When did Houdini and his mother go to Budapest?

This week seems to be all about Budapest, so let's finish on theme and head down an early Easter rabbit hole.

In my upcoming book, Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900-1909, I'm hoping to provide the most complete and accurate chronology of Houdini's life during his peak "Handcuff King" days. I'm pretty confident my facts are confirmed and correct. But there's still one thing driving me crazy!

When exactly did Houdini and his mother travel to Hungary and have the "Queen for a day" reception at the Grand Hotel Royal in Budapest?

Every biography that includes this event puts it between Houdini's engagement at the Hansa-Theater in Hamburg and his opening at the Colosseum in Essen. That places it at the very end of April 1901.

However, this timing is problematic, if not impossible. Houdini closed at the Hansa on April 30 and opened at the Colosseum the next day, May 1 (after doing a police station test). So there's no time for a two-day excursion to Budapest.

I think it's more likely that it happened at the end of August 1901. Houdini himself said that at the end of the Budapest trip, he escorted his mother "en route to America." I take this to mean that he took her to her ship. And according to a letter Houdini wrote to Fredrick Roterberg (brother of Gus), his mother sailed for home on August 22.

Where does the April date come from? As far as I can find, the primary source for the entire Budapest story is Harold Kellock's Houdini: His Life Story. Kellock writes that it happened "at the close of his engagement" (implying Hamburg, but not saying that explicitly). What was Kellock's source? A clue can be found in this sentence:

"After listening patiently to his remonstrances," Houdini wrote in an autobiographical fragment, "I revealed to him my plot to crown my little mother and allow her to be Queen Victoria for a few fleeting hours."

I trust Kellock really did have an account of this written by Houdini, likely an unpublished document. However, I don't know where that document is today, and I don't believe any other biographers saw it. This is likely why Ken Silverman omitted the story entirely from his own book, Houdini!!! The Career of Ehrich Weiss, but I think that's going too far. I believe it happened.

Milbourne Christopher in Houdini: The Untold Story goes with the April date, even adding the specific detail that Houdini closed on a Saturday. But Houdini's Hamburg engagement ended on a Tuesday. Christopher also says his mother returned to America before the end of Houdini's engagement in Essen in May. That's not correct either. So Christopher was working from a flawed chronology.

If I'm going to revise Houdini history and challenge the likes of Milbourne Christopher, I'd better have proof! Otherwise, I feel like I have to stick with the conventional placement of the trip at the end of April and add a caveat that it may have happened later. But, man, I'd sure like to know for sure!

My book is still a few months away from going to the printer, so my hope is that someone out there might have the Kellock document or anything that provides evidence for exactly when Houdini and his mother took their famous two-day trip to Budapest. April or August 1901? Or maybe some other time entirely???

If you have anything to share, feel free to comment below or shoot me an email.

Thanks to Dr. Steffen Taut for helping me nail down Houdini's German performance dates. Top image from the McCord Stewart Museum.

Related:

• Fred Pittella follows Harry and Mama to Budapest
• Potter & Potter photo reveals Mama (still) in Europe
• OFFICIAL POLICE NEWS!

Celebrate Houdini's 100th in Budapest

A major 3-day celebration honoring Houdini will be held October 29-31, 2026, in Houdini's birthplace of Budapest, Hungary. Our good friend David Merlini of The House of Houdini is one of the event organizers. He revealed the details at a press conference yesterday (Houdini's birthday). The following coverage is from Hungary Today:

The “Houdini 100” commemorative series of events has begun, featuring a film festival, a circus production, a statue unveiling, and a quiz show for visitors in 2026.

The Houdini House in Budapest, in collaboration with the Hungarian Hollywood Council, Origo Film Studio, the Budapest Hungarian Circus, and Eötvös 10, is preparing numerous events to mark the 100th anniversary of the death of illusionist and escape artist Harry Houdini, said David Merlini, founder of the Houdini Museum in Budapest, at a press conference held Tuesday in Budapest.

He added that they are organizing numerous programs for this commemorative year. Their plans include the unveiling of a statue of Houdini, the installation of a memorial at Origo Film Studio, a production at the Budapest Grand Circus, as well as a film competition targeting young people and a film festival with the help of the Hungarian Hollywood Council.

He emphasized that they hope to create a fitting tribute to Harry Houdini, who was not merely an escape artist but someone who redefined the limits of human capability. He noted that a century has passed since Houdini took his final bow before an audience in 1926.

The “Houdini 100” program series is not only a commemoration of a historical figure, but a commitment to preserving a legacy that belongs to all of us, he emphasized.

