The Great Harry Houdini Trivia Quiz

Answer: March 24, 1874

Harry Houdini, born with the name Ehrich Weiss, was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest Hungary.

Answer: 17

Ehrich Weiss became a Professional Magician at age 17, although it took several years for him to become a success. He adopted the stage name Harry Houdini in tribute to French Magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin. He used the first name Harry because it sounded like Ehrich.

Answer: Three Weeks

Houdini married his fellow performer, Wilhelmina Beatrice (Bess) Rahner, three weeks after they met. Bess would serve as Houdini's stage assistant until Harry died in 1926.

Answer: 100 Dollars

Houdini offered $100.00 to anyone who could successfully handcuff him. He never payed out on this challenge.

Answer: New York City

Houdini performed this feat at the Hippodrome in New York City in 1918. The elephant was 10,000 pounds and went by the name Jenny.

Answer: Chinese water torture chamber

Houdini's most well known stunt is the Chinese Water Torture Chamber. He would have his feet secured in the top of this cell, and be lowered into the tank which was full of water. The other stunts are all real, but not as spectacular as this one.

Answer: Mina Crandon

Houdini loved to prove Spiratulists as frauds, and nearly met his match in Boston. The Medium known as Margery, or Mina Crandon disguised her tricks so well in her seances that it almost stumped Harry. He had the spirit Box constructed to prevent her feet, hands or body from moving during her seances, which virtually made it impossible for her to create any spiratual illusions.

Answer: Montreal

Houdini gave a lecture on exposing spiratulism in October of 1926 at McGill University in Montreal. At the Princess Theatre, where Houdini was performing, he was approached by a student, named J. Gordon Whitehead, who attended the lecture and asked him if he could actually withstand any blow to the abdomen. Houdini allowed Whitehead to punch him three or four times, which is said to have pushed his appendix into a ruptured state since Houdini was not able to tighten his abdominal muscles before receiving the blows.

This event lead to Houdini's demise shortly after.

Answer: Peritonitis

Houdini died at Grace Hospital in Detroit from Peritonitis, which is an inflamation of the abdominal cavity, or a type of gangrene. His death occured on Halloween of 1926, a week after he was admitted. Hardeen (his brother Theo) was by his side at his death.

Answer: Queens, New York

Houdini is buried in the Queens Burough of New York City. His grave is in the Machpelah Cemetary, and is visited by many who wish to try and raise his ghost each Halloween. The Society of American Magicians perform their Broken Wand ceremony at his grave on the anniversary of his death every year, to this day.