Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini
Harry Houdiniwas an American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. He first attracted notice in vaudeville in the US and then as "Harry Handcuff Houdini" on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to escape from and hold his breath inside a sealed milk can...
NationalityHungarian
ProfessionMagician
Date of Birth24 March 1874
CityBudapest, Hungary
They do tricks even I can't figure out.
The eating of burning brimstone is an entirely fake performance.
How the early priests came into possession of these secrets does not appear, and if there were ever any records of this kind the Church would hardly allow them to become public.
In all feats of fire-eating it should be noted that the head is thrown well back, so that the flame may pass out of the open mouth instead of up into the roof, as it would if the head were held naturally.
Disloyalty in trusted servants is one of the most disheartening things that can happen to a public performer.
I think that in a year I may retire. I cannot take my money with me when I die and I wish to enjoy it, with my family, while I live. I should prefer living in Germany to any other country, though I am an American, and am loyal to my country.
The great day of the Fire-eater - or, should I say, the day of the great Fire-eater - has passed.
To cause the face to appear in a mass of flame make use of the following: mix together thoroughly petroleum, lard, mutton tallow and quick lime. Distill this over a charcoal fire, and the liquid which results can be burned on the face without harm.
I must fling myself down and writhe; I must strive with every piece of force I possess; I bruise and batter myself against the floor, the walls; I strain and sob and exhaust myself, and begin again, and exhaust myself again; but do I feel pain? Never. How can I feel pain? There is no place for it.
Eating coals of fire has always been one of the sensational feats of the Fire Kings, as it is quite generally known that charcoal burns with an extremely intense heat.
No performer should attempt to bite off red-hot iron unless he has a good set of teeth.
Flames from the lips may be produced by holding in the mouth a sponge saturated with the purest gasoline.
Another method of eating burning coals employs small balls of burned cotton in a dish of burning alcohol.
The pickpocket is usually very well dressed and of prepossessing appearance.