Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdiniwas an American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. He first attracted notice in vaudeville in the US and then as "Harry Handcuff Houdini" on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. 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...
NationalityHungarian
ProfessionMagician
Date of Birth24 March 1874
CityBudapest, Hungary
The great day of the Fire-eater - or, should I say, the day of the great Fire-eater - has passed.
I think that in a year I may retire. I cannot take my money with me when I die and I wish to enjoy it, with my family, while I live. I should prefer living in Germany to any other country, though I am an American, and am loyal to my country.
To cause the face to appear in a mass of flame make use of the following: mix together thoroughly petroleum, lard, mutton tallow and quick lime. Distill this over a charcoal fire, and the liquid which results can be burned on the face without harm.
Disloyalty in trusted servants is one of the most disheartening things that can happen to a public performer.
In all feats of fire-eating it should be noted that the head is thrown well back, so that the flame may pass out of the open mouth instead of up into the roof, as it would if the head were held naturally.
A magician is only an actor - an actor pretending to be a magician.
How the early priests came into possession of these secrets does not appear, and if there were ever any records of this kind the Church would hardly allow them to become public.
The eating of burning brimstone is an entirely fake performance.
It is needless to say that women make the most patient as well as the most dangerous pickpockets.
Pickpockets either work alone or in pairs, or what is called a mob.
It is still an open question, however, as to what extent exposure really injures a performer.
My professional life has been a constant record of disillusion...
I'm tired of fighting.
...the Sun represents the right half of the body and the Moon the left half...