They later moved to Milwaukee, and eventually settled in New York. His family emigrated to the United States while he was an infant, and his father became the first rabbi in Appleton, Wisconsin. The paper reported that a pair of Vancouver police detectives had promised to lock Houdini up in a 'burglar-proof' escape jacket, with monetary awards offered for anyone who could figure out how he managed to pull off his escape.Harry Houdini was born Ehrich Weiss on Main Budapest, Hungary. In the week leading up to Houdini's public performance, the Sun published a series of articles promoting the stunt, which it described as 'unique' despite being an established part of the magician's routine. 3, Houdini performed seven matinees and evening shows at the former Orpheum Theatre ⁠at 796 Granville St., where the present-day Pacific Centre mall stands.Īt these theatre performances, according to Pellatt's research, Houdini's big stunt was known as the 'water torture cell.' It involved him being suspended upside down in a locked glass cabinet full of water, holding his breath for more than three minutes while he escaped, a performance a reviewer in The Province described as 'undoubtedly one of the best of the season.'īut the biggest audience was for his public performance suspended upside down in front of the Vancouver Sun. By 1923, he was one of the biggest stars in the world.ĭuring his three-day visit in 1923, from Feb. (Canada's Magic blog)īorn in Budapest, Houdini's career started in the 1890s and broke through in the 1900s when he began performing throughout Europe. A newspaper clipping from the Vancouver Sun advertises Houdini's Vancouver visit.

Great houdini