

“From the beginning, it was important for us to give people different ways into the exhibit,” museum executive director Marvin Pinkert said. But kids - and grownups, too, for that matter - will get a kick out of trying some of Houdini’s most famously mystifying ruses, from a simple card trick to an illusion in which the famous musician and the museum-goer appear to magically trade places. In the exhibit, the mechanism by which the faux Jennie is whisked out of sight is to modern eyes charmingly obvious. The living history performance of Harry Houdini is made possible through the support of The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.Granted, the pachyderm in question is both miniature and a toy, unlike the famous illusion that Houdini conducted in New York in 1918 with 10,000-pound Jennie in front of nearly 6,000 audience members. Learn about booking the performance for a school group here. Learn about booking the performance for an adult group here. Living History Program performances are available for schools, public and private events and can take place at the Museum or outside venues. Performed by professional magician/performer David London, the performance lasts for 40 minutes. Following the performance, audience members will have the opportunity to meet and ask questions with “Harry Houdini” and then with David London.

JMM presents its newest living history character and exhibit Inescapable: The Life and Legacy of Harry Houdini. Harry Houdini died on Halloween, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan from peritonitis. In the 1920’s, with the rise in popularity of spiritualism, Houdini dedicated himself to exposing frauds who claimed to be psychics, fortune tellers or mediums who can talk to the dead. He became internationally known for his sensational handcuff and straitjacket escapes. Houdini performed with Bess for decades, traveling across the country many times. In the 1890’s, Houdini performed his act on Coney Island where he met his wife, Bess Rahner. He performed small magic acts and card tricks for extra money and eventually quit his job at the necktie factory and changed his name to Houdini. After passing through the immigration center at Castle Gardens, Erik Weisz became Ehrich Weiss.Īs a teenager, Ehrich worked as a messenger boy in New York and later in a necktie factory. Two years later, Rabbi Weisz brought the rest of the family to Appleton, Wisconsin where he became the Rabbi of a synagogue there. His father, Meyer Samuel Weisz was a Rabbi who left for America in 1876. Harry Houdini was born Erik Weisz in Budapest, Hungary in 1874. Harry Houdini is performed by professional magician/performer David London.
