Original 85th Houdini Seance Takes Place Again at the Houdini Museum,October 31, 2011

This internationally famous Halloween Houdini Seance event will occur this October 31 at 1:26 PM, the exact time Houdini died.  There will be other surprises, and a showing of rare Houdini feature films, after the event.  This will be open to the pubic and free by reservation.

Halloween, marks the anniversary of the death of magic's most famous icon, Harry Houdini. Each year after the legendary magicians death a tribute in the form of a seance has been conducted on this day. The first ten seances were done by his wife Bess as a tribute and test. In his effort to challenge the crooked mystics and psychics of his day, Houdini the greatest escape artist of all time, said if he could not escape from the beyond and return in a seance no one else could.

Houdini's wife then passed on the legacy and tradition to Houdini biographer, friend and writer Walter B. Gibson. Walter B. Gibson was the creator of "The Shadow" one of the most famous mystery series of all time that started out as a novel, a radio show, a television show and then a movie starring Alec Baldwin. The shows catch phrase, "The Shadow knows!" has been repeated thousands of times by comedians and others through the years. Walter B. Gibson helped Houdini in some of his literary projects, and after Houdini died wrote several early biographies and magic secret books culled from Houdini's private notes that Bess and her lawyer let Gibson use.

Seating at 12:30 PM. There will also be a separate evening lecture at 7:30 by world renowned magician and inventor Devin Knight.  It will all take place at The Houdini Museum, 1433 Main Avenue, in Scranton, PA., the only building in the world dedicated to Houdini.

Before Mr. Gibson died he passed on the tradition to well known magic celebrity, Dorothy Dietrich.  Dorothy Dietrich has been called "one of the most noted magicians of the late 20th century" by Columbia Encyclopedia, Columbia University Press.  Dorothy Dietrich is one of the world's best known magicians and has been called "The First Lady of Magic. She has appeared in many television specials, and is the first and only woman to do the bullet catch in the mouth, "the stunt that scared Houdini."  She is the first and only woman to perform a straitjacket escape from a parachute ride while suspended hundreds of feet in the air from a burning rope, as shown on a HBO special that she stared in. She is also known as "The first woman to saw a man in half!" When not traveling, Dietrich performs at The Houdini Museum in Scranton, PA, where she is also a director. It has the largest permanent display to the general public anywhere, of artifacts, historical displays and information on Houdini.   She has been featured on numerous television shows and channels world wide including the BBC, CBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, Travel Channel, Biography Channel, History Channel, TV Land, etc.  This month she has been featured as an expert on Houdini on the Travel Channel's, "Mysteries at the Museum" A month from now she will be featured on the History Channel's, "Brad Meter's Decoded!  She is considered a leading collector and expert on Houdini.

The Original Houdini Seances were done by Ms. Dietrich many years at New York's legendary Magic Towne House in New York City, lifetime home of the legendary Houdini, and moved to The Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pa. The Houdini Seances are attended on a regular basis by the closest living relatives of Houdini. The Houdini Museum is under the close guidance of Houdini's family.  They have also asked the museum to do upkeep and repairs at the Houdini's Grave.  The museum recently received world wide publicity for replacing the bust of Houdini at his grave that has been missing for the past 36 years

Last year legendary magician John Calvert, was their guest speaker and performed to a packed house. This year, an added lecture at 7:00 by one of magic's greatest inventors and minds, Devin Knight will take place. Advanced lecture price is only $10. It will be $12 at the door for this lecture.  This will be an exclusive and only  Pennsylvania  tour  this  season.

Some of his best known effects are Blindsight, Farsight and Auto-BendSpoon. Devin's work on Al Mann's Glass Box has been termed by many to be the most definitive work on headline predictions ever written.  In addition to over 50 marketed items, Devin is the author of three books; Glass Box Revisited, The Blindfold Car and Cloudbusting Secrets (with Jerome Finley).  Devin strives to create effects that not only fool magicians, but at the same time are easy to do. The majority of his effects rely more on clever ideas, rather than difficult sleights. This puts most of his effects within the skill range of most magicians.  Many new and exciting effects from Devin will be presented at this lecture and demonstration.

During the Fall and Winter months the Houdini Museum is open weekends for tours and a magic show, as well as any day of the week for school and bus groups, as well as magical birthday parties. Reservations required. Currently the Houdini Museum takes on an eerie atmosphere in the evenings, as Psychic Theater presents "Haunted! Mysteries of THE Beyond." with paranormalist Dick Brookz.  It is a hit fun mystery show that has been running for six years. For pictures and more information go to: Houdini Seance web page. All are available in hi res.

Contact :
Penny Wilkes
Houdini Museum
1433 N. Main Ave
Scranton, PA 18508
(570) 342-5555