Balázs Bokor, president of the Hungarian Hollywood Council, announced that the film festival will be held between October 30–31 under the title “Houdini 100 – Magic.” They are accepting submissions from young people and students up to 25 years of age, who can create their films—up to 15 minutes long and on the theme of magic—using a smartphone or any simpler device.

The festival will open at Eötvös 10 on October 30, with screenings simultaneously taking place at the Budapest Grand Circus. The awards ceremony will be held on October 31 following the grand gala performance on the ring of the Budapest Grand Circus, he added.

Visit the official website Houdini100.org for more details.

Related:

• Hungary issues an official Houdini stamp
• The marvelous Hungarian magician turns 152
• The House of Houdini opens today in Budapest

The marvelous Hungarian magician turns 152

Let's celebrate Houdini's 152nd birthday today by discussing a widely held assumption. This is the idea that Houdini always claimed to be an American. Of course, Houdini was born in Budapest, Hungary, on March 24, 1874. But during his lifetime, no one knew this, right? Well, not exactly.

In my first book, Escaping Obscurity: The Travel Diary of Harry Houdini 1897-1899, I showed how, during his struggling years, Houdini not only freely admitted to being a European, he exploited it! This made him exotic. Sometimes he would say he was from Budapest, but more often he would say he was from Austria (Hungary was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at this time). A few newspapers said he was Australian! But I believe this was just a mistake by the reporters. Try saying Austria with Houdini's accent and over pronunciation, and you can see how someone might hear it as "Aus-tral-ia." But most importantly, I have never seen him claim to be an American at this time. Born in Wisconsin? Boring!

But that's just his struggling years. When he became a success, he became all-American, right? Again, not exactly. Below is an image from my upcoming book, Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900-1909. (I like long titles.) This is from January 1900, at the start of his all-important tour of the Keith's vaudeville circuit. Houdini had already found success on the Orpheum circuit out west. Now he was making his East Coast vaudeville debut. As you can see, he's billed here as "the marvellous [sic] Hungarian Magician."

Boston Evening Transcript, Jan 15, 1900.

Houdini continued to acknowledge his Hungarian birth for this entire tour. So, combined with his Orpheum tour, this means Houdini played the entire U.S. as a (sometimes) headliner for a full year as a Hungarian. But then it was off to Europe, where being an American was the exoticism to exploit. Born in Wisconsin? Wild! The identity stuck.

However, as late as 1902, Houdini told Ottokar Fisher that he was born in Hungary (check out Joe Notaro's own birthday post for more on this). I think this is suggestive. I'm betting that, at this time, his Hungarian birth was not unlike William Robinson's real nationality. If you knew him, you knew the truth. It wasn't a big deal. It was just showbiz. Certainly, everyone who knew Houdini from the 1890s -- and that included some very big names in magic like Howard Thurston, T. Nelson Downs, and Samri Baldwin -- knew his real birthplace.

It was later that Houdini worked to bury his Hungarian birth. People like Walter B. Gibson, who came to know Houdini in the 1920s, never knew of his real birthplace and had trouble accepting the truth when it came out. I don't know exactly why Houdini became so dogmatic about this aspect of his biography. Maybe that's something I'll discover when I start work on my next book.

However, even when Houdini claimed to be American, he always acknowledged that his parents came from Hungary and showed pride in that heritage. Here's something he told a reporter in Australia in 1910.

"You will think that I am vain to tell you these things. But I am a Magyar, and Magyars are vain. American born. Magyar descended; my parents came from Austria; my father was a clergyman in Wisconsin."

So here's a happy birthday to Houdini, the marvelous Hungarian Magician!

Cake image AI-generated.

Related:

• Houdini's greatest secret
• Blackstone produces a Houdini birthplace puzzle
• Hungary issues an official Houdini stamp

LINK: Skeptics Dictionary and the Arthur Ford hoax

Here's a nice, quick reference summary of the Arthur Ford Houdini message scandal. This is something I've never quite covered in detail here on the blog, so when I find something that can provide the basic story, I'm happy to pass it along. Click the headline or the image below to go.

Related:

• The Margery Files: Inside man
• Bill Rauscher on Arthur Ford and the Houdini Code
• The Magic Detective starts Season 6 with a double dose of Houdini

New historical marker coming to Houdini Plaza

The Appleton Post-Crescent reports that a new commemorative plaque will be installed in Houdini Plaza to mark the 100th anniversary of Houdini's death. The Wisconsin Historical Society approved the proposal in February, and on Tuesday, the Appleton Historic Preservation Commission unanimously approved the project. The marker will read: 

1874-1926

Born Ehrich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary, Harry Houdini became a world-famous magician and escape artist.

