Doyle & Houdini

[cancilla]

Can anyone point me to an online source for correspondence between Doyle and Houdini? I'm particularly interested in the exchange of letters regarding the experience Houdini had with Doyle's wife.

My books that contain these letters are, unfortunately, in storage at the moment, and my wife could use the reference for a research project.

Thanks, all!

--Dominick

 

[Kopji]

The Harry Ransom Center seems to have a large collection of Houdini correspondence. Might try calling or submitting a request. Did not find any texts online.

Lady Doyle (a 'medium') had a falling out with Houdini after Houdini attended one of her séances.

good luck

http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/collections/books/holdings/magic/

One of the world's finest cultural archives, the Harry Ransom Center houses 36 million literary manuscripts, one million rare books, five million photographs, and over 100,000 works of art. Highlights include the Gutenberg Bible (c. 1455), the First Photograph (c. 1826), important paintings by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, and major manuscript collections of James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, T.S. Eliot, D.H. Lawrence, Isaac Bashevis Singer, and Tennessee Williams, to name but a few. The Center is used extensively for research by scholars from around the world and presents numerous exhibitions and events showcasing its collections. Exhibitions and events are free and open to the public.

Location
Harry Ransom Center
21st and Guadalupe
P.O. Box 7219
Austin, Texas 78713-7219
Telephone: 512.471.8944
Fax: 512.471.9646

 

[kittynh]

It should be noted that Mr.RAndi HIMSELF corrected me and told me that when I wrote him asking for more "Doyle/Houdini" information that I should have written "Conan Doyle/Houdini" The last name was NOT Doyle.

Here is the email he sent me.....

More Doyle-and-Houdini material will be coming up. It seems to be very
popular.

(More correctly, that's "Conan Doyle-and-Houdini." His family name was
"Conan Doyle," not "Doyle." It was President Lyndon Johnson," not
"President Lyndon John Son.")

....................................................................................
that's what I love about JREF and Mr.Randi, I always learn something!

 

[T'ai Chi]

It should be noted that Mr.RAndi HIMSELF corrected me and told me that when I wrote him asking for more "Doyle/Houdini" information that I should have written "Conan Doyle/Houdini" The last name was NOT Doyle.

Here is the email he sent me.....

More Doyle-and-Houdini material will be coming up. It seems to be very
popular.

(More correctly, that's "Conan Doyle-and-Houdini." His family name was
"Conan Doyle," not "Doyle." It was President Lyndon Johnson," not
"President Lyndon John Son.")

....................................................................................
that's what I love about JREF and Mr.Randi, I always learn something!

Depending on what stage of his life you refer to him, either is correct for his last name. The fact is that his original family name was Doyle, not Conan Doyle. Later on in his life, he made his middle name part of his surname.

This information is taken from

http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/Biography/index.htm

which is the official page of the Arthur Conan Doyle literary estate.

 

[Kopji]

Well I confess I'd always thought 'Conan' was just his middle name. Mr Randi would need to hang me out with the laundry.

Conan Doyle's wife is sometimes referred to as just "Lady Doyle" but that's a mistake too, because "Lady Conan Doyle" yields much better hits. Ah the Internet: "look for the wrong information and find it here".

 

[T'ai Chi]

Depending on what stage of his life you refer to him, either is correct for his last name. The fact is that his original family name was Doyle, not Conan Doyle. Later on in his life, he made his middle name part of his surname.

This information is taken from

http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/Biography/index.htm

which is the official page of the Arthur Conan Doyle literary estate.

I emailed Randi this a while ago, but no response. Oh well.

 

[T'ai Chi]

Depending on what stage of his life you refer to him, either is correct for his last name. The fact is that his original family name was Doyle, not Conan Doyle. Later on in his life, he made his middle name part of his surname.

This information is taken from

http://www.sherlockholmesonline.org/Biography/index.htm

which is the official page of the Arthur Conan Doyle literary estate.

Bumpy