Blaine takes 2 gut shots from Kimbo in stunt Oct 3, 2008
Blaine, who did the stunt for his "Dive of Death" special on ABC, referred to the death decades ago of famous magician Harry Houdini, who purportedly died of a ruptured appendix after asking a volunteer to hit him in the stomach. In the video, Blaine is rocked back several feet after being hit but doesn't go down and appears basically unhurt by the hits. (MSNBC -- Sports)
Blaine hangs out in latest stunt Sep 25, 2008
As a child, he was intrigued when Harry Houdini dangled from a crane by his ankles while escaping a straitjacket. The 35-year-old is scheduled to exit from his perch on Wednesday evening local time (Thursday AEST). (Brisbane Times)
Blaine's latest stunt in NYC -- hanging upside-down Sep 25, 2008
As a child, he was intrigued when Harry Houdini dangled from a crane by his ankles while escaping a straitjacket. Said Blaine: "The legs go pin and needle very fast." Stretches -- kind of an upside-down sit-up -- seem to help. (Madison Daily Leader, SD)
Blaine hangs for 60 hours Sep 25, 2008
Blaine says his hero is Harry Houdini, the legendary escapologist of the late 19th and early 20th century, who amazed New York crowds by hanging upside down from skyscrapers and cranes in a straightjacket. Other than the publicity-grabbing stunts, Blaine is known for pulling off illusions, including transforming a homeless man's cup of coffee into one overflowing with coins, and appearing to have magically removed a distraught-looking woman's front teeth. (iAfrica.com)
Buzz Briefs: Spielberg, Tyler Perry Sep 24, 2008
As a child, Blaine was intrigued to learn that Harry Houdini had dangled from a crane by his ankles while escaping a straitjacket. Blaine is scheduled to exit from his perch at the climax of a live, two-hour ABC special, "David Blaine: Dive of Death," on Wednesday. (CBS News)
Blaine begins upside-down stunt Sep 24, 2008
Blaine said he would use "sheer willpower" to complete the challenge - inspired in part by his hero, the legendary escapologist Harry Houdini. He has said he likes to test his endurance "because it gives me a different perspective, for a short duration". (BBC News)
Our Favorite Places Sep 21, 2008
The box holds a substitution trunk, an apparatus invented more than a century ago and made famous by Harry Houdini ... The trick was made famous, though, by Harry Houdini, who added the element of having an audience member bind his hands with rope before he stepped into the trunk. (Daytona Beach News Journal)
A magic moment in Mason City parking lot Sep 19, 2008
Johnson first performed the straitjacket escape, a re-creation of a famous stunt performed by Harry Houdini, about eight years ago. He said he has never had any serious problems with the escape, but he did have one close call. (Pekin Times, IL)
The 39 Clues: The Next Harry Potter? Sep 11, 2008
The 39 Clues: The Next Harry Potter. The 39 Clues: The Next Harry Potter. (Time.com)
* OTHER RELEASES Sep 5, 2008
Guy Pearce plays Harry Houdini, who arrives in Edinburgh and enters into an intense relationship with a local woman (Catherine Zeta-Jones) set on a large sum of money the skeptical Houdini will give to anyone who can reproduce the dying words of his mother. With this effort, Aussie director Gillian Armstrong adds yet another title to her list of period pieces, though critics were unmoved by the romance angle on this occasion. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Houdini to be exhumed to verify murder rumor (1) Sep 2, 2008
NEW YORK For all his death-defying stunts, Harry Houdini couldn't escape the Grim Reaper: He died on Halloween 1926, apparently from a punch to the stomach that ruptured his appendix. But rumors that he was murdered have persisted for decades. (Coos Bay-North Bend The World, OR)
America opts for Talent over camp Aug 29, 2008
This time, they had nothing but scathing criticism after he channeled Harry Houdini in a stunt that hed built up as life-threatening. Hanging upside down, suspended by his feet and wrapped in chains, George attempted a Houdini-like escape while kids beat him with sticks shouting, Piata. (MSNBC -- Politics)
Lessons from the Spirit World Aug 24, 2008
Susan B. Anthony visited half a dozen times; Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt came, and Harry Houdini and Mae West, and seekers from around the world looking to explore the continuity between life and what locals refer to as "so-called death.". A company town of old oaks and Victorian gingerbread, Lily Dale specializes in building bridges to the Beyond. (Time.com)
* Johnny Neihu's News Watch: Even worse than taike Doritos Aug 23, 2008
