Magic Day started with a “Houdini Day”, the first of which took place in the summer of 1927, less than one year after the famous magician’s death. His wife presented a trophy in honour of him on that day.

Harry Houdini is quite probably one of the reasons magic is so popular today and at the time of his death he was the most famous member of the Society of American Magicians. Houdini died at 1:26pm on October 31st, 1926.

Houdini is most famous for his escape artistry, varying from escaping from chains, ropes, handcuffs and straightjackets while dangling in the air above his audience, to escaping from a locked milk can, filled with water. He went so far as to challenge police in every city he visited to restrain him in their jails and handcuffs – more often than not he was strip-searched first.

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