Ehrich’s passion for magic and showmanship originated from watching the performance of a travelling magician, Dr. The eight-year-old Ehrich took a paper round and also shined shoes. However, family life in the new country was not very settled, the family had to move house often and Ehrich and the other children tried to help out financially. His father became the Rabbi in the town and later Houdini told everyone that he was born in Appleton, hoping that the public would accept him as an American. When Ehrich was four, the family emigrated to the United States and settled in Appleton, Wisonsin. Harry Houdini was born Ehrich Weisz in Budapest on March 24, 1874, the third of five children born to Cecilia and her husband Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weisz.Įhrich Weisz grew up to become Harry Houdini, the greatest escape artist, illusionist, magician and self-promoter in the world. On 24 March 2011, Budapest could have celebrated the 137th anniversary of the birth of one of its most famous sons, except that few people know that the world’s greatest escapologist, Houdini was Hungarian. “The Genius of Escape who will Startle and Amaze!”

Harry houdini mayer samuel weisz