Houdini Unlocked

Chronicling Houdini’s unconventional life and ground-breaking approach to marketing and publicity, across newspapers, movies, and ever-more outrageous stunts

Houdini was quick to grasp the concept of ‘entertainer as brand’, where fame was an aim in itself. When others stole his act, he published a book of his ‘handcuff secrets’ and quickly moved on to more extravagant escapes. He arranged many escapes with local merchants in the towns he visited on tour, in early mass tie-in marketing, and set up challenges with newspapers. He created his own magazine; became the president of Martinka & Co., America’s oldest magic tricks company; served nine successive terms as president of the Society of American Magicians; created his own unique escapes including the Chinese Water Torture and the Milk Can Escape; launched his own film career; and even became the first man to fly in an airplane in Australia. His debunking of fraudulent spiritualists gave him yet another outlet to promote his own fame while pursuing a righteous crusade. Houdini pioneered almost every marketing concept of the 20th century, but didn’t live beyond its first quarter, dying on 31 October 1926 in controversial circumstances. This new study, timed for the centenary of his death, explores his unique life and position as both escapologist and marketing extraordinaire.