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Study 076 - The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt (Patreon)

Published:
2024-01-25 23:01:47
Imported:
2026-06
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Content

One hundred years ago a ripping yarn by celebrity illusionist Harry Houdini graced the pages of Weird Tales - it's The Spirit Fakers of Hermannstadt!!

Special thanks to reader Andrew Leman - grab up The Temple of Jupiter Ammon now!

Investigate this article on Houdini's ghost writers, as well as this one from Deep Cuts in a Lovecraftian Vein.

Check out the silent film Terror Island featuring a swimming Houdini.

And don't forget to pick up your copy of FHTAGN! which will be releasing February 2nd from Mayhem Lettuce!

Comments

Anne Ominous

Ludicrous and preposterously gripping! The naked determination of Houdini astounds!

Drix

This was a super fun episode guys. One thing I though I'd mention that wasn't brought up, when Houdini references that "[he] ...suffered worse physical tortures at Blackburn, England, where I was manacled and trussed in iron by a strong man on the stage of the Palace Theater, on October 24, 1902, and suffered bru¬ tality until my arms and wrists were tom and bleeding from the irons, of which the locks had been plugged in vio¬ lation of the rules of fair play," the strong man in question was actually Friend of the Show, William Hope Hodgson. I think this story was mentioned way back on your episodes on The House on the Borderland. Hmm, now that I think about it, this story does have a few things similar to the Carnacki stories(albeit I think we can all agree the Ghost-finder is better written, professional spritualistic tendencies be damned".

Ann Knight

Houdini did perform some of his escapes naked or nearly so, to ensure he had no tools that would assist him. I recommend Kenneth Silverman's biography "Houdini! The Career of Ehrich Weiss : American Self-liberator, Europe's Eclipsing Sensation, World's Handcuff King & Prison Breaker. " Houdini was a fascinating guy.

Grahm Eberhardt

Houdini vs Dracula would've been SO COOL! I imagine him debunking all of Drac's vampire powers by replicating them with seance tricks (bat on a string?) and barefoot wall-crawling.

Science Doctor, PhD

Well, in my at this point three(?)'ish week long personal journey of bothering the comments in a podcast... I have finished reading Wine Dark Sea (and about half done with Dark Entries), hopefully by the time I'm done with the next book (have to read an Agatha Christy book so my wife can talk to me about it) his last anthology (at my library at least) will be available. For those who are confused, I'm completing my PhD in Nursing (while also working full time as a nurse educator), and a side-effect (not uncommon) is I've found it extremely difficult to "read for fun". It's more common for me to zone out in front of the TV or Instagram when I am done working and school...ing. However, focusing on it, and posting here as a sort of faux-journal, has been a pretty effective way for me to do it. Since starting a couple weeks ago I've finished Frankenstein, the 1.5 Aickman books mentioned above, and hope to keep things up. I apologize if this causes unnecessary distraction to folks. This podcast has been a great way to still feel connected with literature (and sometimes books about alligators turning into dragons), so I'm glad that this weird method of mine is working for me, getting me back into reading. If this really truly is distracting let me know and I'll stop though :)

Science Doctor, PhD

I like the idea of Houdini standing around, fully nude, wistfully saying in a sing-song voice, "Oh my, hopefully, nobody ties me up! Oh what a naked man am I!"

Erik Jordan Phillips

“Hello Angels! I supposes you are wondering why I’m tied up naked in the basement of Draculas Castle. We’ll you see….”

Jim Cannon

That's the thing about pulp, isn't it? It very often IS pretty stupid. But it makes up for that by being fun.

Eldritch Golem (JPM)

My main takeaway from this episode was Chad saying "like trying to drown Godzilla" clearly shows that he hasn't seen Godzilla Minus One (2023), which also would make an excellent bonus episode.

Our old pal Brendan Gardiner

I often listen while doing household chores. At times I’ll have to hit the back button a few times if there is some noise associated with the job I’m doing, or if I have to step out of the room briefly. With this episode I hit the back button more than I ever have, and I could hear it the whole time. I just needed plot points repeated to me, because I could not for the life of me keep them straight. No fault of Chris’s. He did a fine job. It was just so thickly convoluted.

Anne Ominous

Also: I'm really digging your pre-game discussion of of the authors, WT, and the 100 year perspective for the last couple episodes. Nearing the half century mark myself so historical context is on my mind lately!

Ryan Fahey

I’m wondering at the ground rules that Houdini laid down for his ghostwriters (probably no killing, otherwise he might have to pretend that he’s wanted for murder, and no “real” ghosts, since he famously was a skeptic). Did he specify how much nude time he got? Did he have some crazy, rock star rider setting out his demands?

Sweatin' to the Great Oldies

I've known some people who worked at the House of D, and there were definitely chains and locks and naked people. But all in good fun.

Dawn Robinson-Morgan

This story reminded me of when I was a little girl and made up a tawdry horse ranch soap opera using my Barbie, a Lone Ranger Tonto doll, and my plastic Breyer model horses. I kept picturing a little boy acting out this story with a naked GI Joe action figure “handcuffed” with a bread bag twisty tie. Houdini always had to be the hero - as if outwitting stupid, static enemies was such an insurmountable feat only HE could accomplish - and it’s a brow-knitting, eye-rolling, cringey hoot.

It's a Ghost.

Naked Houdini who is perfect at escaping and defeating his adversaries reminds me of both Nafertari and Conan in Shadows in Zamboula.

Jamie Allinson

Did I hear correctly that this story was published in the March 1924 issue of Weird Tales? Does this mean that March has *always* been for Draculas, just like Jack Nicholson has *always* been the caretaker at the Overlook Hotel? I’m getting shivers up my spine just thinking about it…

David Halstead

Houdini & Rasputin would make a good superhero duo. A man who can't be captured teamed up with a man who can't be killed.

Joe Hodgson

Random thought: how about Chris reads “the loved dead” but with his Capote voice?

Professor Murder

OK. Hear me out. Yes, this story isn't all that good in execution, but the concept is solid and I would love to see it filmed, if for no other reason than Timothée Chalamet is a near dead ringer for young Harry Houdini.

DR

There’s a great comic called The Devils Workshop where Houdini and Batman fight vampires.

Matthew Alderman

Fun fact: Hermannstadt (or as my girlfriend’s Magyar ancestors would have called it, Nagyszeben) is nicknamed “The Town with Eyes,” due to the creepy squinting dormer windows on a lot of the older houses.

MonsterTalk

I'm just excited to learn that Dracula isn't the only one with "Big D----- energy" in eastern Europe.

Vacation in Zothique

A third character emerges, Violent Houdini. I can picture VH and Lying Vincent Price at a comedy club. Stand-Up Frankenstein is doing his set when suddenly VH shoots LVP in the leg. LVP says it doesn’t hurt at all, while SUF is cracking jokes trying to ease the tension. I need more Violent Houdini guys!

Ryan Thomas

Wow, Houdini was swole, man!

Long time hater

It must have burned Houdini to have a Ghost writer, why didnt he public debunk this obvious fraud?!?