PITTSBURGH - June 11, 2004 - Pittsburgh magician Tom Interval today launced a new Web site titled “Houdini in The New York Times,” a free resource for Harry Houdini enthusiasts and researchers interested in reading Houdini articles, features, and letters that appeared in the Times during the first half of the twentieth century.

The new site, the only one of its kind, features more than 120 Times news pieces and photos highlighting Houdini’s career from the time he established himself as an international star in the early 1900s.

“There are many obscure facts about Houdini that most people don’t know about," said Interval. “And some of the articles don’t represent fact at all but make for interesting reading. For example, in 1938, did Houdini’s pet parrot really pick the lock to his cage and escape into the hills of Hollywood? Who knows? What matters is that visitors to the site will be thoroughly educated and entertained through the eyes of the Times as the news was happening.”

Interval, 37, has had an interest in Houdini since childhood. “Houdini was much more than a magician and an escape artist,” said Interval. “He was a metaphor for overcoming impossible odds.”

To learn more, visit www.houdinimuseum.org.