Harry Houdini
by Josh Wilson
Biography
Harry Houdini was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary with the name of Ehrich Weiss. He was one of six children, his father was Mayer Samuel Weiss, and his mother was Mayer’s second wife, Cecilia Steiner Weiss. His family moved to the United States in 1876, and Milwaukee in 1882, when Ehrich was eight. He performed on stage for the first time at age nine on October 28, 1882, doing a trapeze act. He and his brother, Theo, became interested in magic at a young age. He left his family at the age of 17 to pursue a career in magic, naming himself after his idol, a French magician named Robert Houdin. Around the age of twenty, he married Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahners who became his assistant, using a stage name of Bess Houdini, and he joined a circus. Harry mainly gained fame by breaking out handcuffs and jail cells.
Harry's Impact on the 1920's
Harry Houdini impacted the 1920’s decade by making escape artists more popular. This was because it wasn’t only exciting, but it had the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering what if he would survive.
2.When did Houdini die, and why?