Today in Masonic History

Today in Masonic history Harry Houdini is born in 1874.

Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American Illusionist and Stunt Performer.

Houdini was born on March 24th, 1874 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now just Hungary) as Erik Weisz.

Houdini arrived in the United States on July 3rd, 1878 with his pregnant mother and four brothers. The family settled in Appleton, Wisconsin where his father served as a Rabbi. In 1887 the family moved to New York City, New York.

Houdini began his magic career in 1891 and initially had little success. He changed his name to Harry Houdini after a French magician named Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. He initially focused on card tricks and even billed himself as the “King of Cards.” Most magicians at the time saw Houdini as a competent magician, lacking the finesse for slight of hand magic. Before long he started experimenting with escape acts.

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