Read Online Houdini: A Life Worth Reading by Higher Read - Free Book Online
Authors: Higher Read
Tags: General Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Leaders & Notable People, Rich & Famous, Arts & Literature, Actors & Actresses, Entertainers
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: 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.
More lawsuits: The litigious nature of the magician made for a bumpy road in Hollywood.
The end of the era: As with flying, Houdini’s stint in film was relatively short-lived.
Houdini was fascinated by film both because of his desire to stay current with the changing times and because he saw the opportunity to immortalize his talents. His first foray into acting came in a brief movie he made in Paris called
Merveilleux Exploits du Celebre Houdini a Paris . In the film, Houdini shows himself defending a drunk from police brutality, only to be arrested and placed in a cell with a straitjacket. Fortunately, the King of Handcuffs cannot be restrained by such trivialities, and quickly escapes the straitjacket and the handcuffs the cops clap on him, and soon after, a locked cell. No complete version of this movie survives.
Houdini’s second appearance on film is no less dramatic or self-focused. While debuting his incredibly dangerous Manacled Bridge Jump in Rochester, New York, he had himself filmed. The film shows Houdini diving from a high bridge into the river below and coming up out of the water miraculously free of handcuffs.
By 1915 motion pictures threatened to end the careers of vaudeville performers worldwide. Houdini, determined as always to stay relevant, turned his attention more fully to entering into the world of film. He served as a consultant for the special effects of a horror movie. He signed a contract to play Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’s Captain Nemo, but the film died in production. As resilient as ever, Houdini jumped into the film industry by starting a production company, the Film Development Company (FDC), which performed automatic film processing.
In the summer of 1918, Houdini began filming a series called “ The Master Mystery. ” The series was a total of fifteen episodes, each of which featured Houdini escaping from a new, terrifying predicament. The public can see slightly more of how Houdini does his tricks on film than they had been allowed to see during Houdini’s live performances. In one film Houdini is seen picking a lock with a piece of an umbrella and some string. In another they see him using his toes as if they were fingers. In January of 1919, the serial was released, and although it aired in many countries, reviewers didn’t think much of Houdini as an actor, describing him as having very little range. His escapes, however, were praised as thrilling, even though the audience had no way to know if Houdini was actually performing them or if film manipulation was merely making it seem so. Houdini ran into legal problems collecting his share of the serial’s profits, however, and eventually fought and won a four-year battle in court against the company that produced the movie.
By late 1918, Houdini’s company the FDC had begun experiencing serious financial trouble. Houdini was especially worried about this business’s failure because he had involved friends and family; his brother Dash had left his performing career to manage the company full time, and his friend and mentor Keller had purchased many shares.
In spring of 1919, Houdini and Bess moved from New York to Los Angeles in order to star in a serial called The Grim Game . The film again depicted Houdini escaping from unbelievably life-threatening situations. During the filming, an actual, unplanned plane crash is filmed, although Houdini wasn’t actually in any danger during the crash, as his “midair stunt” was filmed on the ground. The film was well received as a thriller, and Houdini was signed to another movie called Terror Island . Most of that movie was shot on California’s wild
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.
More lawsuits: The litigious nature of the magician made for a bumpy road in Hollywood.
The end of the era: As with flying, Houdini’s stint in film was relatively short-lived.
Houdini was fascinated by film both because of his desire to stay current with the changing times and because he saw the opportunity to immortalize his talents. His first foray into acting came in a brief movie he made in Paris called
Merveilleux Exploits du Celebre Houdini a Paris . In the film, Houdini shows himself defending a drunk from police brutality, only to be arrested and placed in a cell with a straitjacket. Fortunately, the King of Handcuffs cannot be restrained by such trivialities, and quickly escapes the straitjacket and the handcuffs the cops clap on him, and soon after, a locked cell. No complete version of this movie survives.
Houdini’s second appearance on film is no less dramatic or self-focused. While debuting his incredibly dangerous Manacled Bridge Jump in Rochester, New York, he had himself filmed. The film shows Houdini diving from a high bridge into the river below and coming up out of the water miraculously free of handcuffs.
By 1915 motion pictures threatened to end the careers of vaudeville performers worldwide. Houdini, determined as always to stay relevant, turned his attention more fully to entering into the world of film. He served as a consultant for the special effects of a horror movie. He signed a contract to play Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea’s Captain Nemo, but the film died in production. As resilient as ever, Houdini jumped into the film industry by starting a production company, the Film Development Company (FDC), which performed automatic film processing.
In the summer of 1918, Houdini began filming a series called “ The Master Mystery. ” The series was a total of fifteen episodes, each of which featured Houdini escaping from a new, terrifying predicament. The public can see slightly more of how Houdini does his tricks on film than they had been allowed to see during Houdini’s live performances. In one film Houdini is seen picking a lock with a piece of an umbrella and some string. In another they see him using his toes as if they were fingers. In January of 1919, the serial was released, and although it aired in many countries, reviewers didn’t think much of Houdini as an actor, describing him as having very little range. His escapes, however, were praised as thrilling, even though the audience had no way to know if Houdini was actually performing them or if film manipulation was merely making it seem so. Houdini ran into legal problems collecting his share of the serial’s profits, however, and eventually fought and won a four-year battle in court against the company that produced the movie.
By late 1918, Houdini’s company the FDC had begun experiencing serious financial trouble. Houdini was especially worried about this business’s failure because he had involved friends and family; his brother Dash had left his performing career to manage the company full time, and his friend and mentor Keller had purchased many shares.
In spring of 1919, Houdini and Bess moved from New York to Los Angeles in order to star in a serial called The Grim Game . The film again depicted Houdini escaping from unbelievably life-threatening situations. During the filming, an actual, unplanned plane crash is filmed, although Houdini wasn’t actually in any danger during the crash, as his “midair stunt” was filmed on the ground. The film was well received as a thriller, and Houdini was signed to another movie called Terror Island . Most of that movie was shot on California’s wild
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