Brown was privately educated at Whitgift School in South Croydon (where his father coached swimming), and studied Law and German at the University of Bristol. He has a brother, who is nine years his junior. Brown states at the beginning of his Trick of the Mind programmes that he achieves his results using a combination of 'suggestion, psychology, misdirection and showmanship'.īrown was born to Bob and Chris Brown in Purley, Croydon, London, England. Though his performances of mind-reading and other feats of mentalism may appear to be the result of psychic or paranormal practices, he claims no such abilities and frequently denounces those who do. He is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions, and British television series such as Trick of the Mind and Trick or Treat. He gave a demonstration of escape from handcuffs at Scotland Yard, and succeeded in baffling the police so effectively that he was booked at the Alhambra for six months.ĭerren Brown is a British illusionist, mentalist, trickster, hypnotist, painter, writer, and sceptic. After some days of unsuccessful interviews in London, Houdini managed to interest Dundas Slater, then manager of the Alhambra Theatre. In 1900, Beck arranged for Houdini to tour Europe. Within months, he was performing at the top vaudeville houses in the country. Impressed by Houdini's handcuffs act, Beck advised him to concentrate on escape acts and booked him on the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. Houdini's big break came in 1899 when he met manager Martin Beck in rural Woodstock, Illinois. She and Houdini married in 1894, with Bess replacing Dash in the act, which became known as 'The Houdinis.' For the rest of Houdini's performing career, Bess would work as his stage assistant.

In 1893, while performing with his brother, Dash, at Coney Island as 'The Brothers Houdini', Harry met a fellow performer, Wilhelmina Beatrice 'Bess' Rahner. But he soon began experimenting with escape acts.

At one point, he billed himself as the 'King of Cards'. Houdini focused initially on traditional card tricks. He performed in sideshows, and even doubled as 'The Wild Man' at a circus.

The amazing harry houdini