![]() ![]() (1879–1962) and Carrie Gladys (1882–1959), who was left almost blind after a childhood accident. (1863–1885), who was Houdini's half-brother by Rabbi Weisz's first marriage Nathan J. Houdini was one of seven children: Herman M. His parents were Rabbi Mayer Sámuel Weisz (1829–1892) and Cecília Steiner (1841–1913). Early life Įrich Weisz was born in Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary to a Jewish family. He was also a keen aviator and aimed to become the first man to fly a powered aircraft in Australia. Houdini made several movies but quit acting when it failed to bring in money. He was also quick to sue anyone who imitated his escape stunts. As President of the Society of American Magicians, he was keen to uphold professional standards and expose fraudulent artists. While many suspected that these escapes were faked, Houdini presented himself as the scourge of fake spiritualists. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the surface, emerging in a state of near-breakdown. In 1904, thousands watched as he tried to escape from special handcuffs commissioned by London's Daily Mirror, keeping them in suspense for an hour. 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. He 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. His pseudonym is a reference to his spiritual master, French magician Robert-Houdin (1805–1871). He fell in love with the landscape and the people, and he never left.Harry Houdini ( / h uː ˈ d iː n i/, born Erich Weisz Ma– October 31, 1926) was an American escape artist, magic man, and stunt performer, noted for his escape acts. He came to northern Arizona in the early '80s to pursue a career in journalism. ![]() "No matter how related I am to Houdini, my horses don't care and my dogs don't care," George says. ![]() But that didn't matter to them, because I'm the guy that's got the DNA."Īnd then the guy with the DNA - who seance attendees say looks an awful lot like Houdini - went home to Tuba City, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation. That was a bit strange for George Hardeen, because admittedly, he knows little about his great-uncle. "And I think that's the purpose of these seances - to give an opportunity for folks to come back and talk about Houdini," he says. They would beseech him to just show a sign, move something on the table."Īfter about half an hour, he says, "they threw in the towel, and then it was over." The group went to a really nice bar, drank some scotch and just talked. "They had a medium, and he was very entertaining, calling upon Houdini in a very dramatic way. They had some articles that belonged to Houdini," he says. ![]() "The Houdini legacy has taken a new branch," says Hardeen, "because my wife is Navajo, and my children are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation." George Hardeen is shown with his wife, Lena Fowler, and one of his three children, Shonie Fowler Hardeen. ![]()
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