His family immigrated to the United States when he was 4 years old. They settled in Appleton in 1878. His father, Mayer Samuel Weiss, served as the first rabbi of Appleton's Zion Reform Jewish Congregation.

Throughout his career, Houdini proclaimed Appleton as his hometown. In 1897, he and his wife, Bess, performed at the Appleton Opera House. He challenged the local police and escaped from their handcuffs and a jail cell.

Houdini's career soared after he traveled to Europe in 1900, where he performed many daring escapes and stunts. He was also an author, pioneer aviator, silent film star, inventor, and collector.

Appleton proudly remembers its connection to the legendary “Handcuff King.”

I love that it mentions Houdini's 1897 appearance in Appleton. For the record, this was on March 29-30, when The Houdinis were traveling as part of the Rogers' Orpheum Stars company. Houdini escaped from handcuffs at the local police station on March 29. (As far as I know, he did not do a jail escape.)

The Appleton Opera House was located inside the City Hall building, and it still stands today! I will definitely be making a pilgrimage to the site when I travel to Appleton for the big S.A.M. Convention in July.

Related:

• Houdini returns to Appleton in 1897
• The Houdinis are Rogers' Orpheum Stars of 1897
• Appleton launches "Year of Houdini" celebration
  

LINK: Brad Ricca takes readers on a magical, historical mystery tour

The Land has a nice profile today of author Brad Ricca and his new book, Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency. Click the headline or image below to have a read.

Tomorrow, March 19, Brad will be doing a reading and signing of the book at the Coventry Library in Cleveland. CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS.

You can purchase Lincoln's Ghost: Houdini's War on Spiritualism and the Dark Conspiracy Against the American Presidency at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Related:

• Lincoln's Ghost by Brad Ricca released today
• Houdini Lincoln cover story in Skeptical Inquirer
• Guest blog: Mr. Houdini Goes to Washington, Part I

Two major 2026 books now available for pre-order

Two major Houdini books coming out in this jam-packed centennial year are now available for pre-order on their respective websites.

First up is Exposing Houdini by the great Charles Greene III. You may remember the sale of some amazing Houdini glass negatives a few years back. Well, Charles got some, and now he's sharing them! I've written the Forward. Can't wait to see the finished book.

For more info and to pre-order, visit: www.ExposingHoudini.com

Next, Larrian Gillespie, M.D., has announced Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice, an expert examination of Houdini's health and the mysteries surrounding his death. This promises to be the spiciest Houdini book of the year!

Begin the investigation at www.houdinicoldcase.com

You can keep up with all the 2026 Houdini book releases HERE.  And if you are a patron, let me know if you'd like me to offer a pre-order of my own upcoming 2026 release, Handcuff King: The Conquests of Harry Houdini, 1900-1909, by clicking below.

Related:

• The 2026 Houdini Centennial Bookshelf 📚
• Houdini glass negatives collection sells at auction
• OFFICIAL POLICE NEWS!

She's baaaack

On March 26, our friend Gary Hunt will be lecturing on the fairest of all the "brain thieves," Minerva, as part of the American Museum of Magic's Online Speaker Series. No one knows more about "The Handcuff Queen" than Gary, so this promises to be a great lecture. Pour yourself a glass of lime and join the fun!

Click here for details and to register.

Keep your eyes peeled for more exciting America Museum of Magic Speakers in this Houdini centenary year.

Related:

• Minerva vs. Houdini in new play
• Magic History Conference spotlights Minerva The Handcuff Queen
• Was Houdini a chauvinist?

OFFICIAL POLICE NEWS!

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A post shared by John Cox (@houdiniwild)

If you want the latest news on this exciting manhunt, sign-up at:

www.wildaboutharrypress.com

(For those who might not realize it, this is a real Houdini advertisment from 1906 from the Ken Trombly Collection. You will see what's really on the other side in the book.)

Related:

• ANNOUNCEMENT: I'M DONE WITH HOUDINI!
• Wild About Harry PRESS is open for business
• The Ultimate Houdini Chronology book update

What's going on?

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"Houdini" hits one billion streams

Just in case you're wondering how our friend Dua Lipa is doing these days, know that her single "Houdini" has just crossed one billion streams on Spotify, which I guess is a good thing! This is Dua's 13th song to hit that milestone.

Click below for more Dua Houdini mania.

Related:

• Dua Lipa drops by the Houdini Estate
• Dua Lipa has to explain Houdini was a real person
• Songs Called 'Houdini': Who Did it Best?

The Houdini Centennial Collection at The Miracle Factory

Our friend Todd Karr at The Miracle Factory is once again offering DVDs of rare Houdini film footage. His announcement below.

