^{Vandalism at the Gravesite}

Houdini’s gravesite remains an important historical and cultural landmark. Its vulnerability to vandalism has necessitated ongoing vigilance and preservation work. When the cemetery was abandoned, in the 1980s, vandals did their most damage. Since Houdini’s death almost 100 years ago many of the officers and leaders of the S.A.M. have taken care of the gravesite.

Over the years the National Society of American Magicians, Parent Assembly # 1 in New York, Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, and many other magicians have raised money and worked on the gravesite to repair, restore, and maintain it. 

According to Houdin’s will, $1,000.00 was paid for perpetual care to Macpehlah Cemetery upon his death. It is alleged that Houdini’s wife, Bess, also donated $1000.00 to the Society of American Magicians to pay for any future expenses at the cemetery after her death.

Houdini’s Bust

Located prominently in the center of the monument for many decades, in 1975 the original bust was destroyed by vandals with a sledgehammer. Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of The Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania, played key roles in having molds made and eventually restoring the bust. A replica was permanently returned to the site in September 2011 after the grave had been headless since 1993.

Three more times the replacement busts were either stolen or smashed in subsequent years, with incidents reported in 1983, and further vandalism continued until 1993. Nearly 20 years after it was stolen in 1983, police discovered Houdini’s bust while investigating another unrelated crime. The bust was hidden in a carton in a bedroom closet at a New Hyde Park home. This led to the arrest of Stephen Chotowicky for possession of stolen property in 2002.

Benche’s

In the 1990s, not just the bust but also benches, markers for Houdini’s siblings, and the mosaic S.A.M. emblem faced damage as well. The benches at Harry Houdini’s gravesite were repaired in 1996, a few years after being smashed by vandals in 1993. The restoration was funded by the Society of American Magicians (S.A.M.), with donations of different amounts, large and small, from many magicians. The benches have been placed back at the gravesite for visitors to use.

Mission of the Houdini Gravesite Corporation

The Houdini Gravesite Corporation was incorporated in 2024 specifically to centralize and coordinate all activities pertaining to the gravesite. We are a 501(c)(3) corporation and can receive tax-deductible contributions to repair, replace, and maintain the gravesite under the law and regulations of the Department of Cemeteries of the State of New York. Our board has a director, George Hardeen, who is one of the surviving blood relatives of the Weiss family, a grandson of Theodore Hardeen, Houdini’s brother. We will be seeking historical landmark status for the gravesite.

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