An Unforgettable Encounter with Harry Houdini

My grandfather George was a singer, actor, and amateur boxer. In the 1920s, he had an interesting encounter with Harry Houdini, the famous escape artist, that lived on through stories I grew up hearing. This experience has sparked a theory that may challenge our understanding of the events leading to Houdini's legendary death.

My Grandfather, George: A Multifaceted Career

George had a successful career as a classical singer and was a protégé of the renowned Italian tenor Italo Picchi. He was a well-paid church soloist and concert singer before World War I. His career was problematic during full-costume opera performances due to his migraines. After the war, he resumed singing in Vaudeville, where he gained popularity and was noted for his good-looking Irish tenor style. It was during one of his Vaudeville performances that he met Houdini.

The Semicircular Incident

One early 1920s evening, George and Houdini were performing in the same venue in New York City. Houdini invited George to punch him in the stomach, a feat he was well known for. George gladly accepted, but the encounter took place backstage, not in front of the audience. George explained that Houdini tensed his diaphragm and created a kind of muscular box with his abdominal muscles before accepting the punch.

George believed he had extra insight into Houdini’s physical abilities due to his experience as a singer and recognizing the tensing of the diaphragm. He remembered Houdini as one of the most physically gifted people in history, a fact supported by his childhood practice of hanging upside-down from his heels and picking up needles using only his eyelids.

A Different Encounter: Houdini and the Punch

In a historical episode from 1926, Houdini was hit several times in the lower abdomen by a student, Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead, while he was stretched out on a couch in his dressing room, recovering from a broken ankle. This incident confounded people at the time and provided a different perspective on Houdini's physical condition.

Based on my grandfather's theory, the magician may have been unable to shift to the optimum position to receive a punch and was hit in the wrong place. This lack of preparation and swift response could have contributed to the severity of the injury and ultimately led to Houdini's untimely death.

Houdini's Last Days

Houdini died from the aftereffects of the blow about two days after it was delivered on Halloween, October 31, 1926. While it is unclear whether the punch actually ruptured his appendix, or if the pain masked the appendicitis he would have suffered regardless, the incident has sparked much debate and intrigue.

It is worth noting that contemporary medical science provides more insights into Houdini's death. Appendix rupture is a common cause of death in cases of untreated appendicitis. However, the suddenness of Houdini's passing and the controversy surrounding his death have led to numerous theories and speculations over the years.

A Legacy in Photos

Here is a promotional photograph from the 1930s, featuring my grandfather as both an actor and an amateur boxer. Looking at this image, I can easily envision the scene where he met Houdini and offered to punch the legendary magician. The memory of this encounter still resonates within me and has left a lasting impact on my understanding of Houdini's life and eventual demise.