Harry Houdini Biography

Having moved to Wisconsin when he was two years old, Houdini began to work at an early age due to his family’s financial situation – anything from selling newspaper to shining shoes.

Soon after his father had taken him to see a travelling magician, Houdini's interest in performing consumed him. Having moved to New York, he discovered the book 'The Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, Ambassador, Author, and Conjuror, Written by Himself'. So taken with this book, Houdini added an "i" to his idol's name, and began working on a stage act.

His first performances included shows at amusement parks and fairs. After meeting and marrying Beatrice "Bess" Rahner, in 1894, the pair became a double-act.

It wasn’t long before he became world-famed for his escapes from bonds of every sort —locks, handcuffs, straitjackets and sealed chests underwater.

Although he was gaining in popularity, Houdini was not happy with his success in the United States. He and Bess set out on a tour of Europe and Russia at the turn of the century. The pair were to remain in Europe for five years and became the premiere vaudeville attraction.

Houdini performed in silent films, and was also noted for his exposure of fraudulent spiritualistic mediums and their phenomena. He left to the ‘Library of Congress’ his library of magic, one of the most complete and valuable in the world.

Among his writings are ‘The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin’ (1908), ‘Miracle Mongers’ and Their Methods’ (1920), and ‘A Magician among the Spirits’ (1924).

In 1926, Houdini was giving a lecture on spiritualism in Montreal. While sitting in his dressing room with several students from McGill University, he was asked if he could accept a blow to the stomach by any man.

Before Houdini could prepare his stomach muscles, one of the students hit him three times. Refusing any form of treatment, he died from peritonitis days later.