My OperaHarry Houdini - master of illusion
Friday, February 3, 2006 6:21:13 AM
Harry Houdini was a master of illusion. Houdini earned an international reputation as an escape artist who dramatically freed himself from ropes, shackles, and handcuffs. He was married to Wilhelmina Rahner, who, as Beatrice Houdini, was his stage assistant. He performed on vaudeville and was also in many motion pictures.
As an adult performer, Harry Houdini was known for his great physical strength and flexibility. As a young man, when his name was still Ehrich Weiss, he won several competitive medals as a member of the Pastime Athletic Club track team in New York. Weiss worked hard to build up his physical stamina. He knew he would need it if he wanted to perform on the vaudeville stage. Have you worked at developing any special skill? In addition to working on his physical strength, Houdini also worked on his mental strength. Weiss ran away from home when he was just 12 years old in order to earn money and seek adventure on his own. Weiss lost his father at an early age. He maintained a very close relationship with his mother, Cecilia Steiner Weiss, throughout her life. This is a postcard he sent to his mom in 1886. He signed it from "Your truant son, Erich Weiss." Because he left home at such a young age, it was important for Houdini to be able to rely on himself. How do you think this helped him in his career?
In 1899, when Houdini decided to stop doing traditional magic and instead concentrate on escapes, his career took off. He created several dramatic escapes. In 1908, in St. Louis, Houdini introduced his escape from a giant milk can filled with water. It became a very popular trick and he took it on tour throughout the U.S., England, and Germany. What kind of escape could top this? For his next escape, Houdini had to come up with something even more dramatic than the Giant Milk Can escape, and he did. His new trick, which he began to perform in 1913, was known as the Upside Down Water Torture Cell. In this trick, Houdini's ankles were secured in a brace and he was put under water, upside down and locked in place in full view of the audience. From this position he freed himself and escaped from the water cell. Another escape was called the underwater burial. Houdini called this "the greatest feat I have ever attempted." Have you ever seen a magic show? Check out Houdini's next trick! Some magicians might make a rabbit jump out of a hat or a bird disappears into thin air, but that was too easy for Houdini. He had to work with an elephant! In 1918, in the middle of the brightly lit stage of the Hippodrome theater in New York City, Houdini made a 10,000-pound elephant named Jennie disappear. The act was called "The Vanishing Elephant," and when Houdini fired a pistol, Jennie vanished from view. Houdini had created a sensation. This incredible trick helped make Houdini a world-famous master of illusion.
As an adult performer, Harry Houdini was known for his great physical strength and flexibility. As a young man, when his name was still Ehrich Weiss, he won several competitive medals as a member of the Pastime Athletic Club track team in New York. Weiss worked hard to build up his physical stamina. He knew he would need it if he wanted to perform on the vaudeville stage. Have you worked at developing any special skill? In addition to working on his physical strength, Houdini also worked on his mental strength. Weiss ran away from home when he was just 12 years old in order to earn money and seek adventure on his own. Weiss lost his father at an early age. He maintained a very close relationship with his mother, Cecilia Steiner Weiss, throughout her life. This is a postcard he sent to his mom in 1886. He signed it from "Your truant son, Erich Weiss." Because he left home at such a young age, it was important for Houdini to be able to rely on himself. How do you think this helped him in his career?
In 1899, when Houdini decided to stop doing traditional magic and instead concentrate on escapes, his career took off. He created several dramatic escapes. In 1908, in St. Louis, Houdini introduced his escape from a giant milk can filled with water. It became a very popular trick and he took it on tour throughout the U.S., England, and Germany. What kind of escape could top this? For his next escape, Houdini had to come up with something even more dramatic than the Giant Milk Can escape, and he did. His new trick, which he began to perform in 1913, was known as the Upside Down Water Torture Cell. In this trick, Houdini's ankles were secured in a brace and he was put under water, upside down and locked in place in full view of the audience. From this position he freed himself and escaped from the water cell. Another escape was called the underwater burial. Houdini called this "the greatest feat I have ever attempted." Have you ever seen a magic show? Check out Houdini's next trick! Some magicians might make a rabbit jump out of a hat or a bird disappears into thin air, but that was too easy for Houdini. He had to work with an elephant! In 1918, in the middle of the brightly lit stage of the Hippodrome theater in New York City, Houdini made a 10,000-pound elephant named Jennie disappear. The act was called "The Vanishing Elephant," and when Houdini fired a pistol, Jennie vanished from view. Houdini had created a sensation. This incredible trick helped make Houdini a world-famous master of illusion.
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