Comments on: The Secret Life of Houdini The Making of America’s First Superhero http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/ The official Derren Brown Blog Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:29:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: ann beedham http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-23326 ann beedham Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:26:36 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-23326 Hello on page 303 of the Kalush Sloman book a young fan is mentioned, Randolph Douglas. He showed Houdini an upside down strait jacket escape in his small attic room in Sheffield, UK. I have just published Randolph's biography - Randini- The Man Who Helped Houdini (wwwyoubooks.co.uk). Randolph was an amazing man and drew lots of sketches of magical acts and famous magicians of the day. He also drew Houdinis Water Torture Cell when Houdini was on at the Sheffileld Empire and Houdini said it was a correct interpretation. Randolph and Houdini became friends and correcponded regularly until Houdinis death in 1926. Hello

on page 303 of the Kalush Sloman book a young fan is mentioned, Randolph Douglas. He showed Houdini an upside down strait jacket escape in his small attic room in Sheffield, UK.
I have just published Randolph’s biography – Randini- The Man Who Helped Houdini (wwwyoubooks.co.uk). Randolph was an amazing man and drew lots of sketches of magical acts and famous magicians of the day. He also drew Houdinis Water Torture Cell when Houdini was on at the Sheffileld Empire and Houdini said it was a correct interpretation.
Randolph and Houdini became friends and correcponded regularly until Houdinis death in 1926.

]]> By: ScreamingGreenConure http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5357 ScreamingGreenConure Fri, 27 Feb 2009 11:59:43 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5357 Phillis, that's the greatest idea ever. Houdini is so awesome that it makes my brain ache just trying to comprehend it. One day when there are no more spiritualists to spite, he IS going to come back from the dead, and he is going to punch Criss Angel right in the face. I will disapprove, because violence is wrong, but it will still be badass. Phillis, that’s the greatest idea ever. Houdini is so awesome that it makes my brain ache just trying to comprehend it. One day when there are no more spiritualists to spite, he IS going to come back from the dead, and he is going to punch Criss Angel right in the face. I will disapprove, because violence is wrong, but it will still be badass.

]]> By: phillis http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5352 phillis Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:08:12 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5352 Ok maybe I rename the post to - Houdini: He one badass mofo. Ok maybe I rename the post to – Houdini: He one badass mofo.

]]> By: ScreamingGreenConure http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5341 ScreamingGreenConure Thu, 26 Feb 2009 20:14:55 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5341 Holy guacamole. Is there anything else Houdini could have done to be more badass than he already was? Let's see: 1. Escaped from boxes and barrels and so on in terrifying situations 2. Pissed people off at seances, maybe even so much that the poor guy got murdered 3. Got buried alive 4. WAS POSSIBLY A SPY. He could probably return from the dead if he really wanted to, but he's not doing it just to spite the spiritualists. Holy guacamole. Is there anything else Houdini could have done to be more badass than he already was? Let’s see:
1. Escaped from boxes and barrels and so on in terrifying situations
2. Pissed people off at seances, maybe even so much that the poor guy got murdered
3. Got buried alive
4. WAS POSSIBLY A SPY.
He could probably return from the dead if he really wanted to, but he’s not doing it just to spite the spiritualists.

]]> By: phillis http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5339 phillis Thu, 26 Feb 2009 19:47:25 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5339 I'm afraid we cannot talk about any of the work Derren is currently doing with the Ministry of defense or MI6 - sorry. I’m afraid we cannot talk about any of the work Derren is currently doing with the Ministry of defense or MI6 – sorry.

]]> By: Ken http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5319 Ken Thu, 26 Feb 2009 11:48:11 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5319 I can see Derren sneaking into a Russian Ball and saying to diplomat, "The secret code is a three digit number. Think of that number but don't tell me it! Now keep the image of the secret file in you mind...." Think I have read four Houdini bio's, all good, but don't know what else can be told! The rumours about Houdini's involvement in espionage. I can see Derren sneaking into a Russian Ball and saying to diplomat, “The secret code is a three digit number. Think of that number but don’t tell me it! Now keep the image of the secret file in you mind….”

Think I have read four Houdini bio’s, all good, but don’t know what else can be told! The rumours about Houdini’s involvement in espionage.

]]> By: Lafayette http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5316 Lafayette Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:25:33 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5316 This is an awesome book - so much better than Silverman's. I took a while getting used to the narrative sections, but I rarely manage to finish biographies, and this one was a comparative breeze. The conjecture that Houdini was a spy is a compelling one, and for obvious reasons there is no smoking gun, but they lay out the reasoning well, as they do for the idea that the debunker was rubbed out by a Spiritualist cabal. What's worth pointing out is that the extensive notes for the book are available online. This is an awesome book – so much better than Silverman’s. I took a while getting used to the narrative sections, but I rarely manage to finish biographies, and this one was a comparative breeze.

The conjecture that Houdini was a spy is a compelling one, and for obvious reasons there is no smoking gun, but they lay out the reasoning well, as they do for the idea that the debunker was rubbed out by a Spiritualist cabal. What’s worth pointing out is that the extensive notes for the book are available online.

]]> By: Tash http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5312 Tash Thu, 26 Feb 2009 09:50:13 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5312 lol - yes - but its a shame someone so handsome would be putting his life at risk for our country - maybe he should stick to how we know him. lol. lol – yes – but its a shame someone so handsome would be putting his life at risk for our country – maybe he should stick to how we know him. lol.

]]> By: Ms G http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5305 Ms G Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:53:59 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5305 So there is another reason for Derren's loaded bank account then! So there is another reason for Derren’s loaded bank account then!

]]> By: Tash http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2009/02/the-secret-life-of-houdini-the-making-of-americas-first-superhero/#comment-5304 Tash Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:46:48 +0000 http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/?p=672#comment-5304 Hmmmm - maybe Derrens got ties to mi5 etc - besides he did completely show chris ryan up with his super clever skills - Don't worry derren - you're secrets safe with us. lol. :-) Hmmmm – maybe Derrens got ties to mi5 etc – besides he did completely show chris ryan up with his super clever skills – Don’t worry derren – you’re secrets safe with us. lol. :-)

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