Exercises 1 and 2
Hungary
a friend from the factory who learned magic tricks with Harry
True or False? Harry and Bess never had children.
True
True or False? Houdini died doing one of his dangerous tricks.
False
What was Houdini's real name?
Ehrich Weiss
In which sports did Houdini compete in New York?
swimming and running
Why was Harry not able to sell his magic secrets in 1898?
Nobody wanted to buy them.
What is fraud?
not being truthful or real
What was Houdini's job at age 8?
selling newspapers and shining shoes
Why was Harry interested in the "Spiritualists"?
They used rope escapes.
How much money per week did Martin Beck offer Harry and Bess in Minneapolis?
$60
About how long did Harry Houdini tour in Europe?
over four and a half years
Where did the Weiss family move after they lived in Appleton, Wisconsin?
Milwaukee
What two big changes happened in Harry's life in 1892?
What did Harry learn from a Japanese acrobat?
how to swallow things, keep them in his throat, and then bring them back up to his mouth
Was Houdini successful in the movie business? Explain.
No. His movies only offered his tricks, and they were not successful financially.
How many children were in the Weiss family?
7
Explain how Houdini chose his first and last name.
"Harry" sounded like his nickname "Ehrie." Houdini was from a book he read about a French magician, Robert-Houdin + an "i" to sound better in English.
Find 5 cities that Harry Houdini performed in on p. 247.
Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and London
Describe three amazing tricks that Houdini performed, according to p. 251.
United States Jail (break out, get dressed, unlock prisoners, move and lock again in 2 minutes); jumped in Detroit River with ice on it; thrown into East River in box; elephant disappeared in New York City