houdini

Harry Houdini became world-renowned for his stunts and feats of escapology even more than for his magical illusions. Born March 24, 1874(1874-03-24) but said he was born 4/6

Budapest, Hungary Died October 31, 1926 (aged 52)

Detroit, Michigan, U.S. Occupation magician, escapologist, stunt performer, actor, historian, film producer, pilot, and spiritualist debunker

Harry Houdini (March 24, 1874 Budapest – October 31, 1926, born Ehrich Weiss)[1] was a Hungarian-American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer, as well as a skeptic and investigator of spiritualists. Contents [hide] 1 Birth and name 2 Magic career 2.1 Notable escapes 2.1.1 The Mirror Handcuff Challenge 2.1.2 The Milk Can 2.1.3 The Chinese Water Torture Cell 2.1.4 Suspended straitjacket escape 2.1.5 Overboard Box Escape 2.1.6 Buried Alive 3 Movie career 4 Pioneer aviator 5 Debunking spiritualists 5.1 Conflicting statements 5.2 Yearly séances 6 Appearance and voice 7 Artifacts 8 Death 8.1 Funeral 9 Proposed exhumation 10 Legacy 11 Publications 11.1 Biographies 11.2 Further reading 12 See also 13 References 14 External links //

Birth and name

Harry Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary. A copy of his birth certificate was found and published in The Houdini Birth Research Committee's Report. (1972).[2] As to his birth date, from 1907 onwards, Houdini claimed in interviews to have been born in Appleton, Wisconsin, on April 6, 1873.

Houdini's father was Mayer (Mayo) Samuel Weiss (1829–1892), a rabbi; his mother was Cecilia Steiner (1841–1913). Ehrich had six siblings: Herman M. (1863-1885); Nathan J. Weiss (1870–1927); Gottfried William Weiss (1872–1925); Theodore Weiss (Dash) (1876–1945);[3] Leopold D. Weiss (1879–1962); and Gladys Carrie Weiss (1882-?).

He immigrated with his family to the United States on July 3, 1878, at the age of four, on the SS Fresia with his mother (who was pregnant) and his four brothers. Houdini's name was listed as Ehrich Weiss.[4] Friends called him "Ehrie" or "Harry".

At first, they lived in Appleton, Wisconsin, where his father served as rabbi of the Zion Reform Jewish Congregation. In 1880, the family was living on Appleton Street.[5] On June 6, 1882, Rabbi Weiss became an American citizen. After losing his tenure, he moved to New York City with Ehrich in 1887. They lived in a boarding house on East 79th Street. Rabbi Weiss later was joined by the rest of the family once he found more permanent housing. As a child, Ehrich took several jobs, then became a champion cross country runner. He made his public début as a 9-year-old trapeze artist, calling himself "Ehrich, the prince of the air". Weiss became a professional magician and began calling himself "Harry Houdini" because he was heavily influenced by the French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, and his friend Jack Hayman told him that in French, adding