("thou art a boil..."), Pavlov's dog and Schrodinger's cat. I try to do my holiday shopping early, which is why I am on the prowl now. As for the title of this post, read it out loud.

Last Of Houdini's Assistants Dies

Loyal Dorothy (Lena) Young, the last surviving of Houdini's assistants, died March 20. She was 103. Through the years, Ms. Young never told the secrets of Houdini's amazing deceptions, although she did occasionally describe some bits of stage business that pleased audiences. After performing for a year with Houdini and his wife Bess, Ms. Young went on to a short career in films (Flying Down To Rio) and toured the country in a dance act with her second husband. Ms. Young  appears in the documentary Houdini: Unlocking the Mystery (2005) as herself. Veras Films made a documentary about Dorothy Young a few years ago. More here about Houdini, his assistants, and his mission to uncover spiritualists and fraud here.

Houdini and Hallowe'en

October 31st isn't just Hallowe'en. It's the anniversary of Harry Houdini's death in 1926. He died in Detroit (I know--not a very Hallowe'eny place). His insurance policy paid "double indemnity" because his death was the result of an accident. More on Houdini's will and estate here.

Want to attend a seance to see if Houdini returns? Try The Harry Houdini Museum which hosts such an event each year. Harry has been a no-show so far, however, just as he was for his wife Bess through 1936. She gave up that year and revealed the secret word he had told her he would send her if there was an afterlife: "Believe." A link to the final seance is here. Some of Houdini's colleagues keep trying, however. Here's a link to a seance from last year, hosted by the inimitable James Randi.

More Houdini-related magic includes a Point of Inquiry discussion from D. J. Grothe and Joe Nickell, the opening of the Jewish Museum in the New York's Houdini: Art and Magic exhibit and from the Library of Congress, discussion of Houdini's work in investigating spiritualism.

Maybe, like Greta Garbo, Mr. Houdini just "vants to be alone." After all, there is such a thing as the right to privacy. And even if it doesn't survive death, a famous dead magician might just want the neighbors, the family, and colleagues to stop dropping by, especially on a busy day, like Hallowe'en.

Law and Magic Gifts For Whatever Holiday

For those of you wondering just what one can give a favorite magician this year for the non-denominational gift giving holidays, check out the Unemployed Philosopher's Guild website, where I spotted a great Houdini mug. I'm ordering one for my favorite magician.

Another good place to scour for gifts: The For Counsel catalog and website. I've given the Attorney Work Product romper to a young person (actually to the parents, but the kid had to wear it--no IIED claims allowed), and I have the Christmas tree (in our abode renamed the non-denominational gift giving holiday shrub). I covet the beer stein. I don't like beer particularly. I just like the stein. The website also has gavels, bookends with justicial emblems and lots of Lady Justice figures, just so you know in case you are trolling for such.

 

 

Law & Magic: A Collection of Essays Now Available

The book Law & Magic: A Collection of Essays made its debut at the AALS meeting in New Orleans. It's available at CAP's website (discount!) and also via amazon.com and bn.com.

Point of Inquiry (POI) Podcast On Houdini

An October 30, 2009 Point of Inquiry podcast on Houdini's work. Skeptic and former magician Joe Nickell conducts a seance, and discusses Spiritualism, the paranormal, and magicians. Here are prior podcasts on Houdini: October 2008, November 2007, and October 2006.

Houdini's Will

Kindred spirits in Toronto.  Jennifer Hartman, guest blogger at Hull & Hull LP (Toronto Estate Law Blog) has published this interesting post on Harry Houdini's birthday (March 24), discussing his estate.

Says Ms. Hartman in part,

In his 23-clause-long will, which had been prepared in 1924 with a codicil added in 1925, Houdini left his collection of over 5,000 books (valued at $30,000) to the Library of Congress. His brother Theo received most of his magic equipment and memorabilia; however, Houdini stipulated that the magic apparatus be ‘burnt and destroyed’ upon Theo’s death. Two assistants received $500 each, while The Society of American Magicians received $1,000. His ‘hat rabbits’ reportedly were given to the children of friends. The balance of Houdini’s estate went to Bess, and it was enough to cover his extensive debts and to allow Bess to live comfortably. Bess also received $50,000 in life insurance money, since Houdini had remarkably purchased a double indemnity life insurance policy in the event of his accidental death.

She also notes that the Chinese Water Torture Cell still holds its mystery.

Following Up on Houdini's Exhumation

John Cox of the blog Houdini Lives! does a little digging of his own on the subject of Houdini's exhumation, and disinters some interesting speculations. First, he notes that David Segal's Washington Post coverage of the 2007 announcement of the exhumation pointed out that things seemed as if they were more about the book than the mystery, if there were a mystery. Next, he wonders why things are taking so long. It has, after all, been two years. Finally, he thinks most Houdini experts just don't agree that Harry Houdini was poisoned. The theory is entertaining, and apparently movie-worthy, but perhaps not so persuasive. Oh, and if you were wondering, the New York Daily News pointed out that as of March 2008 that no one had filed papers to request an exhumation. More coverage at the blog Houdini Lives!

Now, about that blog title. Is it Houdini Lives! (as is It Lives! which makes sense--Houdini fans want him to live on) or is it Houdini Lives! (as in Nine Lives, which I admit would be weird, but interesting).

New Houdini Book May Make It To the Big Screen

Authors Larry Sloman and William Kalush have closed a deal over movie rights to their Houdini bio The Secret Life of Houdini with Summit Entertainment. The next step: finding someone (or someones) to create a script out of the book. That kind of thing isn't magic.