I think that Milbourne Christopher, in “The Illustrated History of Magic,” best describes Houdini.
“Harry Houdini, a short muscular man with curly dark hair, an infectious smile and compulsive drive to succeed became a legend in his own time. Unexcelled escape artist, silent film star, scourge of fraudulent mediums, and eventually presenter of an illusion show that many critics said was more exciting than Thurston’s, he had an uncanny understanding of audience psychology.”
It’s no wonder that Houdini’s story continues to form the basis of movies and books. 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. Houdini continues to hold a place in our culture and history. Now that’s living on...
Wayne N. Kawamoto
