He performed traditional card tricks at sideshows on Coney Island without great success.Īfter reading a autobiography on the famed French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, Erik re-named himself 'Harry Houdini'.

His trapeze skills would be useful later while performing his famous upside-down escapes.Īt age 17 began performing professionally. While in New York Erik practiced and began performing on the trapeze, calling himself 'Ehrich, the Prince of the Air'. In 1887 Erik moved with his father to New York City, his mother and siblings would join them later. Young Erik persuaded Hoeffler to allow him to perform his needle trick at the show. When Erik was nine, Jack Hoeffler's 'Five Cent Circus' visited Appleton. Weisz took an interest in magic and at an early age. On July 3, 1878, the Weisz family immigrated to the United States where they settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. For unknown reasons the family was forced to flee Hungary. to parents Rabbi Mayer Sámuel Weisz and Cecília (Steiner).Įrik's father, Rabbi Weisz was a distinguished Rabbi, scholar and teacher in Hungary. Erik Weisz better known as Harry Houdini was born on Main Budapest, Austria-Hungary.

Houdini handcuff escape