Houdini soon began to experiment more with escape acts. When Houdini fired a pistol, Jennie the Elephant vanished from view, and the crowd went wild. There Houdini made a 10,000-pound elephant disappear. At one point, he billed himself as the 'King of Cards.' One of his most notable non-escape stage illusions was performed in 1918 on the brightly lit stage of the Hippodrome in New York City. Houdini initially focused on cards and other traditional card acts. After Houdini taught her the principles of conjuring and mind reading, Bess worked as his stage assistant for the rest of his performing career. Initially, Harry`s magic career met with little success, but in 1893 at the age of 19, he met fellow performer Wilhelmina Beatrice (Bess) and married her after a three-week courtship. When Hayman and Harry parted ways, Harry`s brother Theodore became his partner. With a friend named Hayman, he started the Houdini Brothers, named after the Frenchman. After reading a memoir by the famous French magician, Houdin, Houdini decided to follow him career-wise.

He showed the manager his tricks and the man was so impressed with Harry`s talent for releasing himself from rope ties, and picking up pins with his eyelids, that he hired him to perform while the circus was in town.Īt age 11, Houdini began to work for a local locksmith and was soon able to pick any lock. When Harry was nine, a circus arrived in town. As a boy, he spent his time practicing acrobatics, and doing odd jobs as a newspaper seller and bootblack. His first trick was making a dried pea appear in any one of three cups. 'My mind,' he is often quoted as saying, 'is the key that sets me free.'īy the time Houdini was six, he had already developed a taste for magic and sleight of hand.

Houdini had little formal education, but his self-education was a lifelong pursuit. Houdini became world famous by barnstorming across America and around the globe. His specialty was any type of escape, including slipping out of ropes, chains, and handcuffs while locked in trunks and milk cans, or submerged under water. Houdini is said to be one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century. Mayer Samuel Weiss, a Jewish rabbi, and Cecilia Steiner Weiss.

Harry Houdini, born Ehrich Weiss on April 6, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary, was the son of Dr.

The amazing harry houdini