Fierce Rivalries

Houdini vs. the Supernatural Swindlers: Exposing Charlatans and Proving Sherlock Holmes Wrong

August 29, 2023·51 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Ectoplasm isn't from Ghostbusters; it's from spiritualism—the belief that people can communicate with their dead loved ones through mediums—and it came into vogue after the Civil War. But are spiritualists for real, or were they playing tricks? The great illusionist Harry Houdini knew a lot about tricks, and he was obsessed with proving that anyone taking money for talking to spirits is actually just pulling a mean magic trick. When Houdini's good friend, writer and scientist Arthur Conan Doyle, set out to prove Houdini’s legendary escapes were due to help from the spirit world, Houdini would spend the final chapter of his life battling his experiments to expose the phonies and the fakes in this mystical world. To bring your brand to life in this podcast, email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com Find more great podcasts from Sony Music Entertainment at sonymusic.com/podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Podzilla Summary coming soon

Sign up to get notified when the full AI-powered summary is ready.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.

Listen to This Episode

Get summaries like this every morning.

Free AI-powered recaps of Fierce Rivalries and your other favorite podcasts, delivered to your inbox.

Get Free Summaries →

Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.