Houdini Museum
Encyclopedia
The Houdini Museum was established in 1988 at 1433 N. Main Avenue in Scranton
, Pennsylvania
, USA. It is in a turn-of-the-20th-century building that has been entirely renovated. Houdini performed in Scranton and did several special challenges there. His brother, Hardeen, also appeared in Scranton and in its sister city, Wilkes-Barre
. Documents and letters attesting to this are on display at the museum and on its website. Houdini performed at the Poli Theater for S. Z. Poli in Scranton, that was part of the Keith-Albee-Orpheum
circuit at the time.
The show at the museum includes two of the best, nationally known magicians, Dorothy Dietrich
and John Bravo (aka Ray Carter and Dick Brooks
).
The museum covers Houdini's career and facts about Houdini. The Houdini Museum has national and international significance, especially since the tragic fire of an exhibit in Niagara Falls
in May 1995. A part of the exhibit was on display for 13 years at the Magic Towne House
in New York City
.
The Houdini Museum features memorabilia, artifacts, mannequins and films of the master magician. The Houdini Tour also includes a magic show as part of the tour.
and Dick Brooks (entertainer)
(aka John Bravo and Ray Carter) as a tribute to magic's greatest legend. In part the exhibit includes collectibles from both her and his collection as well as artifacts given to Mr. Brooks by his father, who actually saw Houdini perform. Parts of the collection were on display at their show spot in New York City
, The Magic Towne House
for 15 years, from the 1970s to the 1980s, when they moved it to Scranton, PA. Also on display for many years at the New York location was the Society of American Magicians
replica of Houdini's bust at Houdini's grave site and a large oil painting portrait of the magician, two items that the Society could not store. They were in the museums safe keeping. When Mort Shapley became President of The New York Parent Assembly he asked that they be returned. Currently no one seems to know where they are. On September 27, 2011 The Houdini Museum along with "Houdini Commandos" Dorothy Dietrich, Dick Brookz and Steve Moore replaced the statuary Houdini bust that was missing at the grave for 36 years with the permission of the administration of the cemetery and Houdini family members. The Society of American Magicians no longer cares for the site. That currently is done by Scranton's Houdini Museum and the administrators of the cemetery with the help of volunteers and donors.
Scranton, Pennsylvania
Scranton is a city in the northeastern part of Pennsylvania, United States. It is the county seat of Lackawanna County and the largest principal city in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area. Scranton had a population of 76,089 in 2010, according to the U.S...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, USA. It is in a turn-of-the-20th-century building that has been entirely renovated. Houdini performed in Scranton and did several special challenges there. His brother, Hardeen, also appeared in Scranton and in its sister city, Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. Documents and letters attesting to this are on display at the museum and on its website. Houdini performed at the Poli Theater for S. Z. Poli in Scranton, that was part of the Keith-Albee-Orpheum
Keith-Albee-Orpheum
The Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation was the owner of a chain of vaudeville and motion picture theatres. It was formed by the merger of the holdings of Benjamin Franklin Keith and Edward Franklin Albee II and Martin Beck's Orpheum Circuit, Inc..-History:...
circuit at the time.
The show at the museum includes two of the best, nationally known magicians, Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
and John Bravo (aka Ray Carter and Dick Brooks
Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
).
The museum covers Houdini's career and facts about Houdini. The Houdini Museum has national and international significance, especially since the tragic fire of an exhibit in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
in May 1995. A part of the exhibit was on display for 13 years at the Magic Towne House
Magic Towne House
The Magic Towne House was a well known magic show spot on three floors at 1026 Third Avenue, north of 60th Street, New York City, in the 1970s and 1980s. It was in the posh area of the Upper East Side of Manhattan on Third Avenue and 61st Street next to Bloomingdale's Department Store...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
The Houdini Museum features memorabilia, artifacts, mannequins and films of the master magician. The Houdini Tour also includes a magic show as part of the tour.
History
The Houdini Museum was created by Dorothy DietrichDorothy Dietrich
Dorothy Dietrich is an American stage magician and escapologist, and the first and only woman to have performed the bullet catch in mouth. She was also the first woman to perform a straitjacket escape while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope Dorothy Dietrich is an American...
and Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks (entertainer)
Dick Brooks, considered a magician of renown has been a professional performer since leaving school, was born in New York City. As a teenager he joined a Department of Parks magic club headed up by the official magician of New York City, Abe Hurwitz , who was also the father of the soon to be...
(aka John Bravo and Ray Carter) as a tribute to magic's greatest legend. In part the exhibit includes collectibles from both her and his collection as well as artifacts given to Mr. Brooks by his father, who actually saw Houdini perform. Parts of the collection were on display at their show spot in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, The Magic Towne House
Magic Towne House
The Magic Towne House was a well known magic show spot on three floors at 1026 Third Avenue, north of 60th Street, New York City, in the 1970s and 1980s. It was in the posh area of the Upper East Side of Manhattan on Third Avenue and 61st Street next to Bloomingdale's Department Store...
for 15 years, from the 1970s to the 1980s, when they moved it to Scranton, PA. Also on display for many years at the New York location was the Society of American Magicians
Society of American Magicians
The Society of American Magicians is the oldest fraternal magic organization in the world. Its purpose is "to advance, elevate, and preserve magic as a performing art, to promote harmonious fellowship throughout the world of magic, and to maintain and improve ethical standards in the field of...
replica of Houdini's bust at Houdini's grave site and a large oil painting portrait of the magician, two items that the Society could not store. They were in the museums safe keeping. When Mort Shapley became President of The New York Parent Assembly he asked that they be returned. Currently no one seems to know where they are. On September 27, 2011 The Houdini Museum along with "Houdini Commandos" Dorothy Dietrich, Dick Brookz and Steve Moore replaced the statuary Houdini bust that was missing at the grave for 36 years with the permission of the administration of the cemetery and Houdini family members. The Society of American Magicians no longer cares for the site. That currently is done by Scranton's Houdini Museum and the administrators of the cemetery with the help of volunteers and donors.