Houdini: His Legend and His Magic-Doug Henning Book-1st Ed Illusions-Posters-Bio

Description

Houdini: His Legend and His Magic by Charles
Reynolds and Doug Henning
Title: Houdini: His Legend and His Magic
Author: Charles Reynolds and Doug Henning
ISBN: 0-8129-0686-1
Publisher
: Times Books
Publication Date: 1977
Hardcover
Book Size: 8 ¾ X 11 ¼
Pages: 192
Edition: First Edition
Book Condition:
Excellent, Like new-Clean pages, tight spine-No folds or tears or markings
Dust Jacket Condition: Good-Edge wear, folding & tears, 2" tear on back & Sticker residue
A biography of the magician who became famous for his ability to escape almost any form of restraint, this amazing book describes his 10 greatest illusions as they appeared to audiences in the early 1900's with over 200 illustrations & photographs - many never before published - and including 16 pages in full color.
Star of the Broadway hit The Magic Show and his own highly rated World of Magic special on NBC-TV, Doug Henning has always been intensely interested in Houdini, and has performed his own updated versions of Houdini's greatest mysteries including the Metamorphosis, the Chinese water Torture Cell, and the Vanishing Elephant.
In this book, illustrated with material from Henning's private collection of rare Houdini memorabilia, the magic and legend of the greatest American magician of a half-century ago is presented by the young magician New York Times critic Clive Barnes has called “The greatest illusionist I have ever seen.”
Contents
:
10 Introduction
12
The Art of Magic
20
The World of Houdini
23
Ehrich
Weiss: King of the Backyard Circus
31 The
Birrh
of the Great Escapes
36 The
Houdinis
: Vaudeville Headliners
60 The European Sensation
69 The Spectacular Challenges
83 Inquiry into the World Beyond
93 The End of a Life, the Beginning of a Legend
104
A Personal Scrapbook
120
Houdini's Ten Greatest Illusions
125 Metamorphosis
146 The Challenge Handcuff Act
153 The Naked Test Prison Escape
156 The
Straitjackct
Escape
160 The Overboard Box Escape
163 The Milk Can Escape
165 The Chinese Water Torture Cell Escape
169 The Needle Trick
171 Walking Through a Brick Wall
172 The Vanishing Elephant
128
Houdini in Color
174
The Legend of Houdini
177 The Magician as Mythmaker
180 A Spirit Speaks
183 The Mystery Behind the Message
190 The Undying Legend of Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini, Magician (1874-1926)
Erik
Weisz
in
Budapest
,
Hungary
, on March 24, 1874. Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss was father and husband to the impoverished immigrant family. In order to obtain a better life, the family immigrated to the
United States
, struggling to become established in
America
while communicating primarily in German, Hungarian, and Yiddish; their name had been changed from
Weisz
to Weiss by immigration officials upon their arrival in the
United States
in 1878. . Mayer Weiss was to serve as rabbi of the German-speaking Zion Reform Jewish Congregation in
Appleton
,
Wisconsin
. His tenure proved short, and after a life of hardship he died on October 5, 1892. Having lost his father at an early age, Houdini sustained an exceptionally strong relationship with his mother, Cecilia Steiner Weiss, both as a child and as an adult.
When Houdini was a boy, he sold newspapers, shined shoes and worked in a
Milwaukee
luggage shop. His earnings were only a pittance. Very often, he had to go without his dinner. In spite of his poverty, Houdini never complained. It was nothing compared to what the family experienced in their native land. During his free time, Houdini liked to tinker with the locks of trunks and small traveling bags. He was amazed at the ease he unlocked the trunks and bags. After reading the autobiography of a famous magician, he set his mind on taking up the trade and surpasses the feats of his "hero". He was then only sixteen years old. When his employer heard what he intended to become, he dismissed it as child's fantasy.