Clearly, our own political Harry Houdini is running out of escape strategies. So, with thanks to A-bian for the many years of entertainment hes provided, and as a helping hand (since everyone else, including his lawyer, has ditched him in embarrassment), here are a few more excuses for baffling investigators and the public. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Golf, the game for masochists Aug 20, 2008
There was Evel Knievel, Harry Houdini, Jesse Ventura and many others, but they got paid for their pain and suffering. So why do we humans continue to participate in such nonsensical activities. (Green Valley News & Sun, AZ)
Castle Garden Immigration Station Aug 12, 2008
Famous immigrants passing through Castle Garden include Mother Cabrini, Oscar Hammerstein, Harry Houdini, Nikola Tesla and Sophie Tucker. Online Database. (Suite101.com)
Catherines psychic wish Aug 10, 2008
Death Defying Acts', a biopic of illusionist Harry Houdini, has flopped at the US box office, taking just $3560 in its only weekend of showing. However, Zeta-Jones (38), insists she isn't worried about it damaging her career. (iAfrica.com)
Zeta-Jones wants to talk to spirits Aug 9, 2008
Death Defying Acts', a biopic of illusionist Harry Houdini, has flopped at the US box office, taking just $3,560 in its only weekend of showing. However, Catherine, 38, insists she isn't worried about it damaging her career. (AZCentral -- Entertainment)
Catherine Zeta-Jones's latest film flopped in the US - how will it ... Aug 8, 2008
In America, only two screens showed the $20m Harry Houdini biopic, lasting just one weekend with only $3,560 taken at the box office. In Britain, it will be shown in 20 cinemas. (Mirror.co.uk)
Aylesworth, Newton explore life of Edgar Cayce Aug 8, 2008
in the '70s, Aylesworth has portrayed scores of characters, from Clifford Odets to Desi Arnaz to Harry Houdini to Jack Kerouac to a gay waiter at the Bohemian Grove to a San Francisco firefighter to, in his last play, public relations pioneer Edwards Bernays and folk music archivist Harry Smith. Usually, Aylesworth and Newton, 58, play multiple roles in each play. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Happy 50th for AFI gongs with Oz movie feast Jul 17, 2008
Among those in contention are the coming-of-age dramas September and The Black Balloon, the recently released period epic Children of the Silk Road, Gillian Armstrongs Death Defying Acts, a fanciful take on the life and legend of Harry Houdini, and the controversial and unduly maligned teen comedy Hey Hey Its Esther Blueberger. However, what makes this years line-up so interesting is that at least half the films showing in the upcoming AFI Awards Screenings, from which members will vote... (The West Australian)
All-Star winners, losers Jul 17, 2008
Aaron Cook: The Rockies pitcher avoided disaster in the 10th, 11th and 12th innings with an escape act Harry Houdini would have admired. He pitched out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the 10th by inducing three ground balls, then got out of another jam the next inning when Pirates center fielder Nate McLouth nailed Dioner Navarro at the plate. (AZCentral -- Sports)
Sampson Lodge installs Grand Master Jul 17, 2008
Major listed other famous Masons throughout history including Sam Houston, William B. Travis, Stephen F. Austin, James Bowie, Davy Crockett, Buffalo Bill, Samuel Colt, Winston Churchill, Audi Murphy, Ty Cobb, Roy Rogers, Will Rogers, John Wayne, Harry Houdini, William Shakespeare, Amadeus Mozart, Henry Ford, Walter Chrysler, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Most likely, I will never become famous, Major said. (Lake Houston Sun, TX)
Haunted Hollywood Homes Jul 13, 2008
Ghosts of Movie Stars Who Have Not Moved Out. Although the mansions of departed celebrities are now owned by the living, occupants claim to see the spirits of movie stars who still want to remain in their homes. (Suite101.com)
New Houdini Movie Narrowly Escapes Being Good Jul 13, 2008
What if Harry Houdini came to town, and a two-bit scammer managed to trick the ultimate trickster into falling in love. is Slate's movie critic. (Slate)
High price for expert forger's handiwork Jul 6, 2008
The Charlotte medal, named for the ship it depicts, was engraved by convict Thomas Barrett, the Harry Houdini of the death sentence. By the time he arrived in Australia, Barrett had cheated the hangman twice. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Ministry of magic Jun 21, 2008
The Rev. Harden remembers watching, as a boy, a movie about master illusionist Harry Houdini on television. "I thought it was so cool. I wanted to be a magician when I grew up," he said. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Woods' play like a movie thriller Jun 16, 2008
