The Official Houdini Séance® is so identified with Sid Radner that the term has been trademarked by Sid.  To illuminate the path from Houdini to Sid Radner we give you a brief history of the Official Houdini Séance ®:

During Houdini’s life he made a pact to communicate from “the other side” if possible, and left three different codes with three people, including his wife Bess Houdini. Codes that he would use if he were able to reach across the chasm of death, giving people a way to know it was the real Houdini. Houdini requested that Bess hold a séance annually on the anniversary of his death for the first ten years after his passing.  Houdini died Oct. 31, 1926 at 1:26pm.  By 1936, the conclusion of the first ten years, Bess had not received their code and stopped holding the séance.  However, Houdini’s brother Hardeen was unwilling to quit and the tradition continued. 

Hardeen took on a protégé, an escape artist/magician named Sid Radner.  Their friendship flourished and deepened to the point that  Sid started attending the séances in the 1940’s.  When Hardeen was ready to stop, Sid was ready to continue...and continue he has, now with the 83^rd Official Houdini Séance® in 2009.