I recently read a biography about Harry Houdini. I also saw the movie when it came out in 1953. I also studied locks as a youngster, like he did. From all I have read and my locksmith knowledge, it seems that Houdini used his great showmanship ability to advance his career and enhance his public image as a great escape artist more than he depended on his lockpicking skills.

In addition, locks were not too complicated devices in Houdini's day. Plus the fact that he kept himself in excellent physical condition enabled him to go without much air for up to 5 or 6 minutes in some cases!

I think it was his great physical condition (and endless hours of practice) which enabled him to pick locks with his toes and maneuver his body into weird positions for escaping from devices. Was he really the greatest magician/escape artist??? Tell me about some of the modern day escape artists/magicians. I am not familiar with who they are or their acts.

BOB

I'm not quite sure if that's the case for or against, but yes he was the greatest escape artist (magician is another matter - they are different (if related) disciplines) because he is still a household name almost eighty years after his death, his name synonymous with the art and many subsequent greats may never have been were it not for his career. He was a masterful (not to mention agressive and indeed downright machiavellian) self promoter, a man with a true passion for every aspect of his profession and a bona fide legend.

Which biography did you read, BTW? There are several, of which my favourite is Ruth Brandon's "Life and Many Deaths Of Harry Houdini".

There are threads throughout this board detailing other great escape artists, but a few names to get going;

Murray (Australian EA known for taking the "Give 'em a hint of danger" adage to extremes)
Alan Alan (British EA credited with inventing the "burning rope" suspended escape.
Steve Baker (American "Mr. Escape", whose inspirational exploits you will find discussed at great length on this board)

I think the term "Escape Artist" is the key to answering your question. Another tenm used in that era is "Self Liberationist". There were other "Self Liberationists", but most of us could not name two of them. Grade school children today often do not know the name "David Copperfield", yet nearly all of them know about Houdini. If as artists. we strive to create memorable performances, then surely Houdini was the best "Escape Artist".
Rich

No, Steve Baker is, Houdini only started the darn thing for us !
HK

In my humble opinion, Houdini was the greatest escape artiste of HIS time, not of ALL time. He was a great publicist. That is why he had so many posters printed and that is why he is still being talked about today.

I think he might be the greatest "SHOWMAN" of all time because of this, alongside P.T Barnum, I suppose.

I have written in many journals, my views on Houdini and Lock Picking. My opinion is that Houdini did not use lock picking techniques in performance, because it is so unpredictable. He had to be sure he could escape and as time was important, he just could not take the risk. Sure, he picked locks in front of people. He wanted to show how clever he was.

I would love to hear your views on these thoughts.

Mick Hanzlik Master Locksmith, Houdini historian.

Of his time,yes, Showman for sure,,,biz man for certain.
The Houdini name has made more cash since he died than when he was alive!!!

To associate ones self with his name is doomed to failure, there is, was only one Houdini and that name is growing in stature even now, so what chance has anyone else got ???

To ask if anyone is the greatest of all time is an absurdity, since time is still a going concern. It's like the reporter asking the old farmer if he had lived on the farm his entire life. "Not yet." the farmer replied.

I also hold the view that declaring a world's greatest magician, escape artist or anything else in mystery entertainment is as absurd as declaring a world's greatest comedian or rock band.

To date, however, Houdini is still the most reknowned; a name that most average people recognize. In show business and the court of public opinion, that's generally considered sufficient.

Steve

Hello Helen,

The biography I read about Houdini is Houdini--His Life Story by Harold Kellock, published in 1928 and reprinted in 1931. It is taken from his journals and notes and recollections from his wife Bess.

It tells of many experiences he had while on the road in the US and Europe.

Someone has a copy for sale on ebay now.

Bob

Dr. Steve,

I agree with you. I hadn't thought about it in that light. IN HIS DAY he was considered the greatest escape artist. And as Mick said, he was a great showman. His showmanship also helped make him great.