To watch Woods repeatedly convert imminent disaster into dazzling breakthroughs was like watching an early installment of the Indiana Jones saga or a high-def highlight reel of Harry Houdini. That Woods seized the Open lead with one round remaining was predictable. (San Diego Union-Tribune -- Sports)
From Houdini to Abu Ghraib Jun 10, 2008
Set in Edinburgh, this historical romance - based on fact - stars Guy Pearce as the legendary showman and escapologist Harry Houdini, in agonies of grief after the death of his adored mother. A complex set of motivations causes him to offer a cash reward to any so-called psychic who can make contact with his mother's departed spirit. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
CUP HALF EMPTY: Stellar Wings draining drama of finals May 28, 2008
"See Sidney Crosby, the future of the NHL, as he tries to escape the straitjacket of the Detroit Red Wings! Harry Houdini did it. Why not Sid? Can the Penguins win a game? Can the Penguins score a goal? See it live on NBC, Wednesday at 8 p.m.". Of course, there have been soporific starts to recent Stanley Cup finals, including a pair of 3-0 shutouts in the opening two games of the 2003 match between Anaheim and New Jersey when apparently the Mighty Ducks were not informed the final had actually... (SportsIllustrated.CNN)
MACKLOWE FINDS A WAY OUT May 21, 2008
s Boston Properties is about to cut a deal with Harry "Houdini" Macklowe that includes the GM Building along with approximately four of Macklowe's. " It is yet unclear how many other buildings Macklowe will have to sell in order to pay off lenders. Other Equity Office Properties buildings that Macklowe bought from Blackstone a year ago are either on the block or headed to it. Eastdil Secured has 25 bids from around the globe for 1301 Avenue of the Americas in the range of 1.5 billion, while... (New York Post -- Business)
Escape reality May 17, 2008
The great escapologist Harry Houdini was an enigma, whose public persona was as carefully constructed as his complicated contraptions. Not surprisingly then, Gillian Armstrong's 'Death Defying Acts' is a fantastical concoction of fact and fiction which embellishes the legend, but says very little about the man. (iAfrica.com)
10 Wisconsin museums you won't want to miss May 11, 2008
The Fox Valley s past and Harry Houdini history combine in this museum run by the Outagamie County Historical Society. The magician Houdini, who lived in Appleton, is a featured part of the exhibits, while other displays change regularly. (La Crosse Tribune, WI)
Spirit of discovery May 10, 2008
The former is the Robert Carlyle-starring film about the four Scottish students who stole back the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1950; the latter is about Harry Houdini, stars Guy Pearce and Catherine Zeta-Jones, and is partially set in Edinburgh. There are also new festival-friendly films from the likes of The Station Agent director Thomas McCarthy (The Visitor) and Wayne Wang (returning after a dull Hollywood career with A Thousand Years of Good Prayer and Princess of... (Scotsman)
Houdini's Australian dream: one for the record books May 10, 2008
WHEN Ehrich Weiss - aka Harry Houdini - left Australia in 1910 he had awed audiences with his escape acts, including surviving a dunking in Melbourne's Yarra River. But his grandest feat - and the one he had sacrificed the down-time of the long sea voyages for - was to go into the record books as the first man to fly a powered aircraft in Australia. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Fighting to be heard above the din May 5, 2008
The comic drama The Black Balloon has taken a respectable $2 million but there were disappointing ticket sales for the Harry Houdini drama Death Defying Acts and the comedy Hey, Hey It's Esther Blueburger. The road movie Cactus had a chance to buck the trend on the weekend, with its makers no doubt anxiously waiting for this morning's box office figures. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Mad dash shows what these Yanks are made of May 3, 2008
Watching them, you get the feeling of what it was like all those years ago to watch Harry Houdini escape from the Chinese Water Torture Cell. You re certain they re going to wind up getting the job done. (Scranton Times, PA)
Psychics not all they're cracked up to be May 2, 2008
In the 1920s, Harry Houdini made it his quest to debunk psychics and mediums. My mission wasn't as lofty as his. (The Daily Texan, TX)
Brady divorce final Apr 18, 2008
Producers say the show takes its name from a Harry Houdini legend. The magician and escape artist is said to have designated a code word for communicating with him after his death. (Boston Globe)
'Houdini' to break out on Broadway Apr 18, 2008
A tuner based on the life of escape artist Harry Houdini will open in 2010. Houdini, a new tuner based on the life of the famous escape artist, aims to break out on Broadway in spring 2010. (Variety)
