APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Thursday marked 98 years since the death of local legend Harry Houdini, and ever since then, there’s been attempts to contact the illusionist from beyond the grave.
The famous magician and escape artist was born in Hungary, but he was raised in Appleton, spending four years in the Fox Valley.
Houdini died on Halloween in 1926. Every year on the anniversary of his death, relatives of Houdini, along with enthusiasts, gather together with a medium for a séance to communicate with Houdini from beyond.
This year, the séance is taking place in Appleton at the Trout Museum of Art. It’s the first time since 1988 the Houdini séance has been in Appleton.
So, why a séance, you may wonder?
Well, Houdini was a skeptic of them, and mediums, during his lifetime. He spent years trying to disprove them.
But according to legend, Houdini told his wife, Bess, that if he could, he’d contact her from the afterlife. If he did, he gave her the code phrase “Rosabel believe.”
Members from all around the country gathered this Halloween at the Trout Museum of Art in hopes of hearing that phrase from beyond the grave.
Official Houdini Séance Co-Director William Mark Radner was one of them.“Anything’s possible. We’ve had people come really close. We’ve had amazing things happen over the years,” he said.
Radner continued, “We’ve had books, in Fort Worth we had a book move on the table. All of a sudden, the pages just turned. So, that was pretty amazing.”
Throughout the years, the séance has been held in Milwaukee, Fort Worth Texas, and Cleveland Ohio, in a bank vault.
Houdini author and enthusiast Arthur Moses said the séance is more than just an attempt to contact Houdini, it’s more like a reunion.
“I like to look at it as, we are just caretakers of the history we hold. nearly all of us have these great unique pieces as many of you see here,” he said. “Someone owned them before us, and someone will own them after us. We’re just caretakers of history.”
Thursday’s event was held by Tom Boldt and William Radner of the Official Houdini Séance. The private event featured performances from a magician and an escape artist, in honor of Houdini.
Unfortunately, members of the “Inner Circle” said that they didn’t feel the presence of Houdini on Thursday night.
Even if they’ve been through many seances, Co-Director Tom Boldt told FOX 11 it’s never the same.
“I think there’s always a sense of anticipation. I was really happy that Cheryl started us with some breathing which calms everybody down,” he said. “I have to tell you that every time I’ve done one of these things, I’m uncomfortable.”
They say they will keep trying next year, wherever the event may be.
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