Harry Houdini was born as Erik Weisz (he later spelled his birth name as Ehrich Weiss) in Budapest, Austria-Hungary, on March 24, 1874. He was also a skeptic who set out to expose frauds purporting to be supernatural phenomena. He is buried in Machpelah Cemetery in Queens.Harry Houdini (born Erik Weisz Ma– October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-born American magician and escapologist, stunt performer, actor and film producer noted for his sensational escape acts. On October 5, 1892, Mayer Samuel died at age 63 after an operation for tongue cancer at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City.

While respected, the aging Rabbi Weiss (who never learned English) could not find steady work, and for a time worked beside his son Ehrich at R. In 1887 the Weiss family relocated to New York City. But in August of that same year, Rabbi Weiss lost his job and the family moved to Milwaukee where they fell into poverty. On June 6, 1882, Mayer Samuel and his family became U.S. In Appleton, Mayer Samuel and Cecelia had two more children Leopold David (1879) and Carrie Gladys (1882).

In 1878 he secured a job as the Rabbi in Appleton, Wisconsin, and sent for his family to join him there. Legend has it that he killed a man in a duel and that is why he had to flee the country. Their first child died.Īfter the births of his sons Natan Josef (1870), Gottfried Vilmos (1872), Erik/Houdini (1874), and Ferencz Deszo (1876), Rabbi Weiss left his family in Hungary and traveled to London and then onto America. 1 in the Buda section of Budapest, Hungary. That same year he met and married Cecelia Steiner, who was 13 years his junior. In 1863 is first wife died, leaving him with one infant son, Armin (Herman). In 1851 he received his Certificate of Ordination by the Rabbinical Examination Committee for the Wespnimer Comitat in Buda, Hungary. Houdini's father, Mayer Samuel Weisz (later Weiss), was born August 27, 1829.

Harry houdini mayer samuel weisz