Magic Castle Battles Back From a Halloween Fire. Was it a Message From Houdini?

By Gendy Alimurung Thu., Feb. 9 2012 at 9:00 AM

Screen-shot-2012-02-10-at-10.11.13-AM.jpg

CuriousJosh

The Magic Castle, the 100-year-old Victorian mansion that serves as the private clubhouse for the Academy of Magic Arts, caught fire on Halloween last year. The fire began in the attic. It burned a hole in the roof, progressed to the third-floor administrative offices, slipped between the walls, then leaped from helicopter news cameras to TV screens -- straight into the hearts and minds and imaginations of magicians across the Southland.

As word spread, people worried. They worried about the staff. Did everyone get out OK? Then they worried about things. Priceless, irreplaceable things, such as the original trick billiards table from W.C. Fields' stage show in Ziegfeld's Follies. Or items hanging in the Gallerie de Arte, such as the rare program from a Royal Command Performance for Queen Victoria. Printed on silk with a lace border, it was the queen's personal program, handed to her one Monday evening in 1855.

They worried about other things -- mundane but invested with meaning. The brass owl with the glowing, ruby-red eyes, sitting on a bookshelf in the foyer: Whisper "Open sesame," and the bookshelf slides away to reveal the Castle's secret entrance. Or the baby grand Baldwin piano played by invisible Irma, the Castle's "resident ghost," who takes requests. Did Irma, some folks joked, get out safely?

Superstitious sorts wondered about the odd circumstances of the fire. They noted the strange coincidences. The costume party scheduled for that night had a theme of "Inferno at the Castle." And what about Houdini? The most famous magician of them all died on Oct. 31 at 1:26 p.m. -- almost the same time as the fire started 85 years later.

And how many firefighters showed up? 126. They carried out priceless artifacts and covered oil paintings with plastic tarps. Flames, it turned out, weren't the worst problem. It was water. Water from the fire hoses and sprinklers hit the dining room first, then the lobby. It trickled into a thousand little nooks and crannies, soaking the Cherub Room, the Dante Room, the Museum and Irma's Room.

But not the Houdini Room.

Location Info

Venue

Map

Magic Castle Hotel

7001 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles, CA

Category: Music

1 user reviews	Write A Review
Save to foursquare

Tags:

david minkin, houdini, magic, the magic castle

We Recommend

Mr. Ree

http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ...

Check out this book just published that takes place at The Magic Castle!

Nicole

I was just there for the first time last month. The restaurant was open and fully functional, as were all of rooms on the 1st and 2nd floors. The only area that was closed was the museum and bar area downstairs. It was an expensive night, but totally worth it. Seeing the history contained in one small space, the entertainment that still has me and my friends trying to figure out how they did it, and soaking in the unique atmosphere was worth the cost of an extravagant night out. Not only did the six of us have fun, but we met other guests and employees throughout the night who were friendly, down-to-earth and fun to talk to. I would go back again. Maybe not in the next few months, because my wallet can't afford it, but definitely at least once a year - that is, if I'm lucky enough to get invited to return.

Mbmartell

I went there years ago and it was an incredibly fun evening: we could see a lot of different kinds of magic acts one after another, and all were very entertaining and fun. This place is all about magic and I think most people would love it as much as I did!

Bluu

i went there for new years and it S U C K E D! wasted money. i guess due to the fire they had no restaurant so they had to do a buffet and it was the WORST managed buffet ever. it was seat yourself like we were at the Souper Salad place. i was pretty embarrassed for the guests i had brought it was their first time. And they did not have enough seating so you had to climb stairs with your plate of food. Until the restaurant comes back, i would recommend staying away.

ANTI bluu

Nice... I have been a member for years. Are you a member? If you were expecting full-on Castle after the fire, I wish you had stayed away.

Bro. Juan Harmon

the official position right after the fire was that non-members shouldn't visit because, to use the description of the original post, the castle sucked relative to its usual self. that was modified to guests being allowed. and the post you responded to seems to fully recognize that it would not be a "full-on Castle after the fire." what he didn't expect is that the deficit would be as great as it was. that it would, in other words, suck. you, by contrast, appear to assume it couldn't possibly have sucked; that by recognizing that it would be something less than its full self implies suspending any critical judgment and not having any threshold below which the dinner and overall atmosphere was unacceptable. he simply found it unacceptable. perhaps the first instinct, not to permit guests, was the right one. it appears to be the policy you are embracing; or at least one that encouraged anyone with a potentially negative opinion to "stay away." do you think that if everyone were a pollyanna the repairs would be even partly done yet? do you find it indecorous to suggest that it's possible to work on BOTH the offices and the basement, at the same time, rather than just accepting the false premise that one must be done "first"?