Harry Houdini ~ The World's Greatest Magician

Houdini apparently immigrated to the United States with his family on July 3 1878, at the age of four. Houdini's name was listed as Ehrich Weiss but his friends called him Ehrie or Harry. He was one of 6 children born to Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss and Cecelia Steiner Weiss.

Harry's father served as Rabbi to the Zion Reform Jewish Congregation in Appleton, Wisconsin. After his tenure in Appleton, Rabbi Weiss moved the family to New York City in 1887. As a youngster, he became a champion cross country runner and became fascinated with magic after seeing Dr. Lynn's magic show. Most of his childhood was spent in poverty, which may explain his turning to a career in magic rather than a factory job.

Young Ehrich turned to performing magic tricks at the age of 17 and formed The Houdini Brothers with friend and fellow magic enthusiast, Jack Hayman. Indeed, it was Hayman that told him that in French, adding an "I" to houdin would mean "like Houdin". This struck his fancy as he was greatly influenced by the French magician Jean Eugene Robert_Houdin, although it was seeing the traveling magic show of Dr. Lynn that began his fascination with the art. Later in life Houdini would claim the name Harry was in homage to the great magician Harry Kellar, whom Houdini also greatly admired.

Houdini's early magic acts had little sucess. Performing in dime museums and sideshows Houdini focused on traditional card tricks. At one point, he billed himself as the "King of Cards" (see poster below) but once he teamed up with Hayman as"The Brothers Houdini" they turned to escape tricks and specialized in "the Crate Escape." After a time, Hayman became bored with magic and was replaced by Houdini's actual brother, Theodore, later known as Hardeen. While performing on Coney Island, he met fellow performer Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, whom he later married. Bess eventually replaced Hardeen in the act which became known as "The Houdinis"

Houdini's big break came when he met Martin Beck a stage act manager in 1899. Beck advised Houdini to concentrate on his escape acts and booked him in the Orpheum Vaudeville circuit. Whithin the year he was performing in the top Vaudeville houses in the United States. Then in 1900 Beck arranged for Houdini to tour Europe.

Houdini popularity in Europe was far and beyond what it was in the United States. He became known as "The Handcuff King" as he toured all the major European cities. In each city Houdini would challenge local police to restrain him with shackles and lock him in their jails. He never failed at any of these challenges. From England to Scotland, from Germany to Russia he astounded audiences with his amazing talent.

After 4 years in Europe Houdini returned to the United States and purchased a house for $25,000, a house that still stands today at 278 W. 113th St. Harlem, N.Y.

After some trying times in the United States where his popularity was not as pronounced as it was in Europe, he finally found success as his popularity increased from 1907 to 1910. He would free himself from jails, handcuffs, chains, ropes, and straitjackets, often while hanging from a rope in plain sight of street audiences. In 1908 he came up with an act that would set him apart from all the rest, the water filled milk can. The possibility of his death thrilled audiences. He also invited the public to devise containers from which he would escape. Some of these included nailed packing crates (sometimes lowered into the water), riveted boilers, wet-sheets, mailbags, and even the belly of a whale that washed ashore in Boston.

In 1912, Houdini introduced perhaps his most famous act, the Chinese Water Torture Cell, in which he was suspended upside-down in a locked glass-and-steel cabinet full to overflowing with water. The act required that Houdini hold his breath for more than three minutes. Houdini performed the escape for the rest of his career. Despite two Hollywood movies depicting Houdini dying in the Tortures Cell, the escape had nothing to do with his demise.

For the majority of his career, Houdini performed his act as a headliner in vaudeville. For many years, he was the highest-paid performer in American vaudeville. One of Houdini's most notable non-escape stage illusions was performed at New York's Hippodrome Theater when he vanished a full-grown elephant (with its trainer) from a stage, beneath which was a swimming pool.

Houdini's death was as strange as his life. Eyewitnesses to the event were students named Jacques Price and Sam Smilovitz (sometimes called Jack Price and Sam Smiley). Their accounts generally agreed. The following is Price's description of events:

'Houdini was reclining on his couch after his performance, having an art student sketch him. When Whitehead came in and asked if it was true that Houdini could take any blow to the stomach, Houdini replied groggily in the affirmative. In this instance, he was hit three times, before Houdini could tighten up his stomach muscles, which would have allowed him to avoid serious injury. Whitehead reportedly continued hitting Houdini several times afterwards, and Houdini acted as though he were in some pain.'
Houdini stated that if he had had time to prepare himself properly, he would have been in a better position to take the blows.

Houdini had apparently been suffering from appendicitis for several days prior and yet refused medical treatment. His appendix would most likely have burst on its own without the trauma. Although in serious pain, Houdini none-the-less continued to travel, without seeking medical attention.

When Houdini arrived at the Garrick Theater in Detroit, Michigan, on October 24, 1926, for what would be his last performance, he had a fever of 104 degrees. Despite a diagnosis of acute appendicitis, Houdini took the stage. He was reported to have passed out during the show, but was revived and continued. Afterwards, he was hospitalized at Detroit's Grace Hospital. Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in Room 401 on October 31 (Halloween), 1926, at the age of 52.

And so ended the life of a man who would become known as The World's Greatest Magician. For the next 90 years no man has even dared to claim that honor.