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“The easiest way to attract a crowd is to let it be known that at a given time and a given place someone is going to attempt something that in the event of failure will mean sudden death.” – Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini is known as a magician, but he was also an actor, pioneering aviator, historian, inventor and businessman. He was born Ehrich Weiss in 1874 in Budapest to Jewish parents. His family immigrated to the United States when he was four years old. His father was unable to make ends meet as a rabbi in Wisconsin, so as a young child Houdini began his career as a circus performer trapeze artist.

Later, his family moved to New York City so his father could attempt to find work. Houdini continued working, but showed a remarkable athletic ability and excelled at sports during his free time.

He began to perform magic tricks on the vaudeville circuit sometime in the 1890s. After his father died in 1892, he and a friend, Jacob Hyman, created a magic act they called “The Brothers Houdini.” They performed at the 1893 World’s Columbia Exposition in Chicago. However, Jacob left the act when Houdini married Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner (later called Bess Houdini) in 1894. She became his stage assistant.

Houdini’s big break came in 1899 when his act got the attention of vaudeville tycoon Martin Beck who put him on the Orpheum circuit. By 1900 Houdini was one of vaudeville’s biggest stars. He never patented his tricks or inventions as the process required detailed drawing and he wanted to protect his illusions. However, he was fearful of copycats and eventually found a way to protect his intellectual property without revealing it through a patent – he copyrighted it.

Houdini was a genius at using the media and always ensuring he was innovating his act. He would arrange co-promotions with corporations. He attempted silent films when they in their infancy because he realized it would reach a wider audience. When airplanes were first invented, he bought one for $5000 and since they were already being flown in America went on tour with it in Australia. He was always attempting to be at the cutting edge and would abandon tricks as soon as he had imitators to find the newest, most daring feat. Throughout all, he was a member of the skeptical movement and campaigned against the Spiritualist movement.

An unknown case of appendicitis was aggravated after a young man punched Houdini in the stomach as a test of strength. While he had his appendix removed on October 25, infection had set in and Houdini died on October 31, 1926 at the age of 52. Houdini’s tricks are still impressive today – there are many that remain a mystery and no one know how he performed them. Furthermore, his name has become synonymous for someone who does something miraculous.

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