Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini, born Ehrich Weiss on April 6, , in Budapest, Hungary, was the son of Dr. Mayer Samuel Weiss, a Jewish rabbi, and Cecilia Steiner Weiss. He legally changed his name in
Houdini is said to be one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century. His specialty was any type of escape, including slipping out of ropes, chains, and handcuffs while locked in trunks and milk cans, or submerged under water. Houdini became world famous by barnstorming across America and around the globe.
Houdini had little formal education, but his self-education was a lifelong pursuit. "My mind," he is often quoted as saying, "is the key that sets me free."
Early Years
By the time Houdini was six, he had already developed a taste for magic and sleight of hand. His first trick was making a dried pea appear in any one of three cups. As a boy, he spent his time practicing acrobatics, and doing odd jobs as a newspaper seller and bootblack.
When Harry was nine, a circus arrived in town. He showed the manager his tricks and the man was so impressed with Harry`s talent for releasing himself from rope ties, and picking up pins with his eyelids, that he hired him to pe
How Did Harry Houdini Die? A Look at the Magician's Unexpected Death — and Why His Wife Held a Seance Every Halloween After
Harry Houdini made a career out of defying death — and yet it wasn't his thrilling escapes from water-filled vessels or skyscraper ledges that caused his untimely demise.
According to the Yale University Press, the famed illusionist and escape artist died of a ruptured appendix. However, his mission to debunk mediums, a suspiciously timed punch to the stomach and the holiday he died on led to years of speculation about what really happened.
On Oct. 21, , Houdini began feeling unwell. But he ignored it — as well as an ankle injury he suffered during a previous show — and agreed to meet with a university student named Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead before a performance at the Princess Theatre in Montreal. While backstage, Whitehead asked to test Houdini's theory that he could withstand any blow to the stomach and then punched Houdini multiple times.
The following week, the illusionist became increasingly ill and developed a degree fever. Houdini eventually agreed to go to the hospital on Oct. 25, where, during an operation, the surgeon saw that
| Harry Houdini | |
Harry Houdini became world-renowned for his stunts and feats of escapology even more so than his magical illusions. | |
| Born | March 24, Budapest, Hungary |
|---|---|
| Died | October 31, Detroit, Michigan, USA |
| Occupation | magician, escapologist, stunt performer, actor, historian, pilot. |
Harry Houdini (March 24, – October 31, ), was a magician, escape artist, and daredevil who captivated much of the Western world with his exploits in the first quarter of the twentieth century. He amazed and excited crowds with his death defying escapes. He wore shackles and handcuffs and ordered his assistants to lock him in trunks or submerge him underwater. Houdini became world famous by traveling across America and the world thrilling his fans. In performing his escapes and feats of physical and psychological endurance, Houdini pushed his mind and his body to extremes, proving himself to be an athlete as well as a magician. He was able to control the mind-body dynamic to extraordinary lengths. He also believed in the reality of the after-life and thus of a spiritual dimension to human existence. He achieved such fame for his exploits that the name "Houdini" rema
Harry Houdini
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Who Was Harry Houdini?
Fascinated with magic from a young age, Harry Houdini began performing and drew attention for his daring feats of escape. In , he married Wilhelmina Rahner, who became his onstage partner as well. Houdini continued performing escape acts until his death, on October 31, , in Detroit, Michigan.
Early Life
Houdini was born Erich Weisz on March 24, , in Budapest, Hungary. One of seven children born to a Jewish rabbi and his wife, Weisz moved with his family as a child to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he later claimed he was born. When he was 13, Weisz moved with his father to New York City, taking on odd jobs and living in a boarding house before the rest of the family joined them. It was there that he became interested in trapeze arts.
In , Weisz launched his career as a professional magician and renamed himself Harry Houdini, the first name being a derivative of his childhood nickname, "Ehrie," and the last an homage to the great French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. (Although he later wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, a study that set out to debunk Houdin’s skill.) Though his magic met with little success, he soo
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