Harry Houdini
(1874 - 1926)
Houdini's real name was Ehrich Weiss, he was born March 24, 1874 in Budapest Hungary. He loved magic and began performing for audiences during his boyhood. In his late teens he took on the name Harry Houdini, and became recognized all over the world as the finest magician and escape artist. This is his amazing story from being a poor boy to a famous magician.
Ehrich Weiss’s father was a poor Jewish Rabbi living in Budapest. The year that Ehrich was born his father received a letter from America asking him to lead a Jewish congregation in Appleton, Wisconsin. The money offered for the position was small, but it was more than he was making in Hungary and he moved his family to America.
When in America the children easily picked up English, but Ehrich’s father and mother had difficulty. At home the family spoke German and in school, they spoke English. The family continued to be poor, there were nine children. All of the older children including Ehrich at age 8 worked after school to help support the family, selling newspapers or shining shoes.
When Ehrich was nine his father lost his position as a Rabbi; the members of the congregation needed an English speaking Rabbi. The family to Milwaukee in hopes of finding a new position as a Rabbi, but none of the synagogues wanted a German speaking Rabbi. The family was barely scraping by.
About this time Ehrich went to his first circus and saw a magician and he decided that one day he would join a circus and become a magician. He began practicing rope escape skills with his brothers. He also learned how to pick locks as a boy trying to get into his mother’s pantry to sneak a piece of pie.
The family moved to New York in 1887 in hopes their father would find work as a Rabbi since they were unsuccessful in Milwaukee. Ehrich began working as a delivery boy for a department store. The delivery boys made their money from the tips they received, Ehrich usually made about 3.00 a week. The family continued to be very poor.
In December 1887 the family was about to be evicted from their apartment. Ehrich had an idea to pin a little card on all the packages he delivered a week before Christmas. The card read, “Christmas is coming. Turkeys are fat. Please drop a quarter in the messenger boy’s hat.” Ehrich came home with a great deal of money earned from tips. He did this every day until Christmas. He gave the money to his mother and the family was able to pay the rent.
For the next several years Ehrich had many other odd jobs. He joined an athletic club and became a very fast runner on the track team, winning many medals and trophies. He read every book he could find about magic and began practicing tricks. He joined a drama society and performed in many plays on stage. His athletic and dramatic abilities were stepping stones to his real passion; magic.
In Ehrich’s quest for more books on magic he came across a book called, “Memoirs of Robert-Houdin”, a book about a nineteenth century magician from France. This magician became his hero and model of what he wanted to do with his magic. While still a teenager, Ehrich took on the name, “Houdini” after his hero. Everyone began to call him Harry Houdini.
Houdini began working on picking locks and working on his magical tricks. When he found the time he would go to locksmith shops and banks and ask if he could practice on their locks.
In 1891 Houdini formed a magic team with two of his brothers, called the “Brothers Houdini”. They were not very successful, but they did gain a lot of experience. Harry Houdini was the real showman and became the star of the act. In 1894 while Houdini was working in a circus, he met a young girl who was a singer named Bess Rahner. They fell in love and were married. The Brothers Houdini group soon broke up and Bess became part of the show. The magic act grew little by little and began to get some recognition.
In 1900 the Houdini’s went to England to promote their act. The police in Britain had been touting their escape proof handcuffs. Houdini announced in a show that he could escape from any handcuffs, even the foolproof ones! The British police took on the dare and brought in the handcuffs. Within seconds, in front of newspaper reporters and crowds of people Houdini was out of the handcuffs. This was the major breakthrough to their fame and fortune. More and more magic shows were done with the emphasis on Houdini’s escape artist tricks. He was bound with ropes, chains, locked in crates, boxes, steel trunks; he could escape them all. The biggest challenge was the 600 pound iron trunk. Houdini was bound with chains, locked in the trunk and dropped into New York City’s East River. He was able to escape before he almost drowned and his fame soared.
Years went on and the escape tricks became more and more amazing; straight jackets, prison cells, and sealed coffins all in front of cheering crowds.
The most spectacular escape act was the Chinese Torture Water Cell. He was to be chained upside down and submersed in the water of the glass cell that was locked. He was able to escape within a few minutes. This became one of his most popular stunts.
His fame grew and his act continued until he died on October 31, 1926.
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