Strange NPCs: Harry Houdini

We’re back and we’re squirming. Sure, the best way to get out of this straitjacket would be to have someone unbuckle it, but where’s the fun in that? Then again, now that we’re getting lowered head first into this water tank, being untied sounds a lot more appealing. Let’s see how long we can hold our breath! Main Topic: Harry Houdini This is the latest instalment in our Strange NPCs series, offering discussions of the lives of interesting historical personages from the classic ages of Call of Cthulhu, along with thoughts about how we might use them in our games. Previous subjects have included Albert Fish, Louis Wain and Edgar Cayce, as well as the various luminaries covered by our Great NPCs of History series. This episode is an exploration of the life of legendary escape artist Harry Houdini. The word “legendary” is particularly apt here, as the myths Houdini and others created about his life make the truth difficult to ascertain sometimes. This probably makes him a more interesting candidate for games, however, as everything about him is garbed in stories. As many listeners almost certainly know, there is a direct connection between Houdini and Lovecraft, but we shall delve into that next episode when we head “Under the Pyramids”. Links Things we mention in this episode include: * Houdini: the Elusive American by Adam Begley * Houdini: The Man Who Walked Through Walls by William Lindsay Gresham * The Life and Afterlife of Harry Houdini by Joe Posnanski * Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss by Kenneth Silverman * Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin * Jacob Hyman * Theodore Hardeen * Medicine shows * Dime museums * Spiritualism and Call of Cthulhu * Nightmare Alley (2021) * Nightmare Alley by William Lindsay Gresham * Metamorphosis illusion