In honor of the 2026 100th anniversary of the death of Harry Houdini, we’ve decided to reissue four of our long-out-of-print anthologies of historic Houdini films in a four-disk set that we’re calling The Houdini Centennial Collection.

We’re only producing 100 of these signed and numbered sets, so order now. This fascinating collection contains some of the most important archival footage of Houdini ever filmed. If you’re interested in Houdini, these must-have movies and rare clips are essential parts of his legacy.

The Houdini Centennial Collection: A four-disk set of historic Houdini media

1. Houdini Captured on Film DVD: Houdini in Newsreels 1901-1926
2. The Houdini Picture Show DVD: Houdini’s Feature Films 1920-1923
3. Houdini: The Master Mystery DVD: The 1919 Serial
4. Houdini Sounds of Mystery CD: Featuring Houdini’s Voice and the Final Houdini Séance

And please don't forget to visit The Magic Bibliography Site, our incredibly handy new website for serious magicians, historians, and collectors, and take advantage of our introductory-rate subscription before it expires April 1, 2026.

You can get more details and purchase The Houdini Centennial Collection at The Miracle Factory.

Related:

• The Miracle Factory manifests 'Spirit Frauds on Film'
• The Miracle Factory releases 3 new Houdini DVDs (2015)
• Houdini Sounds of Mystery on CD (2009)

The talk of Chicago

It was 100 years ago today that Houdini opened his "3 Shows in One" at the Princess Theater in Chicago for the start of what would be a remarkable 8-week run. For the occasion, I thought I'd rerun this post from 2022.

Here's one last post about Houdini at the Shubert Princess Theatre in Chicago in 1926. This 8-week run was longest single theater engagement for the 3 Shows in One and would prove to be Houdini's last appearance in the Windy City. Today I thought I'd share a collection of newspaper ads from the Chicago Tribune that pitched Houdini's show over the course of that record run.

This first ad from Match 4, 1926, shows the comedy play Young Blood with Helen Hayes preceding Houdini at the Princess. The Houdini show was playing the Bronx Theater in New York this week. Houdini flew by airplane to Chicago on March 7th. 

Coming!

Here's an ad for Houdini's opening night on Monday, March 8. You can bet he made sure the theater was ready, even if he had to do it himself!

Week 1

By the second week Houdini was "the talk of Chicago." I can believe it!

Week 2

Wonderful caricature artwork features on this ad for the start of Houdini's third week. If you've ever wondered what tickets cost back then, here you can see "600 Seats at $1 and $1.50 every night."

Week 3

More nice artwork for the start of Houdini's fourth week. "Have Houdini Give Your Friends a Spirit Message." I'm surprised spiritualism isn't played up more in these adverts.

Week 4

The famously prophetic Halloween artwork features on this fifth week ad. "Give yourself a treat. Bring the kiddies!" Any of those kiddies still around, I wonder?

Week 5

This week six ad takes aim at the pocket book. A .50¢ matinee? 300 seats at $1? No excuses now!

Week 6

Week seven saw a special added attraction -- reformed trumpet medium Annie Benninghofen.

Week 7

For his final week Houdini brought back some of his tried and true challenge escapes.

Week 8

Houdini's final two shows were on May 1st. He then traveled on to the Goodyear Theater in Akron, Ohio. Actress Eva Le Gallienne moved into the Princess with two Ibsen plays, The Master Builder and John Gabriel Borkman. Doesn't sound nearly as fun.

Last Day!

The Chicago Princess Theatre was located at 319 S. Clark Street. It converted to a movie theater at the end of the 1920s and closed in 1937. In 1941, the building was razed to make way for a parking lot. The Metcalfe Federal Building now stands on the site.

But let's not forget Houdini was here...for eight full weeks!

Clippings: Newspapers.com. 

Top photo: Houdini His Life Story by Harold Kellock.

Related:

• Houdini never ceases to surprise
• The Benninghofen confession
• Houdini's grand finale: 3 Shows In One

David Copperfield ending his MGM show on April 30

Big news in the magic world. David Copperfield has announced that he will be closing his MGM show on April 30, 2026. Below is the announcement on David's Instagram.

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A post shared by David Copperfield (@copperfield)

If you've never seen David Copperfield live or have not seen his show recently, this is the time to get out to Las Vegas and see him at the MGM. Eight weeks. We're living a moment of magic history here!

I can't wait to see what's next for David. "The largest project I've ever tackled." Is he talking about his Moon illusion, or a Houdini book?

Related:

• Houdini and David Copperfield to be inducted into National Jewish Museum Hall of Fame
• David Copperfield receives S.A.M. "Alliance of Harry Houdini" award
• There's a Houdiniesque David Copperfield poster out there (update)