Houdini(17)

Continuing his literary endeavors, Houdini wrote a second edition of The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, and co-wrote a book called History Makers in the World of Magic. In 1918 and 1919, Houdini wrote a column called M-U-M (Magic – Unity – Might) for the Society of American Magicians’ magazine. He also wrote many other articles and participated in the publication of several other books about magic, although it seems likely that he hired others and used Oscar Teale to do the bulk of the research and writing on these numerous pieces (see Chapter XII for more information about Oscar Teale).



In the early 1920s Houdini published the book Miracle Mongers and their Methods. Most biographers acknowledge that this book was really ghostwritten, even though it does draw heavily on Houdini’s many experiences during his early career in vaudeville and circus performance.



Houdini’s crusade to expose fraudulent mediums led to his publication of another work of significant length, a book called A Magician Among the Spirits. This book was organized around exposures of famous mediums from history, and chapters explaining the various phenomena produced by “physical” mediums—those who produced physical effects such as the movement of objects, the production of ectoplasm, and the writing or drawing of words and pictures rather than who proclaimed to have psychic powers. Although Houdini prided himself on producing a work of historical accuracy and scientific significance, in reality A Magician Among the Spirits, although well received, contained a number of errors and plenty of personal biases, including a rant against Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (see Chapter XI). It is also a matter of debate how much of the work Houdini produced himself and how much he farmed out to ghostwriters.



In the early 1920s, some combination of Houdini and his ghostwriters authored a romantic detective novel called The Zanetti Mystery. Houdini also claimed to have authored short stories for the publication Weird Tales, which were supposedly autobiographical. In reality, the stories were based on Houdini’s incredible imaginations of escapes from burials inside ancient pyramids and gothic dungeons and were written by the later famous author H.P. Lovecraft. Another controversial claim to literary fame by Houdini arose in 1923, when he claimed to have edited the long-awaited biography of a revered deceased magician named James Elliott, who was famous for his card tricks. Another magician, Clinton Burgess, disputed Houdini’s editorship, insisting that he was the editor and Houdini merely provided funding for the book’s publication. Burgess and Houdini fought publically and bitterly, and Houdini succeeded in getting Burgess kicked out of the SAM, although it is debatable how much editing Houdini actually did and how much he again turned over to Teale and to other contractors.



Houdini continued to write up to his death. During the summer of 1926, he worked on a book about superstition and wrote an article on masonry and occultism.





In Houdini’s Words




Houdini was, as is mentioned above, eager to establish himself as a scholar despite his lack of formal education. In The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, the lengthy defense of his methods hints at this insecurity.



The true historian does not compile. He delves for facts and proofs, and having found these he arrays his indisputable facts, his uncontrovertible proofs, to refute the statements of those who have merely compiled. That is what I have done to prove my case against Robert-Houdin. I have not borrowed from the books of other writers on magic. I have gone to the very fountain head of information, records of contemporary literature, newspapers, programmes and advertisements of magicians who preceded Robert-Houdin, sometimes by a century. It would cost fully a million dollars to forge the collection of evidence now in my hands. Men who lived a hundred years before Robert-Houdin was born did not invent posters or write advertisements in order to refute the claims of those who were to follow in the profession of magic. These programmes, advertisements, newspaper notices, and crude cuts trace the true history of magic as no romancer, no historian of a single generation possibly could. They are the ghosts of dead and gone magicians, rising in this century of research and progress to claim the credit due them.





IX. Houdini, the Movie Star and Producer





Read It and Know It




After reading this chapter, you will know more about



Merveilleux Exploits du Celebre Houdini a Paris: Houdini’s first movie showcased his talents and set him up as a hero.



The failed entrepreneur: Houdini, wanting to capitalize on the Hollywood craze, started a production company that did not do well.



Tricks revealed: Houdini allowed some of his secrets to be shown on the silver screen.