Harry Houdini Dies

Harry Houdini, the great escape artist, died on October 31, 1926 of gangrene from a ruptured appendix. He had performed earlier, although his temperature had reached 104 degrees. He passed out onstage but was revived and finished the show before being rushed to the hospital. He fought for his life for days but is reported to have finally said he was tired of fighting. He's still named as one of the best-known magicians and escape artists in history.

Houdini with mother and wife

Houdini was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, in 1874 to Jewish parents and named Erik Weisz, later changed to Ehrich Weiss. The family came to America in 1878 and settled in Wisconsin and then moved to New York City. Houdini worked as a trapeze artist as a child and became a champion cross-country runner. As a teenager, he was taught by a magician at an athletic club. He began performing with his brother, Dash, on Coney Island where he met performer Wilhelmina Beatrice "Bess" Rahner, whom Dash had courted. However, Harry ended up marrying her in 1894, and she became his assistant onstage. 

Houdini's list of accomplishments are quite long. He escaped from handcuffs, chains, ropes, and straight jackets, often while being stuffed into water-filled milk cans or tanks or dangling upside down. Jails could not hold him. He became most famous for his Chinese Water Torture Act. Here he was suspended upside-down in a locked glass and steel container filled with water. He had to hold his breath for over three minutes while maneuvering to escape the stocks which held him firmly. He also served as President of the Society of American |Magicians from 1917 until his death.

In addition, he became the star in several movies. However, he eventually quit, saying his earnings didn't make it worth it. He became a pilot, as well, and loved flying. In the 1920's, he used his experience as a magician to expose those who claimed to raise dead spirits as frauds. He figured out exactly how they managed to trick their audience. In fact, some of his family believed he had really been murdered by some of these spiritualists.

His death brought out more than two- thousand mourners to his funeral. He was buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Queens. Although relatively young, he'd packed a lot of living in his 52 years.

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