'Houdini Defeats Hackenschmidt'

[JohnCox]

In his new book, Disappearing Tricks: Silent Film, Houdini, and the New Magic of the Twentieth Century, Matthew Solomon shines a spotlight on Houdinis film work as never before. In doing so, Solomon has made several discoveries that potentially rewrite Houdini film history.

First and foremost is the discovery that Houdinis first stab at narrative film was not the 1909 short The Adventures of Houdini in Paris (more on this later), but a lost film from 1906 entitled Houdini Defeats Hackenschmidt.

Full article here:
http://www.houdini-lives.com/Houdini_Li ... ricks.html

[houdini's ghost]

I wonder if Houdini's notation on the still from Merveilleux Exploits du Clbre Houdini Paris that identifies it as a Pathe film might have to do with the company that released the movie. None of Laurel and Hardy's shorts in the 1920 were produced by Pathe, but, the titles open with the Pathe logo. Hal Roach Jr. produced them, Pathe released them.

[JohnCox]

Interesting thought. Maybe.