New Thinking on the "Houdini Estate" in Laurel Canyon

[houdinisghost]

For several years, I have had a webpage up entitled "Houdini is Haunting the Wrong Mansion." It has been the most popular page on my site and sounded as if I was dismissing the idea that he had been there. Well, I knew he lived in the guesthouse at 2435 Laurel Canyon, and I have a photo of Bessie with a large group inside the house for a Christmas 1934 party. Bessie hosted a cocktail party in the gardens of 2400 -- and there must be photos -- in July, 1935, for 500 visiting members of the P.C.A.M. John Mulholland recorded that most conventioneers attended.
But, two photos have surfaced of Houdini swimming in Ralf M. Walker's pool at 2400 Laurel Canyon, and I have adjusted my webpage accordingly.
http://houdinisghost.com/wrongruins.html
http://houdinisghost.com/laurelcanyon.html
Patrick Culliton

[houdinisghost]

I am curious to know why one word was (censored) from my post. I only wonder this because Mulholland in the Sphinx, the P.C.A.M. newsletter and the Los Angeles Herald, to name a few, refer to a (censored) party hosted by Madame Houdini at her home. I wonder what sort of word the innocent reader will substitute for (censored).

[Kevin Connolly]

C0cktail maybe the word. I think it's an automatic thing.

[Richard Kaufman]

It is an automatic thing. In censoring a particular word, it also censors any word that contains within it the censored word. Stupid, I know.

[houdinisghost]

Ah. Of course. But when a word is obscured or hidden for any reason, some guys will automatically think in their own word. What kind of party was that? Naked? Drugged. Scientology? Well, it was a C0cktail party just as Kevin suggested. Reason it looks like that is I burped when I typed the "0." You, too, Kevin?

[Leonard Hevia]

I knew it had to be a mistake. Houdini haunting the wrong house? By the way, those pool photos appeared before in a History Channel Houdini documentary that Houdini's Ghost appeared in. I suppose it was a matter of identifying Walker's pool at 2400 in the photos.

[houdinisghost]

I know that pool very well. It sailed right past me in the History Channel thing -- if I was in that doc, I was probably only looking for myself.
But, I was in that pool. Look at how different it is from the swimming pools we're used to. The spring that fed it is still flowing, good to drink, winter and summer, even in this drought.
During a three week trip to New York, Houdini wrote to Kellar:
Aug 5, 1919
Dear Dean Kellar,
Everyone asks me about your condition and I am having a merry time telling them all about you, and the wonderful climate of California.
. . . Things are about the same here (NYC), rather warm, and we miss Hollywood more than I can tell you.
And on his return East after filming Terror Island:
Nov 22, 1919
Dear Dean Harry Kellar---
. . . If ever I have a home in California which we ought to have during the Winter months, am going to have a swimming pool. . .