Today marks the 137th anniversary of the birth of Harry Houdini. As a mark of honor for this date, Google made a doodle on its home page.
Born in the United States of America to Hungarian parents, Harry Houdini was best known for his “sensational escape acts.” But he was also an excellent stunt performer, film producer, actor and magician.
Houdini was able to get out of handcuffs (hence the nickname), remove chains, ropes, and even escape from jail. He would also “hang from a rope in plain sight of street audiences.” He would also challenge police to retrain him that they invariably couldn’t do. He made a ton of money; indeed it was said that in his time he was American vaudeville’s “highest-paid performer.
Vanishing Houdini
Escape artist Houdini was also able to create illusions that made it seem like he had made an elephant and its trainer disappear from a stage. He was incredibly impressive and his premature death was the result of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at the tender age of 52.