Houdini shows off his physique in 'The Secret of Terror Island' (1920).This year's Halloween silent film screening marathon concludes today with a special double feature of films starring Harry Houdini.
'Haldene of the Secret Service' and 'The Secret of Terror Island' will be shown today, Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m. at the Town Hall Theatre in Wilton, N.H.
Lots more info on the films is in the press release pasted in below.
We're running these Houdini films not because they're scary—it's because Halloween this year marks the 100th anniversary of the great illusionist's untimely death.
Houdini died on Oct. 31, 1926 at age 52 under circumstances that remain controversial.
It's not my intent to explore that mystery in any great detail. Rather, we hope to celebrate the ongoing fascination that Houdini commands among a fan base that never saw him perform.
He's one of those figures who refuses to fade away—and his rarely screened movies are the only way to see him when he was active.
So happy Halloween to all, and I hope you'll join us for this special double feature!
* * *
A theatre slide promoting Harry Houdini in 'Haldane of the Secret Service' (1923).MONDAY, OCT. 26, 2026 / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact Jeff Rapsis • (603) 236-9237 • jeffrapsis@gmail.com
Town Hall Theatre to mark 100th anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death with rare silent film double feature on Halloween
Two adventure thrillers starring the legendary illusionist and escape artist to be shown with live music at Saturday, Oct. 31 matinee
WILTON,
N.H.—The Town Hall Theatre will honor the legendary master of escape with a spectacular Halloween afternoon double feature of Harry Houdini’s rarest silent films on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 2 p.m.
Marking the exact 100th anniversary of Houdini's untimely death on Halloween in 1926, this highly anticipated event will showcase 'The Secret of Terror Island' (1920) and 'Haldene of the Secret Service' (1923).
Admission is free. Donations are gladly accepted to support the silent film series, with $10 per person suggested.
For Houdini fans, magic enthusiasts, and cinema buffs alike, this exclusive double feature represents an unmissable pilgrimage to witness the world's greatest escapologist performing his own death-defying stunts on the silver screen.
Both films will be brought to life with original, improvised live musical accompaniment by silent film composer Jeff Rapsis. The screening takes place at the Town Hall Theatre, located at 40 Main St., Wilton, N.H.
The circumstances surrounding Houdini’s untimely
death at age 52 remain one of the most debated chapters in magic
history, adding a layer of eerie intrigue to this centenary event.
Officially,
Houdini succumbed to peritonitis from a ruptured appendix on Halloween
1926, alleged to have been triggered days earlier in Montreal when a
university student repeatedly struck the magician in the abdomen to test
his legendary physical endurance.
However,
generations of Houdini buffs and historians have pointed to a web of
anomalies fueling enduring theories that Houdini may have been targeted
for murder rather than falling victim to a tragic coincidence.
While Houdini is universally remembered for his live stage illusions, he was also a pioneering movie star who used the medium of silent film to capture his unparalleled physical feats for global audiences.
A trade publication ad promoting Houdini's 'The Secret of Terror Island' (1920). The Secret of Terror Island features Houdini as an inventor who braves deep-sea diving hazards to rescue a stranded woman. Haldene of the Secret Service, which Houdini also directed, casts him as a fearless government agent tracking a counterfeiting ring.
Both films are packed with authentic handcuffs, straitjackets, and nail-biting escapes that remain a masterclass in tension.
"Houdini’s cinematic legacy is incredibly rare, making this centenary screening a true bucket-list event for fans and historians," said Jeff Rapsis.
"Experiencing these films on Halloween, exactly one century after his passing, with a live audience and live music, is the ultimate way to honor the enduring mystique of the world's greatest showman."
Admission to the double feature is free, with a suggested donation of $10 per person to help support the Wilton Town Hall Theatre's ongoing silent film programming.
