Harry Houdini on a U.S. postage stamp, July 2002 The old showbiz saying is "the show must go on." Yet, not many performers would "go on" with appendicitis and a temperature of 104°, allowing themselves to be suspended upside down (with a broken ankle) into a small tank of water. Well, not many performers are Harry Houdini. Legend says that Houdini died of appendicitis brought on by a punch to his stomach. The truth is that, punch or not, his appendix would have burst anyway. On October 24, 1926, the escapologist gave his final performance, before the pain became too great for even the stubborn Houdini to ignore -- and even then, he refused surgery until the next day. But it was too late; the damage had been done. Most patients would have died within hours, but Houdini's body and will were so strong that he hung on for four days, dying on Halloween. In the decades since, numerous attempts have been made to contact Houdini beyond the grave, but so far, even he hasn't been able to pull off the greatest escape. Suggested Sites... Houdini Tribute: Houdini's Death - photos of Houdini's grave, video of his funeral, and much more about his life and death. MSNBC: One Final Trick for Houdini: Exhumation - was the master magician murdered by his Spiritualist enemies? A Magician's Last Will and Testament - information about Houdini's will and bequests. Snopes.com: Punched Out - debunks the rumors surrounding the escapologist's death. Wikipedia: Harry Houdini - good overview of Houdini's life, with links to the Houdini Museum and other sites dedicated to the magician.

Directory categories: Harry Houdini, Magic, Magicians, Spiritualism, Paranormal Phenomena

Archived under: Celebrities, Dead Celebrities, Death, Entertainment, Ghosts, Harry Houdini, Magic

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