# Conan Doyle and Houdini: Did Doyle Admit He Was Wrong?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conan-doyle-and-houdini-did-doyle-admit-he-was-wrong/615254>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 9, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conan-doyle-and-houdini-did-doyle-admit-he-was-wrong/615254 "2012-03-09T12:38:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conan-doyle-and-houdini-did-doyle-admit-he-was-wrong/615254/1 "2012-03-09T12:38:18Z")

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Near the end of his life, the American magician Harry Houdini became a “myth buster” of sorts-he waged a war against psychics and mediums-he was convinced that they were charlatans, who preyed on grief stricken people.  
His good friend, author Arthur Conan Doyle, was the opposite-he was convinced that communication with the dead/spirits was possible.  
I read years ago, that Houdini attempted to convince his friend that his beliefs were false-to do this, Houdini challenged Doyle to think of a series of words-Houdini would attempte to guess them (a common stage magic trick).  
Conan Doyle thought of the (Hebrew) phrase “mene,mene, tekel, upharsim”-which were the famous words written on the wall by the “moving finger” (in the Book of Daniel).Using his stage magician skills, Houdini amazed Doyle with the correct answer.  
What I have never read-was Doyle convinced by this? Or did he retain his beliefs in spirit communication?

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**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\
**Post date:** [March 9, 2012, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conan-doyle-and-houdini-did-doyle-admit-he-was-wrong/615254/2 "2012-03-09T13:36:51Z")

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From what I remember, Doyle remained a believer. He wrote to Houdini afterwards with words to the effect, “Well, I know that was a fake, but I still believe there’s something about you and your abilities that’s supernatural, even if you don’t realize it.”

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2012, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conan-doyle-and-houdini-did-doyle-admit-he-was-wrong/615254/3 "2012-03-12T14:40:31Z")

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Yes, I think ACD remained a believer in the supernatural, seances and fairies to the end of his days.