Donors give UA huge vaudeville collection Apr 18, 2008
Two Boston collectors have donated their entire inventory of at least 4,000 artifacts, including a rare autograph from singer Al Jolson, early footage of slapstick comedians The Three Stooges and a paper program from a Harry Houdini magic show. The collection also includes some of the earliest sheet music composed by Irving Berlin of which only 17 examples are known to exist. (AZCentral -- News)
Seventh-inning collapse dooms Trojans Apr 11, 2008
For six innings on Thursday, the Gordon Lee Trojans pulled its best Harry Houdini act. Time and time again, the Trojans found a way to wiggle out of trouble against second-ranked Bremen and took a precarious 3-2 lead into the seventh inning of their Region 6-A showdown in Chickamauga. (WWalker County Messenger, GA)
The Roots Bump 'Birthday' From New Album Apr 9, 2008
" Thompson says that even though it won't be on the album, "Birthday Girl" will still be available as an iTunes exclusive later this month. The Roots and Stump -- who became friendly with the band at its 2004 pre-Grammy Awards jam session -- have filmed a video for "Birthday Girl," which will be available on viral outlets. "Rising Down" also features guest appearances by Common, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Saigon and others. The political tone, Thompson says, was inspired by circumstances in the... (Billboard.com)
Exclusive: Beck, STP, Lucinda Set For Bumbershoot Apr 9, 2008
The reunited Stone Temple Pilots solidified their summer reunion tour plans last night (April 7) with a brief performance at the former estate of magician Harry Houdini, tucked away in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills. Advertisement. (MediaWeek.com)
Stone Temple Pilots Rock Houdini Mansion Apr 9, 2008
Group Confirms Reunion Plans During Short Set Mitchell Peters, L.A. The reunited Stone Temple Pilots solidified their summer reunion tour plans last night (April 7) with a brief performance at the former estate of magician Harry Houdini, tucked away in Los Angeles' Hollywood Hills ... Last night, STP also played "Lady Picture Show," "Big Bang Baby" and "Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart." Weiland said the concert's setting at the Harry Houdini Estate had special meaning to the band ... The... (MediaWeek.com)
Stone Temple Pilots Reunite To Continue 'Legacy,' Thanks To Scott Weiland's Wife Apr 9, 2008
Unlike most bands that reunite after a bitter split and several years of animus, Stone Temple Pilots who shared the stage for the first time in five years on Monday night at the former Hollywood Hills estate of magician Harry Houdini. claim they aren't in it for the cash. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Mother Knew Best Apr 8, 2008
Famous children include H.W. Longfellow, J.F. Kennedy, Mark Twain, David Letterman, Lauren Bacall, Patsy cline, Louisa May Alcott, Harry Houdini. Self-Discipline. (Suite101.com)
THE ENTRANCING MASTER OF BIG-SCREEN ILLUSION Apr 6, 2008
CLASSIC HARRY HOUDINI MOVIES ARRIVE ON DVD FOR FIRST TIME ... April 6, 2008 -- More than 80 years after his death, Harry Houdini lives on as a legendary escape artist and magician ... Kino's beautifully produced "Harry Houdini: The Movie Star," out Tuesday, rounds up all of his surviving films from various archives and reveals him as a charismatic screen presence. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
NOW FOR OJ'S NEXT TRICK . . . Apr 3, 2008
NOW FOR OJ'S NEXT TRICK. is flirting with the can again. (New York Post -- Gossip)
Stone Temple Pilots Plotting Extensive Tour Apr 1, 2008
Further details about STP's upcoming tour will be announced during an April 7 press conference at the Harry Houdini Estate in Los Angeles. Sources say that Los Angeles-based Live Nation will produce many dates on the upcoming trek. (MediaWeek.com)
National Press Club Releases '100 Key Dates in NPC History' Mar 31, 2008
February 14, 1912 - Magician and escape artist Harry Houdini visits the National Press Club. March 6, 1914 - NPC moves to its third home in the Albee-Riggs Building on 15th Street. (PR Newswire)
Hewing classic home into modern era Mar 30, 2008
And, for good measure, the old North Attleborough police jail cell that Harry Houdini reportedly escaped from in 1923 will also be shown - another find the couple got on eBay. An open house is scheduled for the weekend of April 12-13. (Boston Globe)
Finding Their Religion Mar 28, 2008
On Houston, about people displaced by Hurricane Katrina, there's venom for the government but hope too ("Houston is filled with promise/Laredo's a beautiful place"), while Supernatural Superserious zooms from summer camp to a Harry Houdini reference to a classic pop climax ("inexperience, sweet, delirious/supernatural, superserious") with giddy confidence. If there's anything to quibble with, it's that R.E.M.'s 14th album never quite generates the moody atmospherics of their first 10; it's a... (Time.com)
