houdinisghost 04 Jul 2011
#4In fact, looking at the photo on my web page:
http://www.houdinisghost.com/coffins.html
I saw what you saw. I saw the shirt collar for the first time.
I actually received this photo (a 5 X 7) from Jon Oliver when I was actively going blind from cataracts. It was in my book before I got my sight back. I just got my first good look at it.
It could not have been the last photo of Houdini which is what the family thought. I'm pretty sure Jon told me that Bessie had written "this is the last photo of my Harry," next to it.
Then, there is the guy in the suit next to the coffin. There should be more photos of the store stunt.
Now I am wondering for the first time if every photo we have seen of the Shelton pool actually was the Shelton Pool. Could there be some of the Worcester Y.M.C.A.
I can see Franz Kukol in photos from both places. He's the assistant who was supposed to have returned to Germany to take up his commission and fight for the Kaiser in 1914--only Houdini turned him into "Frank Williamson."
http://www.houdinisghost.com/franzfrank.html
You know, Dunninger said Houdini did the burial thing because he was jealous of the attention that Rahman Bey was getting and the success he was enjoying.
Houdini seemed to regard him as a pretend psychic whom he should expose.
There is no question that Houdini approached the stunt scientifically, and he wrote that marvelous four page letter to the Dept. of Mines which is in my book and also, I believe online. But, when I saw photos of Rahman Bey I began to see what Dunninger saw--Rahman Bey was a real movie star good looking guy, and, in addition to his theatrical bookings was playing rich folks private parties--the way Malini did. A lot of money in that--private "readings" and such.
In Sept. 1926 Rahman Bey got a nice spread in Popular Mechanics. The living burial was, apparently, an old trick given a dust-off in the 20s.
Sure reminds me of what Blaine pulled off.