The family moved to
New York
when Houdini was seventeen. There, he met a young
Brooklyn
girl named Bess
Rahner
and after a two-year courtship, he married her. The marriage was to last 32 happy years until Houdini's demise. Bess gave him whatever help that he needed in his dream to become the greatest magician of all time. In 1900, confident that he was ready for the big time, Houdini decided to become a professional. He had countless times practiced and perfected a quick escape act with his brother or friend as a partner. His partner would enter a trunk, and within seconds, Houdini would be found inside the trunk. He demonstrated this act to several theater owners but none were impressed. Disappointed, Houdini said to his wife, "Pack your bags, we're going to
London
."
Not long after setting foot on
London
, Houdini went to see the manager of
Alhambrada
Music Hall
; He showed how he could within seconds unlock himself from American handcuffs. The manager was not impressed and challenged Houdini to go to
England
's highly respected police force, and attempt to escape from their handcuffs. He promised to give him a job if he succeeded. Houdini went to Scotland Yard and managed to coax an officer to test him with their handcuffs. The officer thought to himself,” If this man can escape from Scotland Yard handcuffs, all the crooks in
England
would look for him."
He led Houdini to a pillar and handcuffed him to it. Then, he put on his hat and said that he was going out for his lunch. "I'll be back in an hour to release you," he said confidently. Before he could reach the door, Houdini yelled after him,” Wait a second. I'll go with you." The police officer was shocked beyond words when Houdini dangled the handcuffs before him.
During the golden age of vaudeville, from 1905 to 1925, Houdini was a headliner. More than that, he got more newspaper space than any American entertainer before or since. And when people got bored with his escapes, Houdini began exposing spiritualist mediums, which were in vogue after World War I. Houdini had his hand at many things, gravitating eventually toward the life of an escape artist and conjurer. He publicized his shows by successfully escaping from hundreds of local jails. Houdini had himself manacled and thrown into rivers, bobbing to the surface unchained within minutes. By the time of his death, Houdini was known around the world for his stunts on the stage and off, a master of cunning and endurance.
Around noon on Oct. 22, 1926, Houdini was in his dressing room at a
Montreal
theater. Lying on a couch, he chatted with three students from
McGill
University
. One of them, a ruddy six-footer, asked if it was true that Houdini could take the hardest punches to his stomach. "Would you mind if I delivered a few blows to your abdomen?" he asked. Houdini's escapes were gut-wrenching. He had kept his little Hercules physique tuned for them by years of running, swimming and acrobatics, but he was now 52, and for more than a week he had limped through his 2-1/2 hour program in a splint and leg brace, His ankle had snapped during an Albany performance of the water-torture cell escape, as he was being hoisted upside-down on a pulley.
Yet he accepted the student's challenge, as he had so many others. Hovering over Houdini, elbow bent, the student began forcibly punching him in the stomach. The shots caught Houdini as he started to rise off the pillows bolstering him. According to later sworn testimony, another student protested, "Hey there, you must be crazy. What are you doing?" At that evening's performance, Houdini retired to his couch during intermissions in a cold sweat. After the show, he was unable to dress himself. He completed his
Montreal
engagement the next evening, then with his assistants caught a late-night train to begin a run in
Detroit
.
On board, though, he experienced severe stomach pains. He managed in the morning to reach a
Detroit
hotel, but for a half hour he shook with chills. Still, he was determined to go on for opening night. At curtain time, his temperature was 104. When he left the stage after act one, he fell down. He was revived, gave the rest of his show, and collapsed again. The next afternoon, Oct. 25, Houdini's appendix was removed at
Grace
Hospital
. It had ruptured and produced peritonitis. Doctors gave him an experimental serum, and four days later operated again. But the sepsis had taken over his system. "I can't fight anymore," he told his brother. He died at 1:26pm on Sunday, Oct. 31, 1926
Please examine the photos of this book. I have included photos of the index, when needed. I have also included photos of especially colorful, interesting or autographed pages. I will be happy to answer any specific question, just send me an Email!
Listing info courtesy of:
Magicref
ATTENTION
: A large part of the value of magic tricks and magic books is the SECRET!!
As such, there are NO REFUNDS on magic tricks or books (unless I make a mistake, something is not as advertised, etc.)!
I will try to be very detailed & accurate in my descriptions & also try to include the approximate skill level to assist in your decision, but I will not tell you how the trick is done! If you have any questions, please send me an Email BEFORE bidding!