In this picture Roscoe is performing the East Indian Nail Trick which Houdini would later adapt into the Needle Trick (okay, i just made that up). Houdini is holding the hat to conceal his forearm which was broken and in a sling (no, i didn't make up that part, it's true). These fellows knew one another thru their friend Buster Keaton. Houdini had given Buster his name and Roscoe had discovered and made Buster (already a vaudeville star) into a film star.
What do these guys have to do with pirates? That will be explained in an forthcoming post.
More about Houdini at: WildAboutHarry
More about Roscoe (and Buster) at: Silentology
