Harry Houdini, legendary magician, dies at 52 (in 1926)
(Originally published by the Daily News on November 1, 1926.)
DETROIT, MICH., Oct. 31. – Harry Houdini is dead.
The final curtain in the life of the magician who for years had mystified audiences throughout the world with his legerdemain was rung down in Grace hospital here at 1:26 p.m. today. Peritonitis following an operation for appendicitis caused his death. He was 52 years old.
A week ago, despite the advice of his physicians, Houdini insisted on going through with a performance at the Garrick theatre. At the end of his act he fell unconscious in the arms of an attendant.
The following day an operation was performed. He seemed to revive. Then last Friday an emergency operation was performed in an effort to save his life after a relapse.
At his bedside when he died were Mrs. Houdini, formerly Beatrice Rahner of New York, his manager, H. Elliott Stuckel, and James Collin of London, who for eighteen years had been his assistant.
After Houdini’s death Stuckel issued a statement attributing the magician’s fatal illness to unexpected blows in the stomach received from a student at Magill university, Montreal, ten days ago.
They body will be returned to New York for burial, Mrs. Houdini said.
Pies His “Open Sesame.”
An uncontrollable fondness for apple pies – and Harry Houdini became a magician.
The wife of the Rev. Dr. Mayer S. Weiss was one of the best pastry cooks in Appleton, Wis. Her son, Eric recognized the fact. On baking days Mrs. Weiss would lock her delicacies in a cupboard to forestall the boy.
To get at the pies Eric was forced to pick the cupboard lock. This he did, and his career had begun.
Eric Weiss, who later became known throughout the world as Harry Houdini, the handcuff king, was born in Appleton fifty-two years ago. When he was 5 he was taken to a circus. The magician attracted him. By an accident he saw through one of the tricks, and from then on there was no magical Santa Claus for Harry.
A Trouper at 8.
At the age of 8 young Houdini joined a circus. One of his tricks was to bend backward and pick up a needle in his eyelid.
One night, in Coffeyville, Kas., a sheriff volunteered to tie Houdini and suddenly snapped a pair of handcuffs on the youth’s wrists. They were the first, handcuffs Houdini had ever seen, but he was free in 11 minutes.
From then on it was as a handcuff expert that Houdini was known. He invented one unbelievable feat after another. See pics at: