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emeline Regular user 135 Posts |
Hello there,
I've watched a documentary about Houdini which said he was not the one who performed the routines so it is true or not? Did he use someone else to perform? |
Kevin Connolly Inner circle New Jersey 1329 Posts |
I never heard of that one. What is the name of the documentary? What channel?
Please visit my website.
www.houdinihimself.com Always looking buy or trade for original Houdini, Hardeen and escape artist items. I'm interested in books, pitchbooks and ephemera. Email [email]hhoudini@optonline.net[/email] |
mtpascoe Inner circle 1932 Posts |
When you said "he was not the one who performed the routines" what routines are you talking about? Do you mean his act? I don't know how he can get someone to perform for him while he took the bows. That would be difficult to do.
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Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
Quote:
On 2009-12-21 12:10, emeline wrote: What to you mean by "performed the routines"? Did the documentary say that he never did any of the escapes, or did it say that he did not do some of the things that his publicists claimed that he did? If it is the first statement, then it is probably false. If it's the second statement, this may be partially true. Some of his feats were blown out of proportion in the Kelloch book and in the Tony Curtis movie, as well.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
emeline Regular user 135 Posts |
It was a French documentary in which some researchers said Houdini never did all the great escapes that the history claimed, but there was another man - I do not remember his name - who took the risks.
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Rennie Inner circle I think I have about 1826 Posts |
You should not believe all the things you see and hear. They may have blown some of his performances out of proportion. For the most part Houdini was a great showman and even he told little white lies, but give him credit where credit is due! Ask anyone to name a famous magician, what do you think the answer would be?
Rennie
The effect is the important thing, how you achieve it is not.......
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SJMiller New user East Tennessee 61 Posts |
There are enough films (bridge jumps, straight jacket escapes, movie performances) and photographs to make any such claim just plain crazy. In addition, one must take into account what such a claim would mean. In order for such a thing to be possible, it would take an individual that was looked enough like Houdini to be his twin. While one could point to the claims that at times Thurston had another man do his performances, Thurston was an average looking person. One that would not stand out in a crowd.
While a lot of things could be said about Houdini, saying he would not standout in a crowd would not be one of them. He was a unique looking man. In addition, his face was plastered everyhwere when he appeared in a city. With the invitation of audience members for challenges and to inspect the equipment on stage, it would indeed take the above mentioned twin to take Houdini's place. Unless these people are claiming that all of the audience members that served as on stage committees, and that every individual who every challenged Houdini were on Houdini's payroll, claiming Houdini did not do his own work just doesn't pass the stink test. At least in my opinion. Sammy |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
This is total BS. I'm not just saying this because Houdini was an American immigrant icon, his career and exploits are so well documented that it would be impossible for this to be true.
For example, look at the movie of HH doing the straitjacket escape while suspended above the crowd. Perhaps you should do some research other than watching television shows. Get the Kalush/Slomon book, the Graham book, the Walter Gibson material, and read as much of it as you can. The claim is not only totally preposterous, it is unnecessary.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Bill Palmer Eternal Order Only Jonathan Townsend has more than 24312 Posts |
The fellows I really wonder about are those French guys, the Houdin brothers -- Jean, Eugene and Robert. Between those three guys and that Australian guy, what's his name? Oh, yeah, Hoffzinger. They claim to have done everything.
"The Swatter"
Founder of CODBAMMC My Chickasaw name is "Throws Money at Cups." www.cupsandballsmuseum.com |
Kevin Connolly Inner circle New Jersey 1329 Posts |
You're killing me! Merry Christmas Bill.
Please visit my website.
www.houdinihimself.com Always looking buy or trade for original Houdini, Hardeen and escape artist items. I'm interested in books, pitchbooks and ephemera. Email [email]hhoudini@optonline.net[/email] |
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