Harry Houdini Research Paper

Jacky Rivera #12
Language Arts
April 27, 2012

Harry Houdini "My brain is the key that sets me free!" -Harry Houdini. Harry Houdini was a man that had many expetations in front of him. There was a road that he was suppost to follow that would lead him to a simple happy life but he didn't want a simple life he wanted an adventurase life, Harry explains. Harry left that path at the age of 15. He wanted to be a magician. He had many tragedies, happiness, and his tricks were so magestic they could sometimes scare the wits out of you! Harry Houdini was fifteen when he lived his first tragedy. His father died on October 5, 1892 and left them stranded without any money. Harry after that started working at a necktie factory, a messenger, an electrical driller, a photographer, and as an apprentice to a locksmith. There was one important day that would change Harry's entire
life. While he was taking a day off from all of his jobs, he read an autobiography by a French Magician named Jean Robert-Houdin. He instantly wanted to be like Houdin and knew that was what he wanted to be. He ran away from home leaving a letter saying that he was going to persute his dream to become a magician. Since he liked the trhe french magician, he added an "i" to Houdin. From then on he was known as Harry Houdini. Harry had a wonder time traveling around with circuses and fairs he explains.
When he came back to his family, he invited his brother, Theo (a.k.a Dash- who later preformed under the name Hardeen), to preform a double act with him. Theo accepted the invitation and were later known as the Houdini Brothers. One of the most magnifictent acts they preformed together was the Substitution Trunk or Metamorphosis Illusion. Harry says that he did this stunt for about 11,000 times during his career. While the Houdini Brothers were working at Coney Island, in June 1894, he met a preformer that he istantly fell in love with. Her name was Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner but everyone called her Bess for a nickname. Harry was so in love that he married her winthin two weeks of meeting each other! She imediatly took Harry's brother place in the acts and was Harry's number one priority. They changed their name from The Houdini Brothers to The Houdinis. Harry met a booking agent that offered them a tour around Europe and they agreed to the contract. They did many awesome shows that made people remember them
forever. Harry had various acts that could trun out fatal. Once he did an act that was called " The Living Burial ". He almost sufficated from being inside so long but he eventually came out. He also played an acter in various movies like The Master Mystery, The Grim Game, Terror Island, The Man From Beyond, and Haldane of the Secret Service. Also in some of those movie stunts, he would have to fall from a tall building which could be fatal. He did many things that were fatal. Harry Houdini was a man with adventurase expexations. He lived hapily until his death on October 31. Harry Houdini still lives today as one of the greatest magicians that walked this earth. There are other magicians that are trying to compete with Harry Houdini even if he is dead. Harry Houdini will always live!