Ehrich Weisz was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary to his religious father Mayer Samuel Weisz. Two years after his birth, Ehrich's family moved to Wisconsin seeking the freedom that the United States was known for. Their life did not consist of the fabled perfection of the land. They were often pressed for money and had to flee from their debts (Sahlman 1).
             His first exposure to magic was when his father took him to see Dr. Lynn, a traveling performer, at the age of eight. This encounter was the spark responsible for the conflagration that his interest in performing would grow to become (Sahlman 1).
             Intent upon his dreams, Ehrich ran from home to Kansas City when he was only twelve years old. A year later he rejoined his family in New York City where he worked to help support them. For leisure, he would read from books on magic such as one by his idol- Robert-Houdin- whose name he adjusted and adopted as his own, a name that would be famous throughout the world- Harry Houdini (Sahlman 1).
             When his father died, Harry was young and ready to seek fame. He performed at amusement parks and museums with his brother, Theo (Sahlman 1). Then, when he was twenty, he met Beatrice "Bess" Raymond also a performer struggling to make a name for herself. Instantly in love, the two married and began their career together both on stage and off.
             Houdini was constantly seeking to refine his performance. With his handcuff escape perfected, "Houdini offered one hundred dollars to anyone who could successfully handcuff him, he never had to pay" (Sahlman 1). He then went on to perfect the escape from other devices like straitjackets, coffins and prison cells.
             Houdini would stop at nothing to make his show better by increasing the drama. His approach was unlike other magicians: he performed his escapes directly in front of his audience. In no time at all, Houdini was making headlines in America (Sahlman 1...