Houdini Harry - The metamorphosis: the apprenticeship of Harry Houdini

A definitive masterpiece describing the early travelling life of the worlds greatest showman in magic. An explicit diary of Harry Houdini during his first Maritime-Canadian tour, filled with details unlike any other historical documents previously published! Exciting and brilliantly written!

CORAL and PETER REVEEN, hypnotist, magician, performers, The Man They Call Reveen

This is a book that will wow the magic world. Not only does it contain a wealth of never-before-published photos, but Bruce MacNab has drilled down into a relatively unknown period of Houdinis early life and uncovered facts, incidents, and artifacts that rewrite Houdini history. This is one of the most important books ever written about the great escape artist. Its also just a wonderfully told story. A standing ovation for The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini .

JOHN COX, creator of Wild About Harry ( www.wildabouthoudini.com )

This is a terrific book. After reading The Metamorphosis: The Apprenticeship of Harry Houdini , I was left amazed by all the new details, photos, and juicy tidbits Bruce MacNab has uncovered. This book is well researched and a must-read for anyone interested in Houdini.

DOROTHY DIETRICH , The First Lady of Magic, founder/director of The Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA

No other performer captured the attention and entertained an audience during the vaudeville era as did Houdini. Bruce MacNab has done an amazing job in researching and sharing new information in his book The Metamorphosis . While Houdini toured with Marco the Magician for twelve weeks in 1896 throughout the Maritime provinces, he learned skills in the art of suspense and marketing that helped shape his career and made him the legend he is today. As the proud owner of one of Houdinis original Metamorphosis trunks, I am sure Houdini would agree that the book deserves a standing ovation.

ROGER DREYER, CEO, Fantasma Magic and Houdini Museum, New York

Copyright 2012 by Bruce MacNab.

All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or used in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher or a licence from the Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). To contact Access Copyright, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call 1-800-893-5777.

Cover and title page photograph: Harry Houdini (Harry Ransom Center, The University of Texas at Austin) .

Edited by James Duplacey.

Cover and page design by Jaye Haworth.

Art direction by Julie Scriver.

eBook development: WildElement.ca

Printed in Canada.

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

MacNab, Bruce, 1965- The metamorphosis: the apprenticeship of Harry Houdini / Bruce MacNab.

Includes bibliographical references. Issued also in electronic format. ISBN 978-0-86492-677-7

1. Houdini, Harry, 1874-1926 Travel Maritime Provinces. 2. Magicians Travel Maritime Provinces. 3. Magic shows Maritime Provinces History 19th century.

4. Maritime Provinces Social life and customs 19th century.

I. Title.

GV1545.H8M35 2012 793.8092 C2012-902780-4

Goose Lane Editions acknowledges the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Government of Canada through the Canada Book Fund (CBF), and the Government of New Brunswick through the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Healthy Living.

Goose Lane Editions

500 Beaverbrook Court, Suite 330

Fredericton, New Brunswick

CANADA E3B 5X4

www.gooselane.com

For my parents, Ron and Mary, who hiked the eight-hundred-kilometre Camino de Santiago at the age of seventy.

May your walk together continue through eternity.

Map of northeastern North America. (Ron Macnab)

CONTENTS

This series of photographs published in 1901 offer a rare glimpse of the Houdinis performing Metamorphosis. Note how Bessie exits the trunk wearing Harrys jacket. (Harvard Theatre Collection, Houghton Library, Harvard University)

Harry and Bessie in 1899. Harry Houdini had trouble convincing others that Bessie was old enough to be his lawfully wedded wife. After they were married, they had difficulty renting an apartment because landlords believed Harry had robbed the cradle. (Library of Congress)

FOREWORD

HARRY HOUDINI DIED IN 1926. By 1959 only three biographies detailing his life and legend had been published. Today, in 2012, there are literally hundreds of books about the great showman, and almost all of them share the same problem. They concentrate on the part of Houdinis life when he was a star, one of the most well-known personalities of his time, a time when he maintained an almost daily relationship with the press. He was one of the most photographed men of his time, but many of the best-known images were taken after he became famous.