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HOO-DEE-NEE!

IN FRENCH,IF YOU PUT AN I AT

THE END OF SOMEONESNAME, IT MEANS LIKE

THAT PERSON.

MOTHER!YOURE HERE!

GOSH! IFIT ISNT MY

LITTLE EHRICH!

It was then and there thatIt was then and there thatHoudini was born.Houdini was born.

As for Harry , Id l ike to say thatAs for Harry , Id l ike to say thatwas in honour of my f riend Harrywas in honour of my f riend HarryKe lar, but the truth is that...Kellar, but the truth is that...

NEW YORK CITY, 1889.

I was work ing at Richters necktie factoryI was work ing at Richters necktie factoryat the ri pe age of f if teen. It was there that Iat the ri pe age of f if teen. It was there that Imade f ri ends with Jacob Hy man.made f ri ends with Jacob Hy man.

Jacob and I l oved to readJacob and I l oved to readstori es about the magicianstori es about the magicianknown as Robert Houdin.known as Robert Houdin.

I was sti l l Ehri ch Wess when my fatherI was sti l l Ehri ch Weiss when my fatherand I earned enough money to bring theand I earned enough money to bring therest of the famil y to New York City .rest of the famil y to New York City .

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NOW, FORONLY A MOMENT, I

SHALL COVER MYSELFAND THE TRUNK!

TRY NOT TOTAKE YOUR EYES

OFF HIM!

NOW, PAY CLOSEATTENTION! MY BROTHER

WILL BE TIED IN THE

SACK AND THEN LOCKEDIN THE TRUNK!

NEW YORK CITY, 1894.

While I was alway s EhrichWhile I was alway s Ehrichto my mother, when I metto my mother, when I metmy future wife, it was asmy future wife, it was asHarry Houdini.Harry Houdini.

WilheminaWilhelminaBeatrice Rahner wasBeatrice Rahner wasperforming as I wasperf orming as I was for low wages f or low wages but together webut together wewould make a fort une.would make a fort une.

...my nickname was always Ehrie,...my nickname was always Ehrie,which sounds rather l ike Harry .which sounds rather l ike Harry .

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My brother and I perfectedMy brother and I perfectedit or so we thought. it or so we thought.

FIVE SECONDS LATER.

AMAZING!

HOUDINI CHANGEDPLACES WITH HIS

BROTHER!

As The Brothers Houdini, we amazed theAs The Brothers Houdini, we amazed thecrowds. But the f ive second record f or thecrowds. But the f ive second record f or themetamorphosis trick did not last long.metamorphosis trick did not last long.

Soon it was cut down to threeSoon it was cut down to threeseconds... but Theo wasnt myseconds... but Theo wasnt mystage partner any longer.stage partner any longer.

The Brothers Houdini were f inished. TheoThe Brothers Houdini were f inished. Theoresigned himsef to the inevitable he hadresigned himself to the inevi table he hadbeen replaced. Not only could my newbeen replaced. Not only could my newpartner, Bess, do the tri ck faster, butpartner, Bess, do the tri ck faster, but

she was also my wife.she was also my wife.

The metamorphosis was a stage illusion,The metamorphosis was a stage illusion,created by John Nevil Maskey ne.created by John Nevil Maskely ne.

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We not only performed the metamorphosisWe not only performed the metamorphosisquicker than any other rival, but we alsoquicker than any other rival, but we alsointroduced handcuffs into the act.introduced handcuffs into the act.

DETERMINEDTO KEEP ME TO

YOURSELF?

YOURE AHARD MAN TOTIE DOWN, MR

HOUDINI.

When I saw how popular theWhen I saw how popular thehandcuf fs were, I started tohandcuf fs were, I started toadd other escape routines toadd other escape routines tothe performance.the performance.I even challenged the audienceI even challenged the audienceto bring in ther own cuffs.to bring in their own cuf fs.

I had a standing of fer of $100 toI had a standing of fer of $100 toany one who could cuff me in a genuineany one who could cuf f me in a genuinefashion and prevent my escape.fashion and prevent my escape.

I never lost a challenge. IveI never lost a challenge. Ivenever had to pay that $ 100.never had to pay that $100.

There were certain standardsThere were certain standardsin handcuff constructi onin handcuff constructi onthat I could exploit.that I could exploit.

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I studied every pair of handcuf fs I could get holdI studied every pair of handcuf fs I could get holdof . All of them had ther own individual strengthsof . Al l of them had their own individual strengthsand weaknesses. Some could be opened simply byand weaknesses. Some could be opened simply bybanging them down on a hard f loor.banging them down on a hard f loor.

I NEED TO BE

LOCKED UP!

CHICAGO POLICE STATION. 1899.

GENTLEMEN! MAY

I HAVE YOUR

ATTENTION FOR A

MOMENT.

LETS SEE YOUGET OUT OF THOSE,KID. I THINK YOUR

CAREERS OVER.

IF THATSWHAT HE WANTS,

LETS DO IT. HE WONTSTAND A CHANCE.

THAT I CANESCAPE FROM ANYHANDCUFFS YOU

HAVE IN THIS POLICESTATION.

FINE OFFICERSOF THE LAW, I AMHERE TODAY TO

SHOW YOU

DONT ASK ME,LIEUTENANT ROHAN! HE

CALLS HIMSELF AN ESCAPEARTIST . HES HERE TO

CHALLENGE US.

WHAT IS THEMEANING OF THIS,

JOE?

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BUT I TELL YOUTHIS HE IS NOT GETTING

OUT OF THOSE HANDCUFFS. ILOCKED THEM MYSELF. IM SORRY

TO SAY, BUT MR HOUDINISCAREER ENDS HERE.

YOU SEE, THISHOUDINI FELLOW IS

SMART. I CAN SEE THAT. ITSJUST A SHAME HE WASTES

HIS TIME TRYING TOFOOL PEOPLE.

NOW, HERESWHAT I WANT TO TELL

THE NEWSPAPER REPORTERS, ANDYOU CAN QUOTE ME ON THIS. THE

YOUNG UPSTART, KNOWN AS HOUDINI,HAD NO CHANCE OF ESCAPE WHEN

DEALING WITH THE STEEL ANDWIT OF THE CHICAGO

POLICE FORCE.

I MEAN, REALLY,

HE SHOULD FIND A PROPERJOB. IF HE THINKS HES SO

GOOD WITH LOCKS, THEN HESHOULD BECOME A

LOCKSMITH!

HE WILL NEVERFIND SUCCESS ESCAPING

FROM HANDCUFFS.

THANKYOU.

HOUDINI!

HOUDINI!

HOUDINI!

SO LET THATBE A LESSON TO THESE

MAGICIANS WHO THINK THEYREGOING TO MAKE IT BIG, AND

WHO LIKE TO SHOW OFF.

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