  Karl Member Username: Karl Post Number: 6565 Registered: 09-2005 |
With Houdini once again in the news (some think he was murdered so want to dig him up) it was mentioned that he died in Detroit in 1926. Where did his death occur? He's buried in Queens, NY. Sorry if this has been discussed here before - my search came up negative. | ||
Chitaku Member Username: Chitaku Post Number: 1264 Registered: 03-2006 |
Hutzel Hospital | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1578 Registered: 04-2005 |
http://info.detnews.com/histor y/story/index.cfm?id=138&categ ory=people | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1579 Registered: 04-2005 |
FTFA old Grace Hospital, Room 401 on Oct. 31, 1926, at 1:26 p.m | ||
Ookpik Member Username: Ookpik Post Number: 153 Registered: 01-2007 |
If I remember correctly, when the hospital was demolished in 1978 - a final séance was given to see if Houdini would appear. He did not. | ||
Perfectgentleman Member Username: Perfectgentleman Post Number: 337 Registered: 03-2006 |
http://www.houdini.org/death.h tml | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 7 Registered: 12-2006 |
And where is the theater he appeared at? Seems like that would be a great tourist attraction. | ||
Lilpup Member Username: Lilpup Post Number: 1893 Registered: 06-2004 |
The Garrick no longer exists, but the Majestic has (misleadingly) glommed onto Houdini for PR purposes. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1469 Registered: 10-2003 |
The Garrick was somewhere near the present site of the David Stott Building, wasn't it? I believe Houdini was laid out after his death at the old funeral home on Cass (now a music school). | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 4864 Registered: 11-2004 |
Fury13- yes, he was laid out at the funeral home that is currently the Art Center Music School. A friend of mine once brought me in there and told me exactly where the casket was laid. It's almost directly across the street from the Old Miami bar. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 3878 Registered: 08-2004 |
Houdini died 9 weeks after another legend, Rudolph Valentino, who died on August 23, 1926 in New York (of Peritonitis). That date also happened to be the opening day of the fabulous 4,050 seat Michigan Theatre. Valentino, 31 at the time, was actively mourned by over 40 million people (obviously mostly women), more than any other performer in history. It was the 1920's equivalent to the earth shattering death of Princess Diana. | ||
Aaron Member Username: Aaron Post Number: 124 Registered: 12-2004 |
The Garrick was located at the corner of Griswold and State. | ||
Flyingj Member Username: Flyingj Post Number: 6 Registered: 08-2006 |
from my fave Detroit blog(amazed he isn't bigger than Insufferable Granbo); http://www.kempa.com/blog/arch ives/000976.html | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1585 Registered: 04-2005 |
we seem to have missed the Garrick in the Old Movie Houses thread. https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/59771.html?11712523 50 Back to the research room and start looking. | ||
Pam Member Username: Pam Post Number: 1208 Registered: 11-2005 |
Here is the article about the proposed exhumation: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/hou dini_exhumation (Message edited by Pam on March 23, 2007) | ||
Kathleen Member Username: Kathleen Post Number: 2120 Registered: 10-2003 |
Houdini Kin Wants Body Exhumed, Tested http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/s tories/H/HOUDINI_EXHUMATION?SI TE=MIDTF&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE =DEFAULT | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1589 Registered: 04-2005 |
I did a little research today and found the Garrick Theater. Its posted on the Detroit Movie Houses thread in the HOF https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/6790/59771.html?11746688 69 | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 286 Registered: 08-2006 |
You can listen to Quinn Klinefelter's story from 2004 about Houdini's death here: http://www.npr.org/templates/s tory/story.php?storyId=4135298 (Unfortunately, though Quinn repeats the spurious Majestic Theater version.) I'd thought that Houdini was embalmed at the Hamilton funeral home, but not presented to mourners there because he was Jewish. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1590 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks for reminding me Zephyrprocess, In 1916, the home was sold to the William R. Hamilton Funeral Company for use as a funeral home. In 1931, a funeral chapel was added - now used as the ACMS performance hall. The famous magician Harry Houdini, auto magnate Edsel Ford, and former Michigan Governor and U.S. Supreme Court Justice Frank Murphy all had their funeral preparation within the Hamilton Funeral Home. http://www.doubleexposureinc.n et/thespiritofdetroitthoudinih alloweenseance/id9.html | ||
Ray1936 Member Username: Ray1936 Post Number: 1248 Registered: 01-2005 |
Relatives are in court to get final approval for the exhumation. Wouldn't it be funny if they opened the coffin and no one was there?  Photo from www.findagrave.com  | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 14 Registered: 12-2006 |
You guys are better than Wikipedia, I swear! | ||
Fareastsider Member Username: Fareastsider Post Number: 264 Registered: 08-2006 |
IT would be funnier if they opened it an Houdini jumped out alive! | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1499 Registered: 10-2003 |
Old photos confirm that the Garrick Theatre stood on the southern portion of the site now occupied by the David Stott Building: http://www.waterwinterwonderla nd.com/location.asp?id=603&typ e=5 (scroll down) It's surprising that there isn't a historical plaque on the facing of the Stott Building commemorating Houdini. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1505 Registered: 10-2003 |
I looked at the site of the Garrick Theatre this morning. Judging by the somewhat small footprint of the David Stott Building, the Garrick may actually have occupied the lot to the south of the Stott, where the former Rite Aid (two-story, low-rise) building is now. (Message edited by Fury13 on March 29, 2007) | ||
Peachlaser Member Username: Peachlaser Post Number: 72 Registered: 08-2006 |
Where was/is Grace Hospital located? | ||
Crew Member Username: Crew Post Number: 1165 Registered: 02-2004 |
Grace Hospital was basically where the Haper Profesional building stands today on John R. South of Canfield. It was torn down in the mid 1970's when Harper Hospital was expanded and Grace moved the rest of its operations to Harper and Grace Northwest. (Message edited by Crew on March 29, 2007) | ||
Mikem Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 3229 Registered: 10-2003 |
Griswold, between Michigan & State:  | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1692 Registered: 04-2005 |
Thanks MikeM, you can't get more definitive then that. | ||
Fury13 Member Username: Fury13 Post Number: 1506 Registered: 10-2003 |
That would be just south of the Stott, where the vacant former Rite Aid sits now. Great, MikeM, it's nice to know where the Garrick really was. | ||
Jimaz Member Username: Jimaz Post Number: 1776 Registered: 12-2005 |
Excuse me. Why is the Lafayette Building spelled "Lafayetette Bldg." in that map? Is it just a mistake or is there a reason? | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 313 Registered: 08-2006 |
Because "Lafayetette" sounds even more French | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 37 Registered: 12-2006 |
They forgot to use spell-check. | ||
Eastsidedame Member Username: Eastsidedame Post Number: 38 Registered: 12-2006 |
I found a not-so-good photo of the front of the Garrick Theater in my computer database, but I don't know where I got it from. I don't even know if it's the one in Detroit, as I understand there was one in Chicago, also. I see it was next door to "United Cigars". It seems as if the theater is on the corner of a large building which has some distinctive block work at the cornerstone. Since I don't know where I got this photo, I can't post it. But if someone knows what the theater looked like and wants to see this photo, I'd be glad to send it to you. | ||
Djack Member Username: Djack Post Number: 2 Registered: 04-2007 |
he died in the old harper hospital the part built during the civil war i went in the room before they tore it down to build the professional building in the early 80,s | ||
Crew Member Username: Crew Post Number: 1197 Registered: 02-2004 |
Djack, It actually wasn't Harper. It was the old Grace hospital but the location you described is correct. |
