Who hasn’t heard of Houdini? How did he die? The escapist everyone tried to compare themselves to when making Magic Tricksillusionism and recreations where they escaped over and over again from death, without a doubt a reference for the illusionists of the world. His death was once a mystery and still surprises today.
Harry Houdinicame to cross borders making his name sound even after his deathso that only prestigious magicians could perform their most dangerous tricks.
How was Houdini’s death
His death was a myth, because depending on where the information came from and knowing his history, many speculated the causes for which he suffered. There was talk of the spiritualist community that they had their eyes on him due to the revelations of his field and his contempt, there was also talk that a trick did not go well and that, therefore, died by drowning or suffocation in one of his attempts to escape; in fact, a movie was even made in 1954, starring Tony Curtis, in which it is explained that his death occurred when he tried to escape from a water tank in one of his escapism numbers… But the reality was already different. that He died from a punch or a complication arising from a blow.
Causes of Houdini’s death
In Montréal, He was drinking in a bar when some young university students arrived and told him that he was well known for his strength. They wanted Houdini to prove it, so he agreed to take a punch to the abdomen, to show that he could take it. What he did not know was that the one who was going to strike was college boxer, Gordon Whitehead and when he received the blow and some more, Houdini, he felt beaten.
The escapist not only felt the pain of the punches they gave him, but he had something else, something internal that did not allow him to stand up correctly. It should be added that he received the blows while sitting down since at that time he suffered from a small sprain in his ankleand asked to be beaten sitting down (he knew that this way he would be able to withstand the punches better).
Cause of death: appendicitis
When they examined him, they discovered that he had an inflamed appendix, suffered from appendicitis, from days before the coups and these worsened their situation. The escapist had severe pain and fever, the doctor advised him to stay for treatment, but instead he chose to go to the function that he was to give that day.
The show with magic numbers and escapism started that night as usual. A bruised Houdini, he did several tricks, including making a woman disappear, but he couldn’t finish as usual and had to ask his assistant for help.
Houdini’s operation
Once in the hospital, and while on the operating table, it is discovered that Houdini suffered from a very severe peritonitis because the appendix burst, due to the fight. At the time, it is speculated whether the aforementioned blows to the abdomen may have been the cause of his appendicitis. In fact, the conclusion made by the life insurance company, which then had to pay double compensation because of his findings, was that the blows to Houdini’s abdomen had ruptured his appendix.
In any case, it is still debated whether this could be the case, although many doctors believe that the escapist could have had appendicitis prior to the blows, later resulting in peritonitis. Let’s think that centuries ago suffering from appendicitis was certain death, since there was no treatment, they did not take antibiotics, and in most cases, when they reached the operating room it was too late.
Actual cause of death from peritonitis
Peritonitis was the cause of his death, nine days after receiving the blows and after having undergone emergency surgery and remaining hospitalized in the hope that he would survive. That’s how it is How was Houdini’s death. More of two thousand people attended his funeralin which Houdini left with only 52 years old on October 21, 1926.
Houdini’s ghost
As a curious fact, it should be added that before he died, Houdini he promised his wife Bess that if he could communicate from “the other side”, he would do so on the 10th anniversary of her death. At the appointed time, Bess Houdini attempted to make contact during a session held on Halloween 1936, but to no avail. Since then, various paranormal specialists have tried to do the same thing on Halloween, but with little luck.
Houdini Mini Biography | His Childhood and Youth
On March 24, 1874, the most famous escapist known as Harry Houdini was born in Budapest under the name of Erik Weisz. His father, Mayer Samuel Weisz, was a rabbi, while his mother, Cecilia Steiner, was a very religious woman completely dedicated to her family. In 1878, the entire family moves to Wisconsin when Harry’s father is appointed rabbi in a new congregation.
the family lives periods of great difficulty and Erik, like his other 6 siblings, is forced to work at a very young age. With eight years of age he contributed everything that gave him the sale of newspapers and the shine of shoes in the street. But little Erik’s life was about to change, after seeing the performance of the traveling magician Dr. Lynnwhere acting, magic and illusionism impressed young Erik, giving rise to a passion that would never leave him.