In picturesItems from Houdini, Elvis, JFK and others at pop culture auction Mar 16, 2008
Several props used by magician Harry Houdini were up for grabs, including the wooden crate from which he escaped after it was lowered into New York's East River in 1912. And there were a series of items that belonged to iconic US president John F Kennedy, including a silver humidor presented to him on a trip to West Germany in 1963. (BBC News -- Americas)
Death Defying Acts Mar 15, 2008
For me, Harry Houdini is forever Tony Curtis, who played the great escape artist in a bio-pic I saw as a child. He may have worn tights in the role. (Sydney Morning Herald)
Students go on voyages of discovery Mar 15, 2008
By Brandi NataleSpecial to the Press Luke Graham displays handcuffs with each link relating the tale of Harry Houdini's life ... Linked handcuffs attached to each wrist of the presenter depict Harry Houdini s life. (Westerly Sun, RI)
Death Defying Acts brings Mrs Michael Douglas here Mar 10, 2008
Death Defying Acts is a tale about world renowned escapist Harry Houdini, played by Pearce, whose life takes a new direction when he meets con-artist psychic Mary (Zeta-Jones) and her daughter Benji (Ronan). The movie opens nationally on March 13. (Courier Mail)
Mum's the word for sexy Catherine Zeta-Jones Mar 9, 2008
" From her early meanderings in television (Zeta-Jones created a strong male interest in the female-driven series The Darling Buds of May) to London West End theatrics, Hollywood was soon smitten with the actor's classical style and beauty. She admits to an awareness of her showgirl glamour, an edge that sets her apart from the young movie-star wannabes. "It's very hard to put a name on that kind of 'it factor' in a way and I'm probably not the best actor in the world, but on screen I have... (Melbourne Herald Sun)
'No Country' sees Aussie boost Mar 8, 2008
That will be followed on March 13 by Harry Houdini biopic "Death Defying Acts" with Catherine Zeta-Jones. Schoolgirl drama "Hey, Hey, Its Esther Blueburger" rolls out in time for the school holidays March 20, one of 10 Easter releases that includes "Dr Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!," "Drillbit Taylor" and "Be Kind Rewind.". (Variety)
Sydney party for Zeta-Jones Mar 4, 2008
The film, which was directed by Gillian Armstrong, centres on a story of famous escape artist Harry Houdini and a dangerous love affair. Another star at the red carpet event will be Saoirse Ronan, the child star from Atonement, who was nominated for an Academy Award this year. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Why we are avoiding home-grown movies Mar 3, 2008
" The Australian film industry was not alone in struggling to combat the dominance of Hollywood, said Armstrong, whose latest film, Death Defying Acts, an Australian/UK co-production about a fictional encounter between Harry Houdini and a Scottish psychic, will be released on March 13. Family drama Ten Empty, written by Brendan Cowell and Anthony Hayes, is due for release this year. Hayes, who also directed the film, said he tried to stay positive about the local film industry, but admitted that... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Stuns Syracuse Mar 2, 2008
Harry Houdini couldn't have come up with a more unlikely ending than the one that took place yesterday between Pitt and Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. Left for dead after getting down by 11 with 3:49 remaining, Pitt pulled out a miraculous, 82-77 comeback victory against the Orange that all but officially sews up a seventh consecutive NCAA tournament berth for the Panthers. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Some mushers refuse to carry tracking device Mar 1, 2008
The Iditarod's version of Harry Houdini played a sneaky game of hide and seek between the 22 checkpoints along the 1,100-mile trail. Story tools. (Anchorage Daily News)
Backed-up toxic water threatens town Feb 29, 2008
"I'm scared. It could happen while the kids are at school, when I'm home by myself or when we're asleep," said Kathy Medina, a homemaker in this winter tourist town lined with Victorian-era brick buildings, old-time saloons and an opera house where Harry Houdini, John Philip Sousa and Oscar Wilde performed. advertisement. (MSNBC -- Environment)
When Mitt Met Ralph Feb 18, 2008
When Harry Houdini barnstormed the country a century ago, his opening act was to escape from a straitjacket while being. Huge, morbid crowds would gather in the streets below, determined to see him plunge several stories to certain death. (Slate)
