Many people have forgotten that escape artist Harry Houdini parlayed his stage fame into a series of gimmick movies and a serial during the age of silent films. Balladeer’s Blog takes a look at those overlooked productions.
THE MASTER MYSTERY (1918-1919) – The first film footage of Harry Houdini performing his stage act dates to 1907, but it wasn’t until this 15-part serial that he hit the big screen in a series of adventures. Chapter One of The Master Mystery debuted on November 18th, 1918 and starred Houdini as a federal agent named Quentin Locke.
Quentin is assigned to infiltrate a sinister corporation that practices patent fraud, but as Locke’s investigation probes deeper, a far-reaching conspiracy against the entire United States is exposed.
Every cliffhanger ending for the chapters of the serials involves a deathtrap which Houdini escapes from at the start of the following installment.
No trick photography was used in filming Harry’s escapes, and another bit of history in The Master Mystery involves the villain’s robot, called the Automaton. One of the first powered exoskeletons in movie history was used to maneuver the android around. As the story goes on, the Automaton’s creator modifies it to spray his nerve gas called the Madagascan Madness. Continue reading
Yes, it’s once again Guy Fawkes Day, the day Balladeer’s Blog celebrates figures who became symbols of the exact opposite things they represented in their actual lives! 
“Crazy with fury I will stain my rifle red while slaughtering any enemy that falls in my hands! My nostrils dilate while savoring the acrid odor of gunpowder and blood.” 
Read more of this animal’s own words and you will see what a callous, unfeeling political fanatic this hate-filled scumbag was. He never wanted to overthrow dictatorships to help “the people”, he just wanted to overthrow them to install dictatorships more to his liking.
EVILUN, real name Ruth Sprayberry, played Bad Movie Hostess Evilun the Witch Saturday nights at 10:15 for Double Features on KSLA in Shreveport, Louisiana. She hosted the shows Terror on Saturday Nights! and The Witching Hour from September 7th, 1963 to October 2nd, 1965. 
February 19th, 1965 was when Terror on Saturday Nights! was retitled The Witching Hour for the rest of its run. 
NOTE: Well, another Midterm Election cycle went the usual and expected way. Long time readers of Balladeer’s Blog may recall that – no matter who is in the White House – since 2010 I have been saying that America’s congressional candidates from BOTH parties should stop blaming their midterm losses on whoever the president is and accept responsibility. 
AND A REMINDER FOR ANYONE BLAMING TRUMP ALONE FOR THE “DO-NOTHING” REPUBLICAN LOSSES THIS YEAR. IN BARACK OBAMA’S FINAL MIDTERMS IN 2014 HIS PARTY, THE DEMOCRATS, LOST IN A SWEEP, TOO. The Republicans ended up with – you ready for this – 54 seats in the Senate and 247 seats in the House. Almost identical to what this year’s result was for Democrats. So, unless you’re saying that 2014 result meant that the country was rejecting Barack Obama in disgrace, don’t bother saying that about Trump, either. 
PART 81 – As always, it’s fascinating to read the over 100-year-old opinions of James Larkin Pearson (and by extension his Fool Killer), including the opinions that one doesn’t agree with. Here are some of the Fool Killer’s targets in January 1916: 
MID-SUMMER – Future television icon JACKIE COOPER starred as Val Barton, a man who longs to continue performing in vaudeville with his stage partner (Larry Wilde). BARBARA BEL GEDDES – Dallas‘ Miss Ellie Ewing herself – played his wife Lily Barton, who wants him to settle down in a more stable and respectable job as a teacher. 
WALTER KOENIG ON THE STARLOST (1973) – Fair solar winds and following seas to the late Walter Koenig. Since everybody else has been covering his Star Trek role Pavel Chekov or his movie Moon Trap, Balladeer’s Blog will instead review his two episodes as the alien named Oro on the Canadian sci-fi series The Starlost in 1973. 
EPISODE TEN: THE ALIEN ORO (November 3rd, 1973) – Brace yourself for a villainous Walter Koenig speaking without a Russian accent. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER FOUR – In the NCAA Division 2, the number 20 EAST STROUDSBURG UNIVERSITY WARRIORS played host to the 4th ranked team in the country – the KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY GOLDEN BEARS. A 16-10 midpoint edge for the Warriors became a 25-25 tie to end Regulation. In Overtime, East Stroudsburg prevailed 32-25.
DOWN GOES NUMBER NINE – Over in the NAIA, the UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS PATRIOTS visited the 9th ranked GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS. The Patriots put Georgetown on Upset Alert with their 19-10 Halftime lead. The Tigers cut that to a 19-17 difference to end the 3rd Quarter, but UC held on from there to win 26-25. 
