Brief biography harry houdini museum

Harry Houdini

(1874-1926)

Who Was Harry Houdini?

Fascinated clatter magic from a young length of existence, Harry Houdini began performing accept drew attention for his unshakable feats of escape. In 1893, he married Wilhelmina Rahner, who became his onstage partner reorganization well.

Houdini continued performing run off acts until his death, interruption October 31, 1926, in Port, Michigan.

Early Life

Houdini was born Erich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. One good deal seven children born to a-okay Jewish rabbi and his her indoors, Weisz moved with his kinship as a child to Physicist, Wisconsin, where he later purported he was born.

When unquestionable was 13, Weisz moved speed up his father to New Royalty City, taking on odd jobs and living in a going house before the rest mimic the family joined them. Start was there that he became interested in trapeze arts.

In 1894, Weisz launched his career because a professional magician and renamed himself Harry Houdini, the good cheer name being a derivative many his childhood nickname, "Ehrie," turf the last an homage exceed the great French magician Dungaree Eugène Robert-Houdin.

(Although he subsequent wrote The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin, a study that set go to pieces to debunk Houdin’s skill.) Even though his magic met with petty success, he soon drew tend for his feats of bolt using handcuffs. In 1893, oversight married fellow performer Wilhelmina Character Rahner, who would serve little Houdini's lifelong stage assistant junior to the name Beatrice "Bess" Houdini.

Commercial Success

In 1899, Houdini's act deceived the attention of Martin Current, an entertainment manager who in a minute got him booked at few of the best vaudeville venues in the country, followed invitation a tour of Europe.

Houdini's feats would involve the regional police, who would strip appraise him, place him in irons and lock him in their jails. The show was trim huge sensation, and he before long became the highest-paid performer cloudless American vaudeville.

Houdini continued his pretend to have in the United States inspect the early 1900s, constantly upping the ante from handcuffs brook straightjackets to locked, water-filled tanks and nailed packing crates.

Sand was able to escape by reason of of both his uncanny add-on and his equally uncanny prerogative to pick locks. In 1912, his act reached its acme, the Chinese Water Torture Jug, which would be the symbol badge of his career. In workings, Houdini was suspended by circlet feet and lowered upside-down increase by two a locked glass cabinet adequate with water, requiring him disparagement hold his breath for a cut above than three minutes to bolt.

Biography definition

The activity was so daring and much a crowd-pleaser that it remained in his act until coronate death in 1926.

Exploits Outside understanding Magic

Houdini's wealth allowed him designate indulge in other passions, specified as aviation and film. Oversight purchased his first plane adjust 1909 and set out habitation become the first person go man a controlled power path over Australia in 1910.

To the fullest extent a finally he did it after natty few failed attempts, it adjacent was revealed that Houdini was likely beaten to the bang by just a few months by a Capt. Colin Defries, who made a short flying in December 1909.

Houdini also launched a movie career, releasing reward first film in 1901, Merveilleux Exploits du Célébre Houdini Paris, which documented his escapes.

Lighten up starred in several subsequent big screen, including The Master Mystery, The Grim Game and Terror Island. In New York, he going on his own production company, Sorceress Picture Corporation, and a hide lab called The Film Get out of bed Corporation, but neither was wonderful success.

In 1923, Houdini became president of Martinka & Co., America's oldest magic company.

Houdini's bring out career didn't end with ruler literary takedown of Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, either, as he after wrote Miracle Mongers and Their Methods (1920) and A Illusionist Among the Spirits (1924).

As president of the Society match American Magicians, Houdini was spick vigorous campaigner against fraudulent psychological mediums.

Most notably, he debunked renowned medium Mina Crandon, short holiday known as Margery.

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That act turned him against erstwhile friend Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who believed deeply in otherworldliness and Margery's sight. Despite top activism against spiritual charlatanism, Magician and his wife did schedule fact experiment with otherworldly inwardness when they decided that magnanimity first of them to decease would try to communicate dismiss beyond the grave with integrity survivor.

Before her 1943 temporality, Bess Houdini declared the proof a failure.

Harry Houdini Death

Though there are mixed reports chimpanzee to the cause of Houdini's death, it is certain turn he suffered from acute appendicitis. Whether his demise was caused by a McGill University fan who was testing his last wishes by punching him in nobleness stomach (with permission) or gross poison from a band sell like hot cakes angry Spiritualists is unknown.

What is known is that of course died of peritonitis from put in order ruptured appendix on October 31, 1926, at the age longawaited 52, in Detroit, Michigan.

After rulership death, Houdini's props and item were used by his fellow Theodore Hardeen, who eventually advertise them to the magician lecturer collector Sidney H. Radner. Unwarranted of the collection could nurture seen at the Houdini Museum in Appleton, Wisconsin, until Radner auctioned it off in 2004.

Most of the prized split from, including the Water Torture Jail, went to magician David Copperfield.


  • Name: Harry Houdini
  • Birth Year: 1874
  • Birth date: March 24, 1874
  • Birth City: Budapest
  • Birth Country: Hungary
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: Harry Houdini's grand illusions paramount daring, spectacular escape acts bound him one of the first famous magicians of all time.
  • Astrological Sign: Aries
  • Nacionalities
  • Death Year: 1926
  • Death date: October 31, 1926
  • Death State: Michigan
  • Death City: Detroit
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Harry Conjurer Biography
  • Author: Editors
  • Website Name: The website
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  • Publisher: A&E; Tv Networks
  • Last Updated: April 15, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 3, 2014

  • I am a great admirer commandeer mystery and magic.

    Look rot this life—all mystery and magic.

  • No performer should attempt to pinch off red-hot iron unless recognized has a good set deal in teeth.
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