Some fact, some gossip, and a salacious speculation. Enjoy.

http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2010/12/......ini.html

Why would anyone bring this stuff up so many years after his death. They are doing the same with J.F.K. Let the memory of someone as well loved and respected as the two mentioned above rest in peace!

Houdini did more for magic than any other person living or dead, Let him be the hero he deserves to be.

Rennie

It's just for fun, Rennie. No offense to Houdini intended. And certainly the very existence of my blog helps champion Houdini's contributions to magic. And if you read the article closely, you'll see that I actually debunk or cast doubt on a lot of these rumors and outright falsehoods (not to mention smashing Ruth Brandon's widely circulated theory that Houdini was impotent).

But I understand your point, and I did worry a bit about this kind of reaction. I actually left a few names off the list for this reason.

Zencat,
I was not getting on you, I was actually talking about the author/s of the article. Can't imagine dragging anyone down like that.
Thanks for replying and defending H.H.

Oh, but the author IS me. (Or are you talking about the original sources cited?)

As I said, I knew I was getting into dangerous territory with this one. But I've posted (so far) 149 other articles that redeem me, I hope.

(Or are you talking about the original sources cited?)

Yes that is it. Not a problem with you.
Rennie

Well, I think you're being too nice to me, but thank you.

BTW, if you like Houdini history, I'm posting up something tomorrow that I think is very interesting. Maybe a little more dry than love-life gossip, but hopefully it will prove just as popular.

I just want to correct a misstatement in John's article. I mean, I don't know what he really has on Houdini about any supposed or presumed affairs with women other than his wife. He didn't mention Hattie Mooser or the conjoined twins.
But that's not why I'm here. John did an "according to Patrick Culliton, Lila Lee told George Jessel she had had an affair with Houdini."
I did not write that.
What I recall writing was that George Jessel always said she and Houdini had had a thing. That was a rumor passed along by Al Flosso. Al Flosso mentioned one other big star that supposedly had a thing with Houdini. I say a thing. I don't know. Could have been heavy petting.
Houdini appears to have busted himself, in letters, about Milla Barry--she was a Kalush discovery. Milla Barry lived with Bessie out here in Hollywood--or at least stayed with her, after Houdini's death. I think Jon Oliver told me Bessie's family had a radio with a plate indicating it was a gift from Milla Barry.
Charmian London busted Houdini in her diary. He was her "Magic Man." She was a Ken Silverman discovery--a literary bombshell.
In a review of Milbourne Christopher's book, Maurice Zolotow wrote, "Houdini loved two women in his life--his mother and Daisy White." Daisy was also very close with Bessie. For a time, after Houdini's death, they ran a tea room, Bessie Houdini's Rendevous.
Then, there was Hattie Mooser,who alluded to an affair with Houdini. She and her sister, Minnie, knew Houdini well.
It's pretty clear he was in love with his wife. Who else he may have thought he needed at this time or that in the thirty-three years of his marriage, I actually don't know or care.
When I was a kid, nobody discussed this stuff--well, Al Flosso and Maurice Zolotow. . . Hattie.
But, everybody in Hollywood knew Rock Hudson was gay and everybody in Hollywood knew Richard Chamberlain was gay, but, in those days, in the movie business, you didn't rat. So thirty years after Hollywood knew, the public is shocked to learn about their "private lives."
I still don't rat. I was in the 9th Military Intelligence Detachment at Dong Tam in the Mekong Delta. I've been a magician all my life. I'm no snitcher.
On the other hand, people are trying to this day to find out what made Houdini tick. I don't know if one's sex life--if that's how to put it--really applies to figuring him out.
I don't have to figure Houdini out. His personal life, while fascinating, never grabbed me the way a gnawing curiosity about how he did his tricks grabbed me.
I'm done with that. Published my book. Enough about Houdini.
From now on, if I ever post on this forum about Houdini, that post will have to be about some other magician as well.

Oh, I'm sorry Patrick. I was quoting from your book, The Tao of Houdini. On page 165 the caption below the photo of HH and Lee reads; "Georgie Jessel, who had worked with Lila Lee in Gus Edward's School Days, claimed she was romantically involved with Houdini." Kalush and Slomon, who also mention this possible "romantic fling", cite the source as you and TAO in Houdini Laid Bare on page 224. And I was careful not to use the word "affair." I used the same wording as in TAO: "romantically involved."

For some reason, I was under the impression that you got that info direct from George Jessel, so that's how I wrote it. I also wanted to clearly credit you and your book with this info, because that is the only source I know of. But it looks like I wrote that wrong and implies the info came direct from you. Sorry. I will change that right now. Thanks for bringing it to my attention.

Don't know anything about Hattie Mooser (do share!). And, as you know, I considered the conjoined twins, but it was just a little too...weird.

I didn't get it from George Jessel--I got it from Stanley Palm, who got it from Al Flosso. See how rumors are?
My point was: I didn't say Lila told George that, I just said he'd known her and that that is what he said. There was a connection I couldn't make, which is: did Jessel get it straight from Lila?
I just said what Stanley said Al said Jessel said.

Yep, I understand now. Again, sorry. The revised paragraph now reads:

"According to actor Georgie Jessel, Houdini and his Terror Island co-star Lilia Lee were romantically involved. Jessel worked with Lee in Gus Edward's School Days. Could they have hooked up while on location on romantic Catalina Island in 1919? Afraid we only have Jessel's word for this. But you know what they say in Hollywood -- all rumors are true."

Artfully put. You're good, John!

I also added this to the end of the article:

UPDATE: Looks like I slightly bungled my information on Lila Lee. I originally wrote that she told Georgie Jessel she was involved with Houdini. In truth, Jessel, who knew Lee, claimed there was a romantic involvement between the actress and the magician, but where he got this information is unknown. The paragraph has now been revised.

Here's my attempt at redemption. This should be of more interest to Houdini historians than his nooky.

Houdini on WTIC radio (1925)
http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2010/12/......ess.html

Smiling inside at the "heavy petting" comment. Houdini came from a time when actually touching your mouth to the hand you were kissing was considered sexual.

Also, Houdini was arguably the most famous person of his time. It wouldn't be unusual for unsubstanciated claims of intimacy to come out of the woodwork after his passing. Dishing dirt has always been in vogue, even 100 years ago.

Good points, Chance. True.

This was fascinating. I would imagine it would seem fair game to Houdin fans, and to the believers of outed mediums, to see Houdini skewered.

You can see photos of two women who were said by insiders to have had a little thing with Houdini at:
http://www.houdinisghost.com/girlfriends.html

Pat...Can you put their names next to them?

No! That's the idea. Let the scandalmongers (of course we don't mean you, John, we know you're just being the recording angel) figure out who those two are.
Has everybody seen Lila Lee in Lon Chaney's last film, "the Unholy Three?"
Lila isn't one of the girls on the page I put up.