The Handcuff King later featured in several high profile Hollywood films during the 20s golden age of cinema and became the global celebrity of his age.īut few people know that he was also a fan and purveyor of small, local theatres and took to the stage in cities and towns across Britain that many in his new home of America would have never heard of. The Hungarian born Houdini would embark on a 30 year career which would see him perform some of the most incredible and death defying stunts ever recorded, wowing crowds in London, San Francisco, New York and Sydney, before bringing his show to adoring audiences in the Netherlands, France, Germany and Russia. Houdini was the son of a rabbi who emigrated from Hungary to the United States and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin.He was the world's greatest escapologist, a pioneering magician and a man unrivalled in his time.ġ902 was a special year for Blackburn and Burnley who would both play host to Harry Houdini - one of the most famous and well known faces of modern human history. Harry Houdini, original name Erik Weisz, (born March 24, 1874, Budapest -died October 31, 1926, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.), American magician noted for his sensational escape acts.
As part of the effect, Houdini invited members of the audience to hold their breath along with him while he was inside the can. He would then escape while conceded inside a curtain cabinet. Houdini would be locked inside an oversized galvanized milk can filled with water. 1922: Eugenie Blair, actress, was performing in the original production of Anna Christie. Most people do not realize that Bess Houdini was turned down for the double indemnity payment of Houdini’s life insurance policy that could help set her up for life.ġ918: Chung Ling Soo, magician (real name: William Ellsworth Robinson), died as a result of a bullet catch illusion going wrong on stage. Gordon Whitehead was tracking Houdini’s every move in Montreal, was intent in punching Houdini to do some harm, but did not intend for Houdini to die. Why did Gordon Whitehead punch Harry Houdini?
Thanks to the hugely popular (and largely fictional) 1953 film Houdini, starring Tony Curtis, a common myth you’ll often hear concerning how Houdini died is that he drowned failing to escape from a water tank during a performance, having to ultimately be pulled from the tank as depicted in the film. The “jumpcuffs” were pulled open immediately after hitting the water, allowing Houdini to come to the surface freed from restraint. These were used when making a jump from a bridge into a river before large crowds. The handcuffs would pass inspection, but could be opened by a tug on the wrists. Twelve magicians have died attempting it. An author by the name of Don Bell, wrote a book about the incident in 2004, entitled, “The Man Who Killed Houdini.” Contrary to popular belief, appendicitis and not the punch was the likely cause of Houdini’s death… How many magicians have died doing tricks?īullet Catch Every magician fears performing The Bullet Catch: the deadliest trick in all of magic. Whitehead who later disappeared into obscurity died from malnutrition in Montreal, Quebec, in 1954. What happened to Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead? Houdini died of peritonitis seven days later October 31 at age 52.
When Houdini had surgery to remove his appendix later that afternoon, doctors discovered it had ruptured and that he was suffering from peritonitis. He took the stage at Garrick Theater even with a fever of 104 and a diagnosis of acute appendicitis.
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