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Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz, later Ehrich Weiss or Harry Weiss; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-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. In 1904, thousands watched as he tried to escape from special handcuffs commissioned by London's ''Daily Mirror'', keeping them in suspense for an hour. Another stunt saw him buried alive and only just able to claw himself to the surface, emerging in a state of near-breakdown. While many suspected that these escapes were faked, Houdini presented himself as the scourge of fake spiritualists. As President of the Society of American Magicians, he was keen to uphold professional standards and expose fraudulent artists. He was also quick to sue anyone who pirated his escape stunts. Houdini made several movies, but quit acting when it failed to bring in money. He was also a keen aviator, and aimed to become the first man to fly a plane in Australia. ==Early life== Harry Houdini was born as Erik Weisz in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, on March 24, 1874.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=137 years ago in Budapest... )〕 His parents were Rabbi Mayer Sámuel Weisz (1829–1892), and Cecília Weisz (née Steiner; 1841–1913). Houdini was one of seven children: Herman M. (1863–1885) who was Houdini's half-brother, by Rabbi Weisz's first marriage; Nathan J. (1870–1927); Gottfried William (1872–1925); Theodore "Theo" (1876–1945); Leopold D. (1879–1962); and Carrie Gladys (born 1882–1959〔Meyer, Bernard C. (1976), ''Houdini: A Mind in Chains'', E.P. Dutton & Co., (Chapter 1, p. 5 ), ISBN 0-8415-0448-2.〕) who was left almost blind after an accident that occurred during her childhood.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=The mystery of Carrie Gladys Weiss )〕 Weisz arrived in the United States on July 3, 1878, on the SS ''Fresia'' with his mother (who was pregnant) and his four brothers.〔US National Archives Microfilm serial: M237; Microfilm roll: 413; Line: 38; List number: 684.〕 The family changed the Hungarian spelling of their German surname to Weiss (the German spelling) and Erik's name was changed to Ehrich. Friends called him "Ehrie" or "Harry". They first lived in Appleton, Wisconsin, where his father served as Rabbi of the Zion Reform Jewish Congregation. According to the 1880 census, the family lived on Appleton Street.〔1880 US Census with Samuel M. Weiss, Cecelia (wife), Armin M., Nathan J., Ehrich, Theodore, and Leopold.〕 On June 6, 1882, Rabbi Weiss became an American citizen. Losing his tenure at Zion in 1887, Rabbi Weiss moved with Ehrich to New York City, where they lived in a boarding house on East 79th Street. He was joined by the rest of the family once Rabbi Weiss found permanent housing. As a child, Ehrich Weiss took several jobs, making his public début as a 9-year-old trapeze artist, calling himself "Ehrich, the Prince of the Air". He was also a champion cross country runner in his youth. When Weiss became a professional magician he began calling himself "Harry Houdini", after the French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin, after reading Robert-Houdin's autobiography in 1890. Weiss incorrectly believed that an ''i'' at the end of a name meant "like" in French. In later life, Houdini claimed that the first part of his new name, Harry, was an homage to Harry Kellar, whom he also admired. After much research, in 1908 Houdini published ''The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin'', in which he called his former idol a liar and a fraud for having claimed the invention of automata and effects such as aerial suspension, which had been in existence for many years.〔 at Internet Archive.〕 Houdini was an active Freemason and was a member of St. Cecile Lodge #568 in New York City In 1918, he registered for selective service as Harry Handcuff Houdini.〔(【引用サイトリンク】 title=Notable Registrants of the World War I Draft: Harry Houdini )〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Harry Houdini」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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