How old was houdini when he died
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Harry Houdini
Hungarian-American escapologist and stuntperson
"Houdini" redirects here. For other uses, see Houdini (disambiguation).
The native form of this personal name is Weisz Erik. This article uses Western name order when mentioning individuals.
Erik Weisz (March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926), known professionaly as Harry Houdini (hoo-DEE-nee), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts.[3]
Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in the United States and then as Harry "Handcuff" Houdini on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to escape from and hold his breath inside a sealed milk can with water in it.
In 1904, thousands watched as Houdini tried to escape from special handcuffs commissioned by London's Daily Mirror, keeping them in suspense for an hour. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the
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Biography of Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini remains one of the most famous magicians in history. Although Houdini could do card tricks and traditional magic acts, he was most famous for his ability to escape from what seemed like anything and everything, including ropes, handcuffs, straightjackets, jail cells, water-filled milk cans, and even nailed-shut boxes that had been thrown into a river. After World War I, Houdini turned his knowledge about deception against Spiritualists who claimed to be able to contact the dead. Then, at age 52, Houdini died mysteriously after being hit in the abdomen.
Dates: March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926
Also Known As: Ehrich Weisz, Ehrich Weiss, The Great Houdini
Houdini’s Childhood
Throughout his life, Houdini propagated many legends about his beginnings, which have so oft been repeated that it has been difficult for historians to piece together the true story of Houdini’s childhood. However, it is believed that Harry Houdini was born Ehrich Weisz on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary. His mother, Cecilia Weisz (neé Steiner), had si
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1. He named himself after another magician.
1911 poster.
Houdini was born Erik Weisz, but his name was altered to Ehrich Weiss after his family emigrated from Hungary to Wisconsin when he was 4 years old. Young Ehrich—nicknamed “Ehrie” or “Harry”—had a fascination with magic, particularly the work of the famed French conjurer Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin. When he began his own magic career in the 1890s, he paid homage to his hero by adding an “i” to the name “Houdin” to create the stage moniker “Harry Houdini.”
In a strange twist, Houdini later courted controversy by accusing his former idol of stealing other magicians’ tricks. He even wrote a 1908 book called “The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin” in which he branded his namesake a fraud “who waxed great on the brainwork of others.”
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2. Houdini first found fame as the “King of Handcuffs.”
Houdini struggled during his early years in show business and considered calling it quits and opening a magic school. He
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