The "Magical" Side of Halloween
Along with the "jack-o-lanterns", spooky stories, costumed children and candy treats that represent Halloween, October 31st marks the date the world's greatest magician passed away in 1926 ending an entertainment career that spanned over 35 years.
Harry Houdini was undisputedly the world's greatest magician. Born Eric Weiss in Budapest, Hungary in 1874, Houdini tackled the impossible and enraptured audiences with hope and determination as they watched this small man, a man barely 5 feet 4 inches tall, struggle to escape from ropes and handcuffs, chains, jail cells, tanks filled with water . . . anything they could think of. His legendary escapes include being chained and nailed into packing crates which were tossed into freezing rivers; escaping from jail cells around the world (one of which held President Garfield's assassin); and his famous "Water Torture Cell" -- a large aquarium-like tank filled with water into which Houdini was lowered into head first and the stocks binding his feet locked securely to the outside of the tank.
Houdini began his career performing in dime museums as "The King of Cards" presenting flashy card tricks to small audiences. With the support of theater impresario Martin Beck, Houdini developed the "Challenge Escape" and encouraged anyone to challenge him to release himself from whatever contraptions he or she could devise or construct. Challenges came and crowds filled theaters to be the first to see if Houdini would fail - and he never did!
"Many people mistakenly believe that Houdini
died inside the Water Torture Cell." Harry Maurer, a comedy magician from Houston, Texas admits. "The truth is, he escaped from the Water Torture Cell regularly for 13 years! Houdini actually died from an unexpected punch to his stomach."
Although small, Houdini was an amazingly fit individual and to prove so, he could withstand blows to his stomach without flinching -- even from professional boxers! After his performance in Montreal he was visited backstage by a group of students from McGill University. When he was asked if the story was true, Houdini casually said, "Yes", and before he knew it, a boxing student from the college punched Houdini without allowing him a chance to prepare himself. The blow to Houdini's stomach ruptured his appendix and the great Harry Houdini, the former "King of Cards", "The Man No Jail Could Hold", died two days later of peritonitis on October 31st, 1926 at the age of 52.
To have some magical fun this Halloween in the spirit of Houdini, visit: www.10tricks.hmmagic.com to learn "10 Free Tricks That You Can Do With an Ordinary Deck of Cards". And this Halloween, when you holler "Trick or Treat" . . . you can really mean it!
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About the Author
Harry Maurer professional entertainer who performs in the showrooms of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. With over 20 years of experience, he provides comedy magical entertainment tailored to the needs of his corporate clients. He resides in Houston and can be reached at (713) 466-7533 or on the world-wide web at www.hmmagic.com.
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