HOUDINI IN FICTION & REAL LIFE

LOC

In a couple of posts we've given our beloved Harry a realistic yet fictional portrayal, extracts from our upcoming historical novel based on his extraordinary real-life tour of Russia in 1903, Houdini Unbound.

My editors, agents and outside readers all believe, along with myself, that our fictional Harry is much more real than the nonfiction guy described to the point of numbness in numerous biographies. The bio Harry is excruciatingly detailed yet flat as a piece of paper, almost an idiot-savant of amazing skills with the personality of a grig. (I've got a grig right here for comparison.)

We've demonstrated, in previous posts, that most of the bios have been shamefully negligent about finding real facts and doing real historical research on Harry and his family. That goes googleplex for their treatment of his character and personality.

So what about Harry in fiction? One of the best portrayals -- not mentioned in any biography known to me -- was done by Sax Rohmer, once one of the most famous writers in the world. He's best known for creating the immortal villain Dr. Fu Manchu. 

Harry's literary brother, Dr. Fu Manchu                                                                 (via deviantart.com)

Sax and Harry were friends, and his character based on Houdini was called Bazarada, the greatest magician in the world.

The man picking the lock is Bazarada.                                       (Google Images)

In this Bazarada adventure, which appeared as a novella in Collier's magazine, Sax describes his hero so it's clearly Harry; but first we meet his charming entourage, with a smoking hot babe, Laroo, in lieu of wife Bess:

The beautiful Laroo, doing some undercover work for Bazarada                                (from Collier's Magazine)                                                                                                    

"....It was good to think that I should see Buzzy in the morning.

"It would be fine to meet again Dan Dillon, his chauffeur manservant, equally ready with tongue or fist; Edmundson, his carpenter in chief; and Laroo - particularly, perhaps, Laroo.... In addition to these the world's greatest magician carried three tons of baggage including Satan, the black puma, and a team of six white ponies; the menagerie being in charge of Mahmoud, that decorative Arab who had toured the world with Bazarada....

"I boarded the Roratonga in the morning five minutes after she had dropped her anchor. Laroo was at the top of the ladder, sunburned, and even more lovely. She wore a bathing cap and a loose robe over her swim suit. As I stepped on deck she threw her arms around my neck and kissed me.

"Maurice, darling!" she cried. "How we have missed you! Buzzy has champagne all ready in the cabin. Come on!"

Bazarada was lying on a settee in the sitting room of his suite. He wore a white shirt with the collar open, and a brilliant scarlet dressing gown. As he sprang up to meet me head thrown back, hands outstretched, I saw, except for that fine brow, the very image of Cagliostro as he appears in the bust by Houdon. 

Houdon's bust of Cagliostro                                                                                                                          (Google Images)

"No words could have expressed a warmer welcome than flashed from those heavy-lidded eyes.

"Maurice!" He grasped my hands. "It's good to see you!"

"He held me so for some moments, looking me over with that intense but kindly curiosity which sprang from the great love he had to give to his friends."


NEXT WEEK:

HOUDINI TO THE RESCUE!