Erik Weisz, the son of a rabbi, was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary on 24th Budapest, 1874. The family emigrated to the United States and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin.

At an early age he became a trapeze performer in circuses. However at the turn of the century he changed his name to Harry Houdini and soon became known for his daring feats of extrication. This included escaping from any kind of bonds or container, from prison cells to padlocked underwater boxes. He became world famous when he exhibited his skills in several motion pictures.

Houdini wrote two books about magic, Miracle Mongers and Their Methods (1920) and A Magician Among the Spirits (1924). Harry Houdini died of peritonitis on 31st October, 1926, as a result of being punched in the stomach.