Harry Houdini Biography and Works.

Harry Houdini was born on March 24, 1874. He was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, actor, stunt performer and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts.

He was also a sceptic who set out to expose frauds purporting to be supernatural phenomena.

His father was Mayer Samuel Weisz, a religious teacher. Houdini ran away from home by hopping a freight car at the age of 12, but later rejoined his family.

He started his professional career at the age of 17 doing magic shows before civic groups, in music halls. Harry and Bess married in 1894 and Bess joined the act as Harry’s new partner. Later, in 1895, they joined Welsh Brothers Circus. Together they performed a trick called ‘Metamorphosis’, in which they switched places in a locked trunk.

Continuously trying for new tricks, he also became an expert at handcuffs. His easy escapes provided him tremendous publicity. The Houdini went to England with not enough money to survive there. But his shows in London gained him popularity soon and he gained a lot of fame.

By 1905, he was an international celebrity. He also served as the president of the Society of American Magicians and founded the Magician’s Club in London.

Houdini became an actor, appearing in a 13-part silent film serial called The Master of Mystery. Later, he started a production house and produced some movies.

He died of peritonitis on October 31, 1926.

Trivia

Houdini tried to enlist in the army when America entered the First World War in 1917 but was rejected as being too old at the age of 43. He then started performing free shows for servicemen.