Greetings!

While doing some research some interesting facts befell me-
Houdini was born on April 6,1874 * I was born April 5, 1955
Houdini died October 31, 1926. He was 52 years old. * I am 52 years old.
On October 30, 2007, I will be the exact age Houdini was when he died.
It was exactly 100 years ago this year that Houdini accepted the USPO Mailbag Challenge.
On October 30, 2007, I will be escaping from an exact replica of the mailbag So, at exactly his age (to the day) when he died I'll be performing his mailbag escape exactly 100 years after he first did and I'll be doing it on the eve of the day he died. How's that for eerie coincidence?

Just thought you might enjoy that...

Clyde



That means that on

Dear Clyde,

Two suggestions:

1. Don't let enyone punch you in the stomach backstage.

2. Don't do anything to upset the spiritualists.

Onward and upward!

Yours,

Paul

:o

(Twilight Zone Music plays in background)

Beware the ides of March...umm, October!

***. That is a weird coincidence Clyde.

Oh, c'mon! You planned that!

It's ok. We like you anyway! Publicity angles are a good thing.

I think Clyde might have too much time on his hands

hehe.. good luck with the escape

Hehe thanks guys. Ok so I planned everything except the birth thing... but was darn nice of my folks to work it out that way. hehehe


Clyde

"Houdini was born on April 6,1874"

>>>Hopefully there won't be any Houdini historians in the audience to give you an argument over that - if you mention that date in your patter.

The date came from his death certificate. I'd love to learn of any other info on the subject! What do you have?

Clyde

>>>Houdini was born on March 24, 1874 -in Hungary.

>>>not on April 6 - in America, as he publically claimed.

Birth certificate of Houdini was found in Budapest, and reprinted in Genii Magazine
in the Oct. 1972 issue, as I recall (could have the wrong issue). I do have the issue, and it shows conclusively he was born 3/24/74 in Budapest. I remember it was titled something like "Report of the Houdini Birthdate Research Committee", or something similar to that.

I think he was born in Pest. I don't remember a birth certificate though. More likely it was some sort of census record or other similar document. I'm almost positive that Larry Arcuri and Milbourne Christopher did the leg work on this project.

Yes, he was American.

Is it true that he was brought to this country at age 4 two years after he was supposedly born here?

Clyde

Is it true that he was brought to this country at age 4 two years after he was supposedly born here?

Clyde

Yes. He arrived in NYC on July 3rd, 1878.

He was told his birthday was later to make him think he was American, and didn't find out the truth until he was much older. Milborne Christopher says it was to give him the security of American citizenship.

Houdini went with the American B'date... run with it clyde, no one will call you on it! ; )

Hehe I plan on it. How often do you get to exploit being the EXACT age (to the day) of Houdini at his death - ON THE EVE OF HIS DEATH DATE! And with the USPS Mailbag Challenge being exactly 100 years ago, its just too ripe to pass up! Now its a matter of exploiting WHERE. Is the museum in Appleton still going since it lost the Radner collection? I'm also wondering about Scranton, PA's museum.

Clyde

I Beleive the one in Appleton is still opened. and the one in scranton I think its Opened Seasonal.

Most of the main members and contributors quit the museum a few years back. Once the museum in their infinite wisdom decided to expose magic/escapes, they sealed their fate.