Nearly 100 years after Harry Houdini’s death, his name is still synonymous with magic, daring escape acts, and stunning illusions — such as making a 10,000-pound elephant disappear.
But what’s not as widely known is Houdini’s unlikely connection to Kansas City.
Houdini historian and biographer John Cox says the story goes back to when the performer was a boy.
“The family was in dire straits in Milwaukee, and 12-year-old Houdini decided, ‘I'm going to go to Galveston, Texas,’” to find a job and contribute, says Cox. “So, he hopped a freight car. But he got in the wrong freight car, and he wound up in Kansas City.”
The accidental visit kicked off an extended relationship between Kansas City and Houdini, who performed here a total of eight times throughout his career, including all his major stunts.
“It was spread out through his career,” says Cox, “so Kansas City sort of saw a different Houdini each time.”
Before his sudden death on Oct. 31, 1926, Houdini spent 35 years developing an image as the ultimate escape artist.
“The person that nothing could hold,” says Cox, who has written multiple biographies of Houdini. “Nothing on earth can hold Houdini a prisoner, and that captured people's imaginations.”
In a daring display of his capabilities, Houdini debuted one of his most famous escapes — from a straitjacket while suspended in midair — at the corner of 10th and Main streets in September 1915.
“The reason he did these stunts was to draw people to the theater, and they absolutely did,” says Cox. “He would get front-page newspaper coverage and pack the theater.”
For this stunt, Houdini was put into a straitjacket by police and raised 20 feet high.
“He would struggle and free himself from the straitjacket, and people could see this happening from blocks away,” says Cox. “Not only was it an exciting escape, but also just the idea that 5,000 people plugged the streets of Kansas City was in itself news, and this was a big success.”
By Cox’s count Houdini eventually did 78 suspended straitjacket escapes in various cities, “but Kansas City, on this day, was his very first.”
To commemorate the feat, the local chapters of the Society of American Magicians and the International Brotherhood of Magicians will unveil a historic marker at the intersection at 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.
And Cox will visit Kansas City Public Library’s Central location on Wednesday, Sept. 9, to discuss Houdini’s life and career.
Cox says he’s been captivated with Houdini since he was 10 years old, when he saw the “Houdini” biopic on TV, starring Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh.
“I just became tremendously curious: ‘Who was this man?’ ‘Did he really do these things?’” Cox says. “So, from that day to this, I just began this journey to learn everything I can about Harry Houdini.”
In 2010, Cox launched the blog Wild About Harry, which is full of fascinating tidbits and Houdini rabbit holes to pursue. Cox says the site has garnered more than 23 million pageviews.
“I found a group of people that wanted to hear about this,” he says. “I did it because it was a joy.”
John Cox will discuss the life and career of Harry Houdini at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9, at the Kansas City Public Library’s Central Library, 14 W. 10th Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64105. The event is free with RSVP. More information at KCLibrary.org.
