Houdini

Year:

1953

Duration:

106 min

Genres:

Biography | Drama

IMDB rate:

6.9

Director:

George Marshall

Details

Country: USA

Release Date: 1953-07-02

Filming Locations: Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Cast

Actor

Character

Bobby Barber

Tony Curtis

Harry Houdini

Janet Leigh

Bess Houdini

Torin Thatcher

Otto

Angela Clarke

Harry's Mother

Stefan Schnabel

German Prosecuting Attorney

Ian Wolfe

Malue

Sig Ruman

Schultz

Michael Pate

Dooley

Connie Gilchrist

Mrs. Shultz

Malcolm Lee Beggs

British Jail Warden

Frank Orth

Mr. Hunter

Barry Bernard

Insp. Marlick

Douglas Spencer

Simms

Eric Alden

Sailor (uncredited)

Fred Aldrich

Waiter / Bouncer (uncredited)

Elsie Ames

Entertainer (uncredited)

Jan Arden

Shimmy Dancer (uncredited)

Nick Arno

Entertainer (uncredited)

Peter Baldwin

Fred - Bess' Escort (uncredited)

Oliver Blake

Coney Island Barker

Billy Bletcher

Italian Basso (uncredited)

Cliff Clark

Barker (uncredited)

Edward Clark

Doorman (uncredited)

Jim Davies

Heckler (uncredited)

Louise De Carlo

Dance Girl (uncredited)

Daniel De Jonghe

Desk Clerk (uncredited)

Marion Dempsey

Sword Swallower (uncredited)

Don Dunning

Heckler (uncredited)

Norma Jean Eckart

Girl in Astor Guillotine Act (uncredited)

Fred Essler

Officious Man (uncredited)

Bess Flowers

Extra at Halloween Magician's Ball (uncredited)

Esther Garber

Esther's Girlfriend (uncredited)

Jon Gardner

Boy (uncredited)

Maxine Gates

Heavy Blonde Woman (uncredited)

Bill Gentry

Fred's Friend (uncredited)

Joanne Gilbert

Girl (uncredited)

Jody Gilbert

Fat Girl (uncredited)

Arthur Gould-Porter

Alhambra Manager (uncredited)

Kit Guard

'Spirit' at Seance (uncredited)

Henry Guttman

Master of Ceremonies, Berlin Nightclub (uncredited)

Alec Harford

Assistant (uncredited)

Grace Hayle

Woman Who Screams (uncredited)

Len Hendry

Stagehand (uncredited)

Harry Hines

Barker (uncredited)

Jerry James

Reporter (uncredited)

Frank Jaquet

Mr. Brown - Foreman (uncredited)

Tor Johnson

Strongman (uncredited)

Frank Kreig

Stagehand (uncredited)

William W. Larsen

Guillotine Act (uncredited)

Lyle Latell

Calcott (uncredited)

Mike Mahoney

Bell Captain (uncredited)

Lewis Martin

Editor (uncredited)

William Meader

Reporter (uncredited)

Torben Meyer

Headwaiter (uncredited)

Mary Murphy

Girl (uncredited)

Hal Neiman

Barker (uncredited)

Tudor Owen

Blacksmith (uncredited)

Mabel Paige

Medium (uncredited)

Ralph Peters

Prisoner (uncredited)

Joe Ploski

Man in Audience Throwing Tomato (uncredited)

Luce Potter

Little Woman (uncredited)

A.J. Buster Resmondo

Little Man (uncredited)

Lawrence Ryle

German Judge (uncredited)

Richard Shannon

Miner (uncredited)

Ray Spiker

Stagehand (uncredited)

Bert Stevens

Maitre d' - Hotel Astor (uncredited)

Charles Sullivan

Audience Extra (uncredited)

Arthur Tovey

Audience Spectator (uncredited)

Ernö Verebes

Prof. Allegari (uncredited)

Anthony Warde

Master of Ceremonies (uncredited)

Gil Warren

Fire Chief (uncredited)

Audrey Washburn

Contortionist (uncredited)

Betty Yeaton

Contortionist (uncredited)

Did you know?

Trivia

The movie contains several factual errors, the most telling of which is the dramatization of Harry Houdini's death. In the film he almost drowns in the torture tank trick and dies on the stage in the arms of his wife. In real life he was punched in the stomach by a college student who had heard that Houdini could withstand any blow without harm. This did, indeed, rupture his appendix. He later collapsed on stage, was taken to the hospital and died there.

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'Ernö Verebes'' last film before retirement.

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Harry Houdini's real name was Weiss (the German word for the color white), and he is played here by Tony Curtis, whose real name is Schwartz (schwarz is the German word for the color black).

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Goofs

Near the end, when Bess is in the empty theatre, begging Harry not to do the trick, she is clapping. You can hear the loud claps, although she is wearing gloves on both hands. You would never hear the claps, only muted thuds.

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Close-up of front page of Variety shows two photos of Houdini making elephant disappear; in era when this story was set, Variety never ran photos, except in ads.

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When Houdini is doing the "levitation" trick on the stage, watch as Tony Curtis passes the hoop around Janet Leigh's body: twice you can see the split in the hoop "catch" on the lifting frame behind her body.

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Quotes

Bess Houdini: [to Houdini] Audiences are never satisfied. They love you for th moment you please them.

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Harry Houdini: It'll be the most dangerous thing I've ever done.

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Harry Houdini: I hadn't prepared anything for tonight, but perhaps I have something that will amuse you. So if you'll get a couple of broomsticks, I'll get my wife - and we'll see what we can do.

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