“What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes.” - Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was an Austro-Hungarian illusionist, magician, and stunt performer. His real name was “Ehrich Weisz.” He was also known as “Harry Handcuff Houdini,” because he was known for escaping shackles, ropes, and especially handcuffs. He also knew how to escape from coffins and prison cells. In one of his tricks, he was shackled with chains and placed in a box that was locked, roped, and weighted. The box was submerged from a boat, to which he returned after freeing himself underwater. In another trick, he allowed himself to be suspended, head down, 75 feet above ground, and then freed himself from a straitjacket. Harry Houdini did more than just magic tricks, he
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One of his biggest accomplishments was the Needle Trick, it was a horrifying act involving swallowing dozens of needles and thread, then spitting out the thread with all the needles neatly threaded on. This trick was the foundation of his magic career throughout his life. In 1898, Harry came up with the Challenge Act, the act that made him a legend. As the Handcuff Master, Harry escaped from any pair of handcuffs produced by the audience. In 1896, Harry Houdini saw his first straitjacket. This inspired him to create an escape act. He didn't just escape from a straitjacket, he did it hanging upside down from his ankles, suspended by 75 feet above the ground. In 1904, Houdini was forced to make some adjustments in this act, due to repeated attempts by various police officers who tried to spoil his routine by secretly jamming the handcuffs offered. Harry then recreated his Challenge Act to escape not only from any handcuffs offered, but from any location suggested. He escaped from handcuffed bridge jumps, from jail cells, from locked canvas mail bags, from padlocked crates thrown into rivers, and even from a giant paper bag without making a single tear in it! Shocking,