Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary, the son of a Jewish rabbi and his wife. The family immigrated to the USA when he was four, and settled in Appleton, Wisconsin. The family was so poor that young Ehrich left home when he was only 12 to earn his own living and sent money home to help support his parents. He had already been working selling papers and shining shoes from the age of eight. When he was 13 the family moved to New York City and he returned to them to live. His father died when he was 16.

Fascinated by the circus from an early age, he grew up to become the world's most famous escapologist and magician. Ironically, he died after being hit in the stomach by a college student, before he had the time to prepare himself by tightening his abdominal muscles.

References

Microsoft Encarta 98 Encyclopedia, 1993-97
Borland, Kathryn Kilby, and Speicher, Helen Ross. Harry Houdini, Young Magician. (New York: Macmillan, 1991) (Aladdin Books)
Silverman, Kenneth. Houdini!!!: The Career of Ehrich Weiss. (New York: HarperCollins, 1996)
Dictionary of American Biography
Sahlman, Rachel. "Harry Houdini." [Includes portrait]. Available at: http://www.incwell.com/Biographies/Houdini.html
Houdini Museum. "The Houdini Museum in the Scranton-Wilkes Barre & Pennsylvania Poconos-Pocono Mountains Region." [Includes portraits]. Available at: http://www.microserve.net/~magicusa/houdini.html#listone

Indexes

European
Jewish
Hungary
USA
19th Century
20th Century
Theater, Broadcasting, Cinema
School-age Years, Adolescence
Child Ran Away or Left Home to Work
Poverty
Temporary Care
Street Children, Children Who Grew up Without Adult Supervision (at Least Temporarily), or Ran Away
Birth Sibling(s) Remained With or Returned to Birth Family