Why Harry Houdini Still Matters

Tom Boldt explained that Harry Houdini came from a very impoverished family in Budapest, Hungary.  His dad, Rabbi Mayer Samuel Weiss, was a somewhat shady character who hustled people, possibly killed someone and fled Budapest from 1878.  He had some connection in the United States and somehow found his way to Appleton, Wisconsin.  Appleton was considered a classic American small town, a progressive expanding place of nearly 7,000 people that supported 3 newspapers, 2 fire companies, several hotels and banks and retail stores galore.  Mayer Weiss was hired on as the first Rabbi of the growing Jewish community in the Fox Cities.  His English was not so great but he quickly integrated into the community.  This job paid him way beyond what he ever experienced so he sent for his family which consisted of his wife Cecelia and their 5 children.  They arrived in New York on the S. S. Frisia on June 26, 1878 and it was not clear how they got to Appleton.  The Weiss family became very involved in the community.  As the Jewish community began to grow, they outgrew the meeting rooms on the second floor of the Gabriel Furniture building.  A capital campaign was started to build the Temple Zion Church.  The Weiss family never saw the completion of this project since Mayer Weiss was relieved from his duties.  With 6 children now, the Weiss family moved to Milwaukee then to New York.  Harry had to get a job in the garment industry making ties.  He then met a friend who introduced him to magic.  Harry thought that this was something he could make into a vocation.  Harry and his wife Bess performed throughout his career “The Metamorphosis” and became famous for his illusions.  Harry and Bess performed at Dime Museums then hooked up with the Welch Brothers Circus.  It was a hard life traveling from city to city not making much money.  Harry traveled to London and convinced Scotland Yard to put him in a jail cell where he escaped.  Harry became famous for the “Challenge Act”.  He challenged police departments that he could get out of any jail cell which generated attendance at his shows.  This made him very successful in England, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.  After spending 3 years in Europe, Harry came back to Appleton.  Through some of his friends, articles were fed to the local newspaper.  It was important for Harry to be associated with Appleton because of the promise of a better life it gave his family.  In many ways, Harry was a renaissance man - he was the first person to fly an airplane in Australia and his first film was “The Grim Game”.  Harry is still part of our vocabulary because his movies were seen by many, he was an author, filmmaker and pursued exposing fake mediums.  So why does Harry Houdini still matter?  Harry was a man that came from modest beginnings; had only a 7^th grade education; went on to become an international star; embodied the promise of America where there were boundless possibilities; there were no restrictions to race, class or religion; showed that hard work and perseverance paid off; was the highest paid entertainer in the world at one time; risk taker; had a holistic world view; continuously improved and reinvented his acts; and showed what was possible.