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>> WATTS & MCCLAVE HOME
'The Great Mysto'
by Richard Bevan
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Screenwriter Richard Bevan recounts the extraordinary story of his great, great, great Uncle, the Edwardian escapologist and illusionist 'Carl Mysto'
Hungarian born Harry Houdini (1874-1926) is perhaps the most famous escapologist and conjurer of all time, renowned for his daring escapes from ropes, handcuffs, straitjackets, prison cells and under water trunks. However, a lesser known character going by the stage moniker of 'The Great Carl Mysto' became as famous in Britain at the turn of the twentieth century. Mysto, was known to his family and friends as Jim Pickles, a Bradford born plumber who later turned professional as a somewhat flamboyant 'escapologist' and conjurer. To sensation seeking theatregoers he was a man of magic and master of illusion, who in his time was a genuine rival to Houdini.
The short, slightly built and moustached Yorkshireman was in his early thirties when he courted notoriety as a Vaudeville entertainer by utilising a coffin during his act at Bradford's now demolished Palace Theatre. Mysto's gruesome choice of apparatus was perhaps in itself a shocking and disturbing prop to Edwardian audiences, but all the more thrilling for it. His act would see him been screwed into the coffin and his arms drawn through holes in the sides, as his wrists were then manacled. He usually took an hour to escape, but it was said that he cheekily milked the audience's feelings of anticipation and could have freed himself in three minutes had he wanted to. But 'The Great Mysto' understood the value of showmanship.
In 1905 when Houdini visited Britain as part of his European tour, Mysto was initially excited at the thought of meeting his inspirer. However, Houdini who had become an American citizen seemed to only have words of derision for other escapologists, often describing them as 'charlatans' and 'fraudsters'
Mysto had garnered a local but nonetheless respectful reputation and it soon became apparent that far from demonstrate brotherly appreciation for him as an equally skilled illusionist, Houdini mainly saw Mysto as an opportunist and inferior imitator. Possibly even a threat to his own growing star status in the English speaking World.
But it was when Houdini began performing in northern England that matters between the two men reached fever pitch. Houdini was well informed about Mysto's heart stopping act and took it upon himself to carry out an act of professional treachery. During a performance at the Salford Regent theatre outside Manchester, the American star demonstrated his contempt for Mysto by revealing his rival's prized trade secrets in front of a large and bewildered audience. Wheeling an identical coffin onto the stage he informed the crowd that he hoped that they would "never again have to see a coffin used as an accessory to public entertainment" before revealing to the stunned spectators how Mysto's macabre trick was done.
It was this act of betrayal -that of exposing a fellow showman's craft secrets- that led to a bitter altercation of words between the two men in a theatre dressing room. It is alleged, by living relatives of Mysto, that the argument soon erupted into a visceral exchange of fists, resulting in the slightly built ex plumber 'flooring' the American heavyweight. Whether the violent incident is accurate or not, it is perhaps not too difficult to imagine how piqued Mysto would have been at his public humiliation at the Salford Regent theatre. As a result he took the decision to stage an alternative performance to Houdini in the same city. Mysto chose as his 'fighting corner' his familiar Palace Theatre for this rather bizarre duel, while Houdini prepared to perform at The Empire, a venue some distance away.
Audiences were given the opportunity to make comparisons and both men had watchers in the theatres to report on the acts. Each sought to outdo each other in sensationalism and the Bradford audience watched with the keenest interest.
The Great Mysto's final trick was an old one but also his greatest. The act was carefully timed to coincide with closing time at other theatres in the city. As audiences spilled out onto the streets, Mysto's crew rushed out from the Palace shouting "The Great Mysto is dying in a coffin, unable to free himself!"
The possibility of a local hero such as Mysto expiring during a stage performance was too much of a temptation and crowds soon appeared on the pavement outside the by now already full theatre. It was an example of dramatic chicanery that Mysto had used throughout his unlikely showbiz life in order to attract crowds during his tours of England. Indeed, a crowd grew so big on one occasion that traffic was held up for half an hour and mounted police had to be called to gain control.
On the night competing against Houdini, the canny Yorkshireman employed the same diverting tactics to great effect. Just as his fate seemed sealed and Mysto's fans waited anxiously on the streets for news of his death, he tottered triumphantly to the doors of the theatre -he'd done it, he'd outdone Houdini -attracting a bigger crowd outside the Palace than inside it!
Houdini's was undoubtedly unfazed by a local 'fraudster' having his fifteen minutes of fame as he was spurred to take up the challenge of another Bradford resident, one Mr Joseph Davey. This time it was to try and escape from a roped and locked hamper. Ironically it was after returning to New York from his brief European tour that Houdini soon became a huge American celebrity and an icon for an era representing great innovators and daring escapades.
But that one electric night when a former plumber appeared in competition against the unconquerable Harry Houdini, sealed his place in the affections of Bradford's populace. Carl Mysto aka Jim Pickles continued to tour the country with his own revue company until his death in the late 1920's.
It is quite sad that very few Bradfordians to-day, let alone British people in general, even know of his existence.
(Richard Bevan is currently developing a screenplay based on the life of Carl Mysto.
For further details contact agent International Artists, London.)
Research acknowledgements: The Telegraph & Argus. Bradford
Bradford Central Library.
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