Scranton's Mayor Declares October 31, 2011, Houdini Commandos Day

Due of the international attention brought to Scranton PA and its Houdini Museum, Mayor Christopher Doherty of the City of Scranton, PA. has declared October 31, 2011 as Houdini Commandos Day. On September 27, 2011 a group that calls themselves The Houdini Commandos from Scranton's Houdini Museum surreptitiously replaced the heavy weight statuary bust of Houdini that has been missing for 36 years at his grave site in New York City. This has been reported internationally by The New York Times, the Canadian Broadcasting Company as well as newspapers, internet blogs, radio and television stations everywhere.

This feat has been in the planning stages for over 20 years reaching its full intensity in the past 6 months. The three Houdini Commandos, magician and escape artist of television fame Dorothy Dietrich, Paranormalist and mystery entertainer Dick Brookz and retired escape artist and locksmith Steve "Bingo" Moore formed the core of this daring team. The museum is directed by entertainers Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz. "It is The only building in the world dedicated to Houdini."

Much of the craftsmanship and painstaking work that went into the making of the bust was done by the third member of the team former escape artist and handcuff collector Steve "Bingo" Moore. He had also acquired the help of Bart Sacco of Kingdom Products who donated the special quality mix used in making the bust. Several other concerned locals were recruited including Dean Allen, contractor, Tracy Bullaro, helper, Cathy Moore, helper and Ronald Chicken, videographer.

The reason this had to be done in secret was that there has been various conflicts as to who was responsible for the keeping up of the grave site.

The Houdini Commandos solicited the advice of Peter Blacksberg, the president of Riverside Cemetery, a Jewish cemetery in Saddlebrook, New Jersey. Mr. Blacksberg recommended to get a letter from the closest living relative of Houdini giving permission to repair the site. They also consulted with New York Lawyer, Gary Pillersdorf who was ready to bail them out.

Mr. Brookz, Ms. Dietrich and the Houdini Museum spent almost $10,000 to restore the bust. "Now we have now gotten the approval and friendship from the management of the Houdini grave site as well. It sorely needed to be done. Houdini, in his lifetime, besides helping other magicians and clubs, had paid for the fixing of dozens of magician's graves that were in disrepair. This was only fitting payback. We are now starting a Houdini Fund to help defray the costs of fixing this and other magicians graves."

Go here for one of many YouTube videos put up by others, showing the grave and it's previous condition; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug29ezgnSV0

Go here for a YouTube video of the Houdini Commandos, Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, on one of The Houdini Museum's many visits to clean up the Houdini Grave site. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxVDHqF5EnA

Celebrity magician Dorothy Dietrich will be on "Mysteries At The Museum" on the Travel Channel in the next month. Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz will be featured on Brad Meltzer's Decoded! and on Canadian television's "Deals From The Darkside" in the coming two months. Dorothy Dietrich appears on a regular basis on national television. Dorothy Dietrich also presides over the annual Original Houdini Seance every Halloween.

Contact:
Penny Wilkes
Houdini Museum
1433 N. Main Ave
Scranton, PA 18447
570 342-5555