![]() The foundation for Harry achieving success and becoming world famous was Beck becoming his manager, as well as a close friend, along with Houdini touring Beck’s Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Up until then Harry had not managed to raise himself above the lower level of show business, and was beginning to think of giving it all up. The one thing that is probably true though about Harry’s career is that his first big break was when Martin Beck discovered him in 1899. What can you tell us about that with regards to Houdini?īob: Most famous people tend to rewrite their history when they become well-known. It could be a new action they took or a lucky break that happened. Stop testing us!”Ĭhristopher: Many performers who reach world fame can point back to a moment when everything changed. I can imagine them saying something like this to him: “Hey, we can keep our secrets. Those ‘backroom boys’ must have had a quite a laugh when Ernst, the man who made them sign a non-disclosure agreement, tried to find out how Houdini did his slate effect. The interesting fact to me is that they were definitely involved in the slate effect that Harry performed (exclusively) for Conan Doyle and Houdini’s lawyer Ernst**. ![]() In my book I comment on several of those unseen individuals in detail. Harry, in fact, had a team of behind-the-scenes experts who were sworn to secrecy. While many people think Houdini had one big secret, the real answer is that each type of escape had a different, often complex, method. Can you reveal anything here to answer the common questions about how he escaped?īob: When asked ‘how they did it’, a standard reply by many magicians is often: “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you!” I recently overheard this response to that remark: “Okay, then just tell my wife!” The stories about his escapes live on and people still wonder how he performed his spectacular escapes. I won’t repeat the gory details.Īs to which of the two is the more dangerous, don’t tell Josephine, but in New York, in February 1900, Bess got stuck in the Metamorphosis trunk, and when finally released she was unconscious! (Christopher’s Note: Josephine once actually experienced a similarly terrifying fate!)Ĭhristopher: Houdini’s feats captured the public imagination of his day. On page 467 he describes “A Needle King’s Accident”. For a typical example of how it can all go wrong see David Price’s classic 1985 book, Magic: A Pictorial History of Conjurers in the Theater. For the needle swallowing you just need a pocket to carry around the needles.Īlthough the swallowing has the benefit of being an impromptu, one person effect there is a down side – the danger. From the stagecraft point of view, a male/female partnership is thought to be the best for the metamorphosis. They were his friend Jake Hyman, Jake’s brother Joe, Harry’s brother Dash, and finally Houdini’s wife Bess. ![]() Over the years Houdini had four different partners. The main difference between them is that for Metamorphosis you need to carry around a big box and it takes two people to present it. I sat down with Bob in socially-distanced cyberspace and asked him to answer some popular questions about Houdini.īob: I’ve had the great pleasure of seeing you perform them both. Houdini emigrated to America and made a name for himself surrounded by myths that are alive and well today. Harry Houdini was born in Hungary in 1874 (although Bob’s book explains why there are alternative theories!). But it was certainly one of his most fascinating.įor the uninitiated, Houdini was one of the most famous stage magicians in history. It wasn’t even Houdini’s most dangerous trick. It wasn’t Houdini’s most famous trick by any means. Thanks to Bob, one of Houdini’s greatest tricks has been revealed. The book represents twenty years of passionate research and is a witty and thorough exploration to untangle the mystery of Houdini’s great secret. Bob explains how he uncovered Houdini’s secret in his book Houdini’s Final Incredible Secret (available on Amazon). Bob’s ardent detective work would make even Sherlock Holmes himself sit up and take note. ![]() But lucky for us, the story lived on and caught the attention of magic historian Bob Loomis. Houdini never revealed the secret even to his closest confidants. ![]()
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