His brother was also a successful magician. One stunt saw him jump into a Rochester, New York, river with his hands manacled behind his back in another, he broke out of the jail cell that had once held Charles Guiteau, the man who assassinated President James A. The newly christened “King of Handcuffs” played to sold-out crowds across Europe, and he later cemented his fame by staging several high-profile escapes in the United States. He began challenging audiences to tie him up or lock him in handcuffs, and he promoted his shows by staging escapes from local jails, usually after being strip-searched and put in shackles by police.

On Beck’s advice, Houdini made escapes a central part of his act. He finally caught a break in 1899, when vaudeville impresario Martin Beck booked him on a tour of the United States and Europe.

Houdini struggled during his early years in show business and considered calling it quits and opening a magic school. Getty Images / Universal History Archive / UIG

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