Press Release / Art & Entertainment / Scranton’s Dorothy Dietrich Elected President of Assembly 160 of The Society of American Magicians

Scranton’s Dorothy Dietrich Elected President of Assembly 160 of The Society of American Magicians

Scranton, PA, USA, February 09, 2015 -- S.A.M. Assembly #160 has elected well known magician Dorothy Dietrich it’s President for the coming year. She takes office March 5, 2015. Dorothy is the originator of Scranton’s Houdini Museum, the only building in the world entirely devoted to Houdini. Dietrich is considered one of the world’s foremost magicians. She is known for her record breaking national television appearances that include dangerous escapes, sawing men in half, and accomplishing the Jinxed Bullet Catch that has killed twelve men, and the one stunt that Houdini backed out of.

She intends to lead the organization with innovative ideas along with help of Vice President Fred Kraft, Secretary Burt Ebel, and Treasurer David Jenkins. At that first meeting she will be giving a rare set of eight magicians rings as an award to 14 year old Jay Kraft. It’s one of the oldest magical illusions in the History of Magic. (that now come mostly in sets of only three rings) Last year The Houdini Museum ( http://Houdini.org ) awarded Jay “The Mark Wilson Master Course in Magic”, “The Tarbell Course in Magic” and a Diablo Yo Yo, because of his magic skills far exceeding his young age. “We need young people who will take over where we leave off as years go by. We all stand on the shoulders of those who have come before us.” She also intends to give copies of various books from the Houdini Museum gift shop to members, who will be asked to demonstrate tricks from them at up coming meetings.

A group Dorothy Dietrich put together several years ago, dubbed The Houdini Commandos by the New York Times in 2011, has been responsible in the past few years for several major projects that includes taking care of Houdini’s abandoned grave site, the replacement of Houdini’s bust in 2011 at his grave site that was destroyed by vandals and missing for 40 years. ( http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/24/houdini-returns-of-course/ ) ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynJLhDob5mM ) Members of the group have appeared on national television in the past two years over 10 times on The Travel Channel’s “Mysteries At The Museum” in two shows. One story about Houdini’s Famous Mirror Cuff Escape ( http://travelchannel.com/video/keys-to-houdinis-secrets-16342 ) and one about Houdini’s relationship with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle “Doyle & Houdini”. It can be seen on Youtube.com ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQNHGpLZqMA ) These programs have been telecast and made available to millions of people all over the world. In 2012 the Houdini Commandos petitioned and convinced the National Organization of The Society of American Magicians to take over care of the Houdini grave at New York’s Machpelah Cemetery. Dietrich commented, “We have a limited time on earth but The Society of American Magicians will be around forever.” ( http://bigstory.ap.org/article/1c07d0864b6a400a8311b8e7ee536cd2/new-effort-afoot-restore-houdinis-grave-nyc ) In 2014 the group along with friend and well known film restoration expert Rick Schmidlin uncovered Houdini’s long lost film “The Grim Game”. ( http://houdini.org/houdinigrimgameuncoveredbyhoudinimuseum.html ) It is considered Houdini’s best feature film of the five he made in the early 1900’s. The Grim Game has not been seen publicly for over 96 years and will be unveiled in March of 2015 at the yearly TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood. TCM has had the film totally restored. After several showings around the country they will broadcast it on national television some time in the coming year. ( https://pressroom.turner.com/us/tcm/tcm-fest-present-lost-houdini-film#.VNZSp8YyHV0 )

The Houdini Museum has the only continuous traveling exhibit on Houdini, "Houdini Road Show", that has finally all come back from being on exhibit at the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino in West Palm Beach and can be seen at http://HoudiniDisplays.com

Museum co-directors Dick Brookz and Dorothy Dietrich are also currently starring in Psychic Theater’s "Haunted Seance!” It is the longest running performance of it’s kind in history. It’s been running evenings for 10 years at the Houdini Museum Theater. ( http://PsychicTheater.com )

Houdini fans from around the world have been coming to Scranton, PA., the home of the Houdini Museum, Tour & Magic Show for the past 25 years. It is the only building in the world totally devoted to Houdini, & is the longest running public exhibit in the world dedicated to Houdini. It’s headed up by professional magicians Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz. ( http://Houdini.org ) The Houdini Museum, Tour and Magic Show is located at 1433 N. Main Ave, Scranton, PA, (570) 342-5555, and features year round Houdini tours and magic shows for adults, kids, seniors and teenagers.

Contact:
Penny Wilkes
The Houdini Museum
1433 N. Main Ave
Scranton, PA 18447
570-342-5555
magicus@comcast.net
http://www.Houdini.org