HOUDINI IN MOSCOW

In 1903 Harry Houdini spent five months in Russia, as we’ve detailed in earlier posts. Within two weeks of his arrival, he had become the most famous man in Moscow. All the newspapers and magazines, like the Alarm Clock seen here, did lavish spreads on his sellout shows at the Yar, a famous nightclub and dinner theater. 

Yet, with all that, Houdini's Russian adventure is the least researched, least documented and least understood episode in his entire career.

Collector Ken Trombly owns Harry’s personal issue of the Alarm Clock featuring his act. For many years Ken and fellow collectors have been stumped by the inked notations, in Houdini's handwriting, on this precious copy.

After intensive research, we are now able to shed light on Ken's puzzle, and also to add depth to our knowledge of Harry's life story. The notations show who Harry's friends and admirers were, even this early in his career.

Houdini's first note reads "Ralph Johnstone."

The gentleman in question, puffing a cigar, met Harry on the vaudeville stage, where he had become well-known as a trick bicycle rider who performed mid-air somersaults.

Shortly after he saw Harry's act in Moscow, Johnstone quit vaudeville and returned to the U.S. to become a member of the Wright Brothers flight team. He was a genuine American hero: he set an American flight altitude record of 8471 feet, was the first ever to fly backwards and finally became the first American aviator to die in a plane crash. He and his cigar had become so famous he was featured on "cigar cards."

Houdini's next note reads "Ike Rose."

Ike Rose was a highly successful theatrical agent. As discussed on Dean Carnegie's blog, he's sometimes credited with booking Houdini's tour of Russia, and the fact that he's seen here in the audience corroborates that idea.

Among other things, Rose made a fortune with his popular midget acts, "Midget City," "Rose's Parisian Midget Follies" and "Rose's Midget Revue."

Harry's third note reads "Ernest Pantzer ??" 

Pantzer was a very tall vaudeville actor who teamed with a midget. Perhaps Harry did not know Pantzer, hence the question marks. If Harry's not sure, we're not sure either. But here's a news clip about Pantzer and his midget pal that makes us think he is correct.

If you look at the gentleman in the top hat, Pantzer the reckless driver, he bears quite a resemblance to the man at the Yar.

Even before we met Ken, who is prime mover of the upcoming Washington Symposium on Magic History, we had delved deeply into the story of the Yar and Harry's performances there. We'll go into detail in our next post.

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[Images: Ken Trombly Collection & Google Images]