Google Celebrates Houdini 137th Birthday With Doodle

Google is celebrating Harry Houdini’s 137th birthday today with a doodle. The legendary illusionist is featured on the doodle in the style of an old poster that would be seen around those times to promote the magic act.

Harry Houdini was not is birth name, it was only a stage name, his real name is Erik Weisz. He was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1874 and moved to Wisconsin with his family shortly after being born. Harry Houdini started out as an illusionist in a circus act at a very young age. Over time Harry Houdini became very popular with his escape acts, where he was able to escape handcuffs, shackles, chains and straitjackets.

Harry Houdini’s most famous and well-known act was his escape from the Chinese Water Torture Cell, where he would escape from a water tank while suspended upside down and shackled. He had to hold his breath for three minutes to be able to complete the act without dying. Still to this day no one knows how he escaped from that tank in under three minutes.

Harry Houdini died in 1926 due to complications after a ruptured appendix. Even after his death Harry Houdini is a house hold name and known worldwide for his amazing escape tricks.