Bob

I think that Mr M Jackson is proberly the greatest escape artist of our time right now,,,,,looks like this guy can get out of anything!!!!

Ahem.. I remembered on reading Ken's comment that none of you guys know my real name yet. For anyone who's ever wondered about my penchant for operating under aliases, there's a big part of the reason.

Hi Helen

Ohh, I did. I am nosey, and there are ways of finding out. Just Pm'd you how

David

Houdini wasn't the first and certainly isn't the last. He was a great stuntman, and a brilliant publicist.

I think he would've died in obscurity, had he not died tragically. He ran his escape career into the ground. He ran his movie career into the ground. He ran his spiritualist show into the ground. And his full-evening magic show (the first of his career) stank. It would hardly have lasted more than one season, before folks would've caught on, that the hype didn't justify the ticket price.

His world had changed. At the beginning of his career, there was massive social upheaval and migration...a lot of people moved, to make their lives better, and they had a sense of optimism that they could do anything, if they worked hard enough. Houdini had those same attitudes, and capitalized on that.

At the end of his career, there'd been the first World War, a flu pandemic, and the countries on the losing side of the war had slipped into economic hardships. Also thanks to the war, the way news was collected and distributed changed a bit. Houdini wouldn't have been able to concoct the same types of media campaigns that made him famous. He'd no longer have been able to send out reams of "reports" of things he supposedly did, that never really happened. He would've been caught.

Biographies...the Brandon book is a delightful read, if you're into Freudian psych, and has the same validity as Freudian psych, which isn't much. The Silverman book is definitive, and goes into a lot more, than just the hype that Houdini put out. Also, check out the Rauscher book. It's not meant to be a conclusive bio, but has a lot of very interesting material, that's not found in other places.

If you are tired of reading, I very much enjoyed the Houdini video from the PBS American Experience series. I have watched it several times. They do a great job of tying Houdini's career to events of his day, and talk about his failures as well (movie career, flying the plane in Australia, his early years in the cheap shows).

Yours,

Paul

Tough to die in obscurity when you're already in the dictionary before your dead. Also, he could stop, start and turn his career in any direction he chose the last 10 years or so of his life. Far from driving it into the ground.

As for still getting ink at the end of his career, he was front page till the end. He was testifying before Congress right at the end. A long, sucessful journey from being just a magician or escape artist.

"And his full-evening magic show (the first of his career) stank."

Depending on who reviewed it, of course. A few newspaper critics thought it stunk, and a few thought it was better than Thurston's Show of 1001 Wonders. I'm sure a few more had more neutral reviews.

Which brings us to the fact that all arts critique is subjective; and that some critics compare and contrast, while others are just journalists with polarized opinions. Ultimately, aesthetic effect and public opinion decide.

Would Houdini have survived in show biz had he lived longer? Who knows. Since he did not live longer, any guess is pure speculation.

Steve

Since Houdini invented most of it, or brought it to the fore it has to be Houdini, at least till now. Who know what is to come, but times are much different so I doubt anyone will surpass him or his legend. Besides, who can fix it to die on Halloween, not even Blaine, Copperfield, or Angel. Oh, they are still with us, so it could be possible.

Regards
Dick Brooks and Dorothy Dietrich
Houdini Museum, Scranton, PA
New show, "Haunted!"

What did Houdini invent?

Accually Bess Houdini did much of the endless promotion of houdini's name. She kept his name in the paper and in front of the public for many years after his death. Much like Elvis, Houdini's name has only grown with his legend over the years. She was really the genius in the family. she would be proud that almost 80 years after his death he is still the most recognizable name in magic.

With his name in dictionarys and the like by 1918, there would be little chance that he would be forgotten.

I totally agree with Mick Hanzlik,

Houdini was the best of his time. He was definately the best showman of his time.
He knew how to work the audience, and did it! He also knew how to overcome the opposition.

Does this make him the best E.A. of all time..... ????

My thoughts,

Weasel