I remember a sort of biopic about Houdini starring the late Bill Bixby in the title role. NOW if I can find a link to it or a similar movie somewhere. My curiosity is reengaged.
I'll have to look that biopic up. Thanks for the tip, Daniel. I couldn't bring myself to watch the recent Adrien Brody miniseries. I like Brody as an actor but he's too tall and lean to play the compact Houdini and they look nothing alike. I'd have preferred to see Michael Stuhlbarg in the role.
As a Bess whose husband is dying I've been thinking a lot recently about Bess and Harry and his promise to get in touch, as it were. I've been thinking about what "forever" really means (and writing about it https://open.substack.com/pub/bessstillman/p/forever-is-short-long-time?r=16l8ek&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web) My husband and I are scientists, but also, we've chosen a few key words just in case the opportunity ever arises to have a post-mortem chat, just like Harry and Bess did. True love might be the greatest magic trick of all, and it seems like that, more than anything could be what would allow someone to shrug off the shackles of death, if such a thing is possible ,even for a moment. Here's hoping. (and here's to Houdini)
Hello, Bess. I saw your post earlier in the week, shared on Notes, and was very moved by your emotional vulnerability and openness. Your Substack is a gift to so many of us who are watching loved ones nearing that great vanishing act. But every magic trick needs the "prestige," when what has been disappeared or severed in half is revealed, made whole again, and ready to take a bow. Keep those key words close to your heart and hope alive. My best to your brave husband.
How serendipitous! I featured a book in my newsletter today where Houdini appears a lot - as someone exposing the tricks of certain channelers and mediums!
Another wonderful and enlightening post! Thank you, Will! I went to a seance last night, so this definitely felt well-timed. Unlike Houdini, I'm a believer. I've had too many weird things happen at seances to dismiss the whole idea. One of the mediums last night said that we reunite with all of our loved ones after "the death experience" and our souls live on so I hope Houdini and his wife are whooping it up on the other side.
Thanks for the lovely words, Hilary. Oddly, Houdini was a believer, too. He definitely thought there was an afterlife and that he would be reunited with his beloved mother and wife after death. But he was skeptical of mediumship because he recognized that they were employing the same stage tricks that magicians use. Personally, I think his vendetta came from him being stuck in the grieving process for his mother. Stuck on the anger stage, that is. So yes, I can join you in hoping that the whole Houdini clan is reunited on the other side.
Ahhhh! That makes so much sense. Thank you for breaking that down for me, Will. It makes me happy thinking about Houdini enjoying an afterlife with his mom and wife. Your cartoon today made me think about the first séance I attended. There were Ouija boards set up on the table and a group of older women at one end of table moved the planchette around and spelled "Eazy-E" and "NWA." They didn't know what to make of it. Then the young woman next to me piped up that NWA was her late brother's favorite band and figured he was trying to communicate with her. Séances are a wild ride.
That is an amazing (and hilarious) story. I'm imaging those older women thinking the séance wasn't working when it was Eazy-E—or rather, one of his fans—clearly gliding the planchette. Wild ride, indeed.
I remember a sort of biopic about Houdini starring the late Bill Bixby in the title role. NOW if I can find a link to it or a similar movie somewhere. My curiosity is reengaged.
I'll have to look that biopic up. Thanks for the tip, Daniel. I couldn't bring myself to watch the recent Adrien Brody miniseries. I like Brody as an actor but he's too tall and lean to play the compact Houdini and they look nothing alike. I'd have preferred to see Michael Stuhlbarg in the role.
HMMMM. Methinks that I'll be doing some digging in the immediate future. Dusting off my library card, among other things.
As a Bess whose husband is dying I've been thinking a lot recently about Bess and Harry and his promise to get in touch, as it were. I've been thinking about what "forever" really means (and writing about it https://open.substack.com/pub/bessstillman/p/forever-is-short-long-time?r=16l8ek&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web) My husband and I are scientists, but also, we've chosen a few key words just in case the opportunity ever arises to have a post-mortem chat, just like Harry and Bess did. True love might be the greatest magic trick of all, and it seems like that, more than anything could be what would allow someone to shrug off the shackles of death, if such a thing is possible ,even for a moment. Here's hoping. (and here's to Houdini)
Hello, Bess. I saw your post earlier in the week, shared on Notes, and was very moved by your emotional vulnerability and openness. Your Substack is a gift to so many of us who are watching loved ones nearing that great vanishing act. But every magic trick needs the "prestige," when what has been disappeared or severed in half is revealed, made whole again, and ready to take a bow. Keep those key words close to your heart and hope alive. My best to your brave husband.
Thank you , Will
Read this aloud to my 13 year-old. Awesome storytelling!
Best compliment I've received in a long time!
How serendipitous! I featured a book in my newsletter today where Houdini appears a lot - as someone exposing the tricks of certain channelers and mediums!
Whoa! We're on the same wavelength...
Fascinating storytelling
Thank you so much!
Another wonderful and enlightening post! Thank you, Will! I went to a seance last night, so this definitely felt well-timed. Unlike Houdini, I'm a believer. I've had too many weird things happen at seances to dismiss the whole idea. One of the mediums last night said that we reunite with all of our loved ones after "the death experience" and our souls live on so I hope Houdini and his wife are whooping it up on the other side.
Thanks for the lovely words, Hilary. Oddly, Houdini was a believer, too. He definitely thought there was an afterlife and that he would be reunited with his beloved mother and wife after death. But he was skeptical of mediumship because he recognized that they were employing the same stage tricks that magicians use. Personally, I think his vendetta came from him being stuck in the grieving process for his mother. Stuck on the anger stage, that is. So yes, I can join you in hoping that the whole Houdini clan is reunited on the other side.
Ahhhh! That makes so much sense. Thank you for breaking that down for me, Will. It makes me happy thinking about Houdini enjoying an afterlife with his mom and wife. Your cartoon today made me think about the first séance I attended. There were Ouija boards set up on the table and a group of older women at one end of table moved the planchette around and spelled "Eazy-E" and "NWA." They didn't know what to make of it. Then the young woman next to me piped up that NWA was her late brother's favorite band and figured he was trying to communicate with her. Séances are a wild ride.
That is an amazing (and hilarious) story. I'm imaging those older women thinking the séance wasn't working when it was Eazy-E—or rather, one of his fans—clearly gliding the planchette. Wild ride, indeed.