The Jewish Museum of New York Presents Houdini in the Popular Imagination with T

he First Lady of Magic, Dorothy Dietrich

In conjunction with its new exhibition â Houdini: Art and Magicâ , The Jewish Museum is p
esenting a related programs, "Conjuring Houdini in the Popular Imagination". A p
anel discussion featuring magicians Dorothy Dietrich, George Schindler and Houdi
ni biographer Kenneth Silverman on November 11 as part of this great event.
Scranton, PA, November 08, 2010 -- More than 80 years after his death, escape ar
tist extraordinaire Harry Houdini continues to fascinate and inspire. "The First
Lady of Magic" Dorothy Dietrich and "Dean of American Magicians" George Schindl
er and Houdini biographer Kenneth Silverman will discuss why the legendary magic
ian occupies such a prominent place in American popular culture. The evening wil
l include archival footage of classic Houdini escapes and a special live recreat
ion of his signature straitjacket escape by Dorothy Dietrich.
Dorothy Dietrich, ( http :// DorothyDietrich .com) a magician who has starred on
stage and TV, has been called "the female Houdini" and is one of the first wome
n to achieve fame as a magician. She is also co-director of the Harry Houdini Mu
seum in Scranton, Pa., and will speak on the panel. She served as the medium dur
ing an October 31 séance held at the Scranton Houdini Museum, ( http ://Houdini.org
) the only building in the world dedicated to the legendary magician. Houdini, a
s usual, did not return. The seance event was open to the public for the first t
ime in many years. "At 1:26 p.m., the time when Houdini died, a group sits aroun
d a table and join hands." She will ask, "Houdini, if you are here, give us a si
gn." "Houdini said that if he can't escape from the other side, then no one can,
" said Dietrich, known for having duplicated many of Houdini's famous escapes an
d often taking them one step further. She is also the first and only women in hi
story to do the Jinxed Bullet Catch in the Mouth, the one stunt Houdini backed a
way from doing. Scranton museum co-director Dick Brookz ( http :// mysteryentert
ainer .com) explains that for 10 years after Houdini's death, the magician's wif
e, Bess, would hold a tribute in the form of a seance on Oct. 31. Once she stopp
ed, the tradition was passed on to friend, Houdini biographer and writer of the
famed Shadow series Walter B. Gibson . Before Mr. Gibson died he passed on the h
onor, legacy and tradition to Dorothy Dietrich. "Houdini spent his life debunkin
g charlatans, exposing them on a regular basis," Brookz said. Houdini provided h
is wife with a code to authenticate his return, fearful that frauds would take a
dvantage of his death , "The code was based on 'Rosabelle Believe,' " Brookz rel
ated. "It was the name of a popular song of the time." Houdini to this day is th
e iconic magician every young boy that becomes interested in magic wants to emul
ate. Dorothy Dietrich said she would like to become that icon for young women. G
eorge Schindler is a member of the Society of American Magicians' Hall of Fame,
starred as " Chandu the Great" in Woody Allen's New York Stories (1989), and is
the author of several books.
Kenneth Silverman's books include Houdini!!!; Begin Again: A Biography of John C
age, A Cultural History of the American Revolution; The Life and Times of Cotton
Mather (winner of the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Biography); Edgar A. Poe: Mournfu
l and Never-ending Remembrance; and Lightning Man: The Accursed Life of Samuel F
. B. Morse.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE Thursday, November 11 6:30 pm Panel Discussion CONJURING HOUDIN
I IN THE PUBLIC IMAGINATION The Saul and Harriet M. Rothkopf Media Program
Tickets: $15 general public; $12 students/over 65; $10 Jewish Museum members.
â Houdini: Art and Magicâ opens on Friday and runs through March 27 at the Jewish Museum
1109 Fifth Avenue, at 92nd Street. http :// thejewishmuseum .org. It will later
travel to Los Angeles , San Francisco and Madison, Wis. The show will feature w
orks influenced by Houdini (handcuffs, straitjacket, shackles) and a panel discu
ssion, â Conjuring Houdini in the Popular Imagination.â
Contact:
Penny Wilkes
The Houdini Museum
Scranton, PA
(570) 342-5555
magicus@comcast.net
http://www.houdini.org/