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THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY SEANCE 1986

The anticipation that leads up to a real Houdini seance is really incredible. While no one really expects Houdini to appear, you cannot deny the fact that many want and hope he will appear. It's that small sliver of hope that really charges these seances and makes them one of the best publicity stunts you can do - especially this year (2026).

In this next example of a real Houdini seance we see a different hook for the people. Like the Winchester seance for the 50th, a special location was chosen for the 60th - Houdini's home town of Appleton Wisconsin!

In addition they added a blood relative of Houdini's - Marie Blood. Marie was the subject of a published Abbott article (by Robert Olson) a year earlier and someone must have read it and decided her presence would be a nice touch.

Of course, they also had the usual props for a Houdini seance, a pair of handcuffs, a letter, a photo, etc. so that Houdini - should he come home for a visit - could make himself known.

Finally, they had a self proclaimed spiritualist who - as Time Magazine put it - "... managed to groan, grimace and hiccup his way into a trance." There were also a panel of experts who quickly shot down any answers given by the medium while he was in his hiccup induced trance.

The entire town of Appleton Wisconsin was prepped for the seance, with signs saying "Welcome Home Harry" and "Happy Halloween" which created a festive atmosphere. The visitors and townsfolks who attended sipped wine and enjoyed cheese delights for the festivities.

The article below was written by Bruce Posgate and published by Abbott's in their New Tops Magazine.

Harry Houdini has been dead for 60 years and he is still the most famous magician in the world. Ask the man in the street to name a great magician and his answer will prove that the Houdini mystique lives on. This past Halloween had the usual rash of Houdini seances, most sponsored by publicity conscious magicians. Recently, Appleton, WI., which Houdini claimed as his hometown, honored its native son by naming a downtown area - The Houdini Plaza. How come it took the town fathers 60 years to cash in on a great publicity gimmick?

This year, spiritualist William Monroe held a highly publicized seance in Houdini's hometown. Houdini's niece, 67-year old Marie Blood, was brought in from Pinehurst, N.C.

This was the first time she had ever participated in a seance. The All Hallows event took place in a vacant downtown store with wine, hors d'oeuvres and 200 guests - plus, of course, the newspaper people. Before going into a trance, psychic and medium Monroe asked the guests to keep their hands and feet uncrossed (a religious gesture) and to abstain from alcohol.

During the 45 minute seance, Monroe spoke and answered questions through what was supposed to be Houdini's spirit. Later, reporters said that the answers given by Monroe could have been obtained by simple library research.

When Marie Blood asked the spirit to describe Houdini's favorite dessert, Monroe, theoretically answering for Houdini, mumbled, "Something with strawberries."

Blood later said that she was disappointed that Houdini didn't remember his favorite dessert, "It was bread pudding custard with bing cherries on top."

So whats the point of this seance story? The seance failed, the props were undisturbed (for 45 minutes none the less), the medium who pretended to channel Houdini got the questions wrong and was mocked in Time Magazine. Time magazine also reported the townsfolk mocking the medium "...'I see his shoes', giggled one onlooker, peering at the floor as the medium began his performance".

The point is the seance made Time Magazine (click for article) and the small town of Appleton, Wisconsin received a huge boost from the publicity generated by the seance. Time Magazine called the seance "a flop" but it wasn't, it did exactly what it was supposed to do. Even the groaning and hiccuping medium got his name in Time magazine - How many spiritualists in 1986 could say that?

Seance Planned For Houdini Anniversary
Article from Oct 14, 1986 The Evening Telegram (Superior, Wisconsin) Houdini and spiritualism