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As well as Man of Magic the musical which played at the Piccadily Theatre in London ( I still have the reviews). Stuart Damon ( the Canadian actor played Houdini) with the great Stubby Kaye( Sit Down Ya Rockin' The Boat) bringing comic relief. The magic was created by Timothy Dill-Russell; think he may have doubled in some of it, and one 'escape' was worked as a puppet.
Then there was the successful opera 'Houdini' in Holland; not surer whether it also played Canada.
And a few months ago an English musical about Houdini. This may be revived. I had several friends who enjoyed it thoroughly even though some of the facts were, how shall I put it.....stretched! That's Show Biz.
Allen Tipton

Allen Tipton asks: ". . . Did Marie actually tell you this and did she say if it had ever been written down?. . ."

Ms Blood never said if it had been written down.

Thank you Peter.

At least this posting has made me go to the Houdini books I have but never really read, only scanned.

Obviously Mr. H was a determined, even an agressive man when it came to Houdini and a showman of great charisma with his speciality( Escapes, Challenges & daring do). He undoubtedly held every audience. I mean who else could have them sit there for 20 minutes or more waiting for him to appear triumphantly from some locked box, can, safe, bag, water torture chamber etc.
Charles Waller( Australia) summed him up very well , writing in 1941; He had seen him there years before and made notes.
Also my great friend, the late Val Andrews had studied all his ( Val's) life and learned a fair bit from many visits to Will Goldston who knew Mr. H's faults and his virtues.
And which other magician has his name in a dictionary?
The important thing from our point of view is everytime Houdini is mentioned, the world knows it is about our beloved Art..Magic. And we all benefit from that.
Allen Tipton

Thanks everyone for all the infromation on the quote and Houdini in general.

Thanks to Mr. Marucci for that conformation, I really didn't expect to get an answer that close to Houdini himself.

These comments have raised more questions about Houdini and magic than they have answers. I am off to do some serious research.

Oh, and what Houdini REALLY would have said was "I consider no man a magician who cannot market their own cups and balls instructional dvd"

I just got a new set of Cups today! Wohey! I'm so out of practise, Houdinis probably turning in his grave.