Harry HoudiniOver the centuries, humans have been captivated by the mystery and excitement behind magic. There have been countless numbers of magicians and performers who have brought smiles, laughter and enthusiasm to the faces of the audience. However, the most famous of these illusionists was Harry Houdini. Despite some setbacks early in his career, Houdini continued to believe in himself and his hard work eventually led him to stardom. He understood that what “the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes.” People crave excitement that cannot be explained. As the great Houdini himself said, "The simplest way to attract crowds is to make it known that at a given time and place someone is going to attempt something which, if it fails, will result in sudden death.” Harry Houdini has indeed set the bar high for aspiring magicians with his mechanical expertise in magic and the mystery behind his illustrious escapes. The man some might call “the greatest magician who ever lived” was Harry Houdini. He was born as Erich Weisz in the great capital of Budapest, Hungary on March 24, 1874. Erich was born to Jewish Rabbi Mayer Sámul Weisz and his mother Cecília Weisz. Erich was part of a large family consisting of his half-brother Herman M. (1863-1885), Nathan J. (1870-1972), Gottfried William (1872-1925), Theodore also known by his nickname "Theo" (1876-1945), Leopold D. (1879-1962) and his only sister, Carrie Gladys (1882-1959). On July 3, 1878, four-year-old Erich and his family packed their bags and boarded the SS Fresia. , and we headed to the Big Apple, New York (Monticup). The family later changed their last name to "Weiss" and as...... middle of paper ......one-and-magician-before-his-time.html>. “Harry Houdini (1874-1926).” PBS.1999. .Fleischman, Sid. Escape! : The story of the great Houdini. New York: Greenwillow, 2006. “Harry Houdini.” Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, 1996-2013. March 10, 2014. Monticup, Jackie. “Biography of Houdini.” MagicTricks.com. March 2014. “The Great Harry Houdini”. thegreatharryhoudini.com. 2013. March 11, 2014. “Harry Houdini.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th edition. Columbia University Press, September 1, 2013. Web. March 17. 2014. .