The Haunted Hollywood Home of Harry Houdini
Jackie Post of Hoboken, NJ sent us this picture that she took at the abandoned Hollywood estate of world renowned magician and escape artist, the late Harry Houdini. Several ghostly images of people’s faces seem to appear in the photo. See how many you can find. This picture has not been retouched or otherwise “doctored” in any way. Here Jackie explains how the photo came to be:
“In June of 1993 I went out to Los Angeles to visit my best friend Barbara, another New Jersey native that found southern California to be a more welcoming climate. We did a lot of cool stuff, but to cut to the chase, we picked up a little tourist booklet entitled "This is Hollywood – An Unusual Movieland Guide By Ken Schessler," at a book shop on the Sunset Strip. We always had a penchant for the supernatural, and being that my time was limited, we figured this was a good bet.
We hit the usual spots; where Marilyn died, her grave site, the Tate house (where the Manson murders had occurred), where Diane Linkletter took the plunge, where the Black Daliah's corpse was found and the rest of the old star hangouts, graves and suicide sites – all good fun.
So on June 21st., on my ride back to the airport with this handy handbook and camera in my pocket, we were driving down Laurel Canyon Boulevard and I had one final request: to stop at the "haunted" ruins of Harry Houdini's house.
‘Give me five minutes guys,’ I begged, and my ride reluctantly pulled over to an embankment below some old, crusty, stone ruins of something that would have been formerly described as palatial. I said I'd be right back.
I flew up what had to be at least a 30 foot stone stairway surrounded by grottos and palm trees and overgrown foliage. There were rotting walkways, stone benches and dead calm. Everywhere I turned I felt like I just had to pop a shot. The whole time I felt like I wasn't alone, so when I heard a voice behind me saying ‘What the fuck are you doing? You've been pacing around here like a cat for a half hour. We gotta get out of here!’, I didn't think much of it. It was my friend Barbara, and I just thought she didn't want me to miss my flight. But at the same time I started to get bugged and was glad she found me and got me out.
I had a good flight back, had the film developed, and without thinking much of anything, I put the prints in a box. Two months later I had some friends over and showed them my "vacation" pictures. When someone was looking at this particular photo, I was asked ‘Who's that guy?’ Then someone over her shoulder said ‘What's going on down there?’
The negative has since been sent to Cal. State U., and is documented as an ‘authentic paranormal phenomenon.’ The negative has not been tampered with and is intact. I am happy to share this story with you guys. Maybe we don't have to wait for Halloween for Harry to come back after all.”
–Jackie Post, Hoboken, NJ
P.S.: In the mid 90's the property was sold. All that was left standing was bulldozed, and a new house was constructed. II have heard that the new owners have since abandoned the property.
Houdini died on Halloween,1926. According to the Houdini Historical Center, Appleton, Wisconsin:
“Houdini was known as a debunker of fake mediums and spiritualists. His interest began during his bereavement after the death of his mother, Cecilia Weiss. Because of his background as an illusionist, he recognized the techniques of mediums who claimed to have contacted the spirit world. Houdini became a crusader against these charlatans who bilked grieving families of their money. He frequently attended seances in disguise in order to expose the mediums...
The Official Houdini Seance, held each year since the magician's death in 1926, originated from Houdini's efforts to expose fraudulent mediums. He claimed that if there were truly a way to contact the living after one's death, he would do so. He set up a code with his wife Bess, who faithfully attended the annual seances and awaited his return for 10 years, after which time she gave up. The seance, currently organized by Sidney H. Radner, is held each year in a location with a significant connection to Houdini's life.”