11 Interesting Harry Houdini Facts
- Harry Houdini was from Hungary.
- His first performance was in 1883, at age 9. He picked up pins with his eyelashes.
- Houdini challenged the police of England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, Germany and Russia. The police would search him and then handcuff him in chains. Houdini would free himself easily.
- Houdini was buried alive in a 6 foot deep pit.
- He has even escaped from the belly of a whale.
- In his most famous stunt, he was sealed in a casket which was then submerged in water for an hour.
- Houdini explained that many locks could be opened by applying force properly. Other locks could be opened with shoestrings.
- Often, he would swallow small keys and bring them up when he needed them.
- When he was tied down, he would keep some room to wiggle. He would puff his chest and move his arms a little away from his body.
- He could hold his breath for three minutes.
- Funk and Wagnall’s ‘New Dictionary’ turned the name Houdini into a verb. ‘Houdinize’ means ‘to release oneself from confinement and bonds by wriggling out.’