At the age of nine, Erik could be said to have prepared his first public performance, together with neighborhood friends with whom he had created a small circus, where he would perform as a contortionist and trapeze artist, under the pseudonym Erik, The Prince of the Air. The circus was his life and very soon he decided to seek his fortune among traveling shows and circuses, leaving his family for almost a year until they moved to New York and Erik decided to join the family on the trip, perhaps in New York he could find what he wanted. I was looking for
Erik got small jobs that allowed him at times to even support his family when he was only 13 years old. He studied magic and became interested in other more sporting disciplines such as swimming. But what marked the young apprentice magician was the reading of a very special book whose title was “The Memoirs of Robert-Houdin, Ambassador, Author, and Conjuror, Written by Himself”, a book in which the experiences of the magician were narrated Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin and that impacted young Erik, to the point of becoming his idol.
At this time Erik would adopt the last name of the magician Jean Eugene and would become adding an “i” at the end to convert Houdin into Houdini, a name that he would not abandon until the end of his days, later, surprised by another great magician, he adopted the name of Harry, thanks to Harry Kellar.
Houdini Mini Biography| early years
At a time when spiritism and summoning ghosts were at their peak, where seers were tied to summon ghosts, thus avoiding suspicion of fraud and people flocked to find out about their missing loved ones . Soon Houdini found out the tricks that all these seers used, how they manipulated the scene and the magical effects they used to free themselves from their bonds. This fact was the trigger for Houdini to see in the simple fact of escaping from the bonds a number in itself.
The young Houdini had started as a trapeze artist and contortionist, but magic was his passion, touching all the branches of this art, soon became famous for his escapisms. The physical resistance that the sport had given him was a great help for the young man, who, unlike the other magicians, continued to improve with strong training consisting of hard race and long days of swimminga training that he never stopped doing.
But When Houdini’s mother dies with whom he had a very special relationship, which some even considered unhealthy. Houdini enters a great depression and begins to feel hatred for the spiritualists, now he did not see them as part of the show, but as real swindlers who took advantage of people, who like him, had lost a loved one.
Begin to reveal all cheats of which they took advantage, the effects of magic, etc. From now on all spiritualists were considered by Houdini as charlatans trying to get the money of people playing with feelings.
Houdini’s most famous tricks
the effects and techniques that Houdini used throughout his life, they were kept secrets, later studies have revealed that he never used third parties, nor was he helped by fake materials. The main theory is that he performed all his escapism feats by hiding keys and picks in the various orifices of the body, such as, swallowing keys and regurgitating them after. But the main effects and techniques of him were as follows.
Metamorphosis
Houdini created a new way of doing magic, a new philosophy, and a new interpretation of it. One of his best known numbers is the “Metamorphosis”.
The metamorphosis consisted of Houdini was tied, introduced in a large sack that was also introduced into a trunk. The trunk was tied and secured with padlocks. At that moment, a young and pretty assistant appeared with a curtain, who, climbing on top of the trunk, raised the curtain and after a short countdown, 3, 2, 1…, she let herself fall.
The effect was spectacularwhen the curtain fell in the place of the young assistant, Houdini appeared, on the trunk that remained closed and fastened with padlocks. Then Houdini got down from the trunk, removed the padlocks, opened the bag and the young assistant appeared inside it, the metamorphosis had occurred.
The number was truly incredible, both in Houdini’s time and today, as it remains one of the most difficult numbers for an escapist to pull off. It has been calculated that the magician Houdini may have performed this same exercise over 10,000 times. throughout his life.
Houdini usually always worked with the same assistant, a small, dark-haired young woman named Beatrice Rahner, soon this young assistant would end up falling in love with the great illusionist, becoming his wife in 1894. A couple that would remain united until the end.
Houdini’s wives
There is no doubt about the abilities of Houdini to free himself from all that were ties, handcuffs, ropes, padlocks, chains, etc. Situations that little by little were complicating and that managed to elevate him to the highest category within escapism and illusionism. Soon his reputation jumped continents and Europe surrendered to him, achieved success in all countries where he represented his escapist skills, becoming known as the King of Wives. It was even said that Houdini was used as a secret spy for both the Russians and the Germans.
Their numbers with handcuffs They were spectacular, their way of operating was to arrive in a city, talk to the chief of police or enter the prison and propose a challenge, for which…