Biographers attribute Houdini’s desire to transform himself into an all-powerful, world-known figure as stemming from a need to escape his childhood of deprivation and insecurity. Other psychoanalysts have gone further to explain Houdini’s obsession with escaping restraints and defying death as a reaction to an extreme Oedipal complex. Some also point out to the novelty of Houdini’s nude jail cell escapes and speculate that Houdini’s willingness to bare his body might point to an element of eroticism in Houdini’s appeal.
Whatever the case, Houdini’s personal writings reflect his anxiety to stay forever famous, his fears that his success would just be fleeting, and his desperation to stay on top. Despite his huge ego, he clearly always felt like he was about to become irrelevant, that he must crush all who threatened or opposed him before he himself got crushed, and that he might become poor again. Although rich, he carefully saved money in case of future poverty and scrimped money wherever he could, except for his extravagant spending on his collections and other passions. Although famous, he went out of his way to crush imitators and to sue any who tried to use his name. Although renowned throughout the world at a relatively early age, he continued seeking more dangerous and breathtaking stunts, often performing when injured and in pain.
Even though many could and did criticize Houdini’s self-obsession, no one could attack his work ethic. Houdini trained for hours each day and stayed up into the night reading and researching to improve his performances and collections. It is rumored that he was an insomniac who used his long waking hours to further his professional goals. Even when Houdini took time off, he juggled several projects and was constantly on the go. He didn’t seem to know any other pace besides flat out.
Ethnically Jewish, Houdini was proud of his educated rabbi father and raised money for Jewish organizations. He did not approve of indulging in alcohol or drugs, and also looked with contempt on men going to lewd shows and otherwise womanizing. He seemed apathetic towards politics and issues of social justice, although he did approve of steps towards racial equality that he witnessed in England. Having first come into fame in England, he considered himself as having more in common with the British and other European nations than with Americans. He proudly presented his shows in Germany and Russia in what he knew of those countries’ languages. However, he made himself into an American citizen by falsifying his place of birth on his passport, changing it from Budapest, Hungary to Appleton, Wisconsin. He also claimed his birthdate was slightly different than the real date (April 6, 1874 instead of March 24, 1874). Further, when war broke out, he dove into patriotic efforts to raise money for the United States effort and to contribute his skills to raising the morale of the troops and the public.
Clearly an intelligent man, Houdini was keenly aware that his lack of formal education put him at a disadvantage. Coming from a house filled with his father’s books and love of learning, he yearned to be considered worthy of joining the ranks of academia and to be regarded as more than just a magician. This desire likely fed his passions for collecting books and for writing, as well as for making connections with famous authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Jack London, as well as other academics such as Robert Gould Shaw. Despite his drive to be considered equal to those in the academic, elite world, Houdini reportedly cared very little about his appearance when off-stage, frequently appearing in rumpled and dirty clothes. He also maintained friendships with the usually lower-class circus and beer hall performers that he had worked with in his early career, and went out of his way to send flowers and gifts to the working-class people that had helped him and his family while he was growing up.
In his forties Houdini became known as a generous charity figure. He called his works of charity “Good Works” and received no payment for them. He had a particular reputation for handing out money to older people who were down on their luck, perhaps because they reminded him of his impoverished father. He performed shows at charity hospitals, orphanages, and prisons. Most famously, he put on a three-hour show at Sing Sing prison, much longer than his or any other magicians’ of the times shows. Houdini interestingly commented that he thought that given a different set of circumstances, he himself might have found himself leading a criminal life.
Houdini and Bess
Despite Houdini’s passion for publicity, his relationship with his wife Bess was kept private from the press. Observers frequently said that Houdini appeared to act very lovingly towards Bess, and after his death his property was found to contain many love notes written to her, describing her as his sunshine and using many other romantic metaphors. Bess, like Houdini, was very private. She liked to make clothes and fine food, and to shop. The couple did not have any children, despite their attempts to conceive. Their letters to friends reflect sadness that they were not able to have children. They parented instead their pets, which included a small dog named Charlie and a parrot named Polly.