October 31 - Remembering Harry Houdini

After being punched in the abdomen a week earlier, Harry Houdini died on Sunday, October 31, 1926 at 1:26 PM. For the great showman, Halloween seemed a fitting day to die and this date is now remembered as "National Magic Day." Despite more than eighty years since his death, Houdini is undoubtedly magic's best-known entertainer of all time.

He is remembered for his legendary escapes; showmanship and promotion; the loss of his mother and attempts to reach her through spiritualism; his frustration with mediums and exposure of their methods and his death on Halloween with the storied promise that if anyone could find a way back from the dead, it would be Houdini. All of these aspects contribute to his myth and memory.

I think the truly amazing thing about Houdini is that he is not only the best known magician of all time, he is arguably the best known entertainer of all time. Try to think of an entertainer from his era that is an equal household name today-the only name I come up with is Charlie Chaplin.

Today, millions have watched Criss Angel, David Copperfield and David Blaine on television - multitudes more in a single broadcast than the total number of people who ever saw Houdini live - yet Houdini is equally, or better known.

Houdini continues to hold a place in our culture and history. Now that’s living on...

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Profile: Harry Houdini