Harry houdini real name

Harry houdini biography book

Fascinated with magic from a young age, Harry Houdini began performing and drew attention for his daring feats of escape. In , he married Wilhelmina Rahner, who became his onstage partner as well. Houdini continued performing escape acts until his death, on October 31, , in Detroit, Michigan. One of seven children born to a Jewish rabbi and his wife, Weisz moved with his family as a child to Appleton, Wisconsin, where he later claimed he was born. When he was 13, Weisz moved with his father to New York City, taking on odd jobs and living in a boarding house before the rest of the family joined them.

Machpelah Cemetery (Queens)

Jewish cemetery in New York City

Machpelah Cemetery is a Jewishcemetery located within the Cemetery Belt in Glendale, Queens, in the U.S. state of New York. It was established around In addition to managing the 6-acre (&#;ha) cemetery, the former Machpelah Cemetery Association also managed the adjacent Union Field Cemetery, New Union Field Cemetery and Hungarian Union Field Cemetery.

Machpelah Cemetery was abandoned by the late s. The deteriorating entrance building was demolished in [1]

It is accessible by the New York City Subway's J train via the Cypress Hills station and the B13 New York City Bus.

Houdini's grave

Machpelah Cemetery is the final resting place of magician Harry Houdini, his brother Theodore Hardeen, his mother, father, grandfather, four other brothers, and a sister.[2] Houdini's widow Bess, who died of a heart attack in , had wished to be buried next to her husband, but instead was interred 35 miles north at the Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Westchester County, as her Catholic family refused to allow her to be buried in a Jewish cemetery.[citation needed]

During October , the 43rd anniversary of Houdini's death was celebrated on Halloween by The Spellbinder, the Society of American Magicians.[3] Among the members of the society's New York Chapter were one-hundred Long Island Magicians, who went to Houdini's grave at Machpelah Cemetery to hold memorial services for the famed escape artist.[3]

Although born Erich Weiss, he changed his name to Harry Houdini at the age of He chose this name because admired the French magician Robert Houdin.[2] There were rumors concerning that there was a secret compartment at Houdini's grave in Queens.[2] In addition, some people believe this cemetery, near Houdini grave, holds a secret compartment: this compartment, revealed by a hidden device, was said to be where dark secrets are waiting to be discovered.[2] Magic historian and Houdini biographer Milbourne Christopher, during an interview, said he did not believe that such a compartment existed and that Houdini would never communicate from beyond the grave; then he said that it might be possible.[2]

The Machpelah Cemetery was visited by many figures.

Harry houdini biography project: Erik Weisz (March 24, – October 31, ), known as Harry Houdini (/ h uː ˈ d iː n i / hoo-DEE-nee), was a Hungarian-American escapologist, illusionist, and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. [3].

David Copperfield, perhaps the world's best-known contemporary magician, paid his respects at Harry Houdini's grave site.[4] Furthermore, Copperfield donated $15, to the Society of American Magicians in order to help undo an act of vandalism which desecrated several graves, along with Houdini's, after speaking with the Society of American Magician's Chairman John Bohannon.[4] Along with Copperfield's donation, the escape artist James Randi donated $2,, and $8, were donated from magicians all over the world; these donations paid for the replacement of two granite benches that were vandalized in and for casting a permanent Houdini bust.[4]

George Schindler, the dean of the Society of American Magicians, said his group had stopped contributing money toward the maintenance of the site in recent years.[5] "[Cemetery administrator] David Jacobson sends us a bill for upkeep every year but we never pay it."[6] "The Society of American Magicians never paid the cemetery for any restoration of the Houdini family plot in my tenure since ," Jacobson said.

The money came from the dwindling funds of the Machpelah Cemetery, he said.

The Society of American Magicians performed a "broken wand" ritual on October 31, , the anniversary of Houdini's death.[7] This ritual in which a "magic wand" is broken symbolizes the end of the magician's power.[7]

The granite monuments of Houdini's sister, Gladys, and brother, Leopold, are missing.

Some members of the society say they believe that Jacobson has hidden them, or worse, sold them off to collectors.

Hary houdini biography Harry Houdini March 24, - October 31, was a Hungarian -born American magician and escapologist. He also investigated fake spiritualists and was a skeptic. He was born in Budapest to Jewish parents and was named Ehrich Weiss , [ 1 ] but changed his name to Harry Houdini when he became a professional magician. At first he did not have much success in his career. In his acts got better when he met his manager Martin Beck.

"I have them," Jacobson has said. "They are broken."[7] The Houdini grave site is no longer cared for by the Society of American Magicians, but by The Houdini Museum in Scranton, Pennsylvania.[5]

A bust of Harry Houdini was smashed or stolen four times from his family plot at Machpelah between and [8] The Society of American Magicians gave up trying to replace it.

Houdini was president of this society at the time of his death in [8] On September 27, , a group from the Harry Houdini Museum in Scranton secretly installed a reproduction of the bust, made from durable statuary cement.[8] Among the group were Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz, museum directors, and retired escape artist Stephen Moore.[8] The officials of the cemetery and The Society, despite the unorthodox approach, stated they were pleased with the result.[8] "When someone offers to repair something that's broken — in a charitable spirit — any cemetery would be thrilled," Jacobson cemetery director said.[8]

References

  1. ^French, Mary (June 21, ).

    "Machpelah Cemetery & the Union Field Cemeteries".

    Harry houdini biography for kids Houdini first attracted notice in vaudeville in the United States and then as Harry "Handcuff" Houdini on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to escape from and hold his breath inside a sealed milk can with water in it. In , thousands watched as Houdini tried to escape from special handcuffs commissioned by London's Daily Mirror , keeping them in suspense for an hour. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the surface, emerging in a state of near-breakdown. While many suspected that these escapes were faked, Houdini presented himself as the scourge of fake spiritualists , pursuing a personal crusade to expose their fraudulent methods.

    New York Cemetery Project.

  2. ^ abcdeBohannon, John. "Off the Beaten Track: the Mystery of Houdini's Grave". Newsday. October 27,
  3. ^ abDyer, Michael.

    "Magicians Will Visit Houdini Grave Oct. 31". Long Island Press.

  4. Harry houdini biography project
  5. Harry houdini biography handcuffs
  6. Harry houdini biography video

    7. October 19,

  7. ^ abcHahn, Avital Louria. "Magic Moment: Homage to Houdini by present-day prestidigitator".Newsday. December 21,
  8. ^ abDunlap, David W. (October 24, ). "Houdini Returns".

  9. Harry houdini wife
  10. Harry houdini tricks
  11. Harry houdini net worth
  12. Harry houdini cause of death

    13. The New York Times. Retrieved October 24,

  13. ^Kilgannon, Corey (October 31, ). "Houdini's Final Trick, a Tidy Grave". The New York Times.

    Harry houdini biography Harry Houdini was a magician who specialized in escape scenarios. This act involved law enforcement officials restraining him to the best of their ability with him eventually escaping from their constraints. His father was a rabbi and Eric was the fourth of seven children. Weisz traveled to the United States in July of along with his mother and four brothers. The family settled in Appleton, Wisconsin, where his father joined them to head a Jewish congregation.

    Retrieved October 31,

  14. ^ abcLeDuff, Charlie (November 24, ). "Houdinis' Plot Is Cleared Up, and Then Thickens". The New York Times. Retrieved May 2,
  15. ^ abcdefDunlap, David W.

    "Houdini Returns (Of Course)". The New York Times. October 25,

External links

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