Houdini(27)

As the war got into full swing in 1918, Houdini arranged with the Secretary of War to teach American recruits how to escape from sinking vessels and German handcuffs, and how to survive for longer underwater. The practical value of these lessons was probably minimal, but Houdini felt proud of his contributions to the war effort. Further, this is probably one of the only instances in which Houdini volunteered to share with any other person his secret escape techniques, reflecting a real desire to help the American effort.



For six months in 1918, Houdini performed twice a day in a patriotic show called “Cheer Up” at the Hippodrome Theater in New York City. “Cheer Up” featured re-enactments of famous American historical moments and figures and music by John Philip Sousa. During “Cheer Up,” Houdini performed the Vanishing Elephant Trick and a form of his Underwater Box Escape. He also continued to give performances at military compounds. He created a group known as the Rabbis’ Sons Theatrical Benevolent Association, which raised money for American troops. Houdini was president of the Association.



Houdini also was a major organizer of a major benefit for the wartime hospital fund, and planned to perform a trick in which he seemed to catch a marked bullet fired from a gun. His friend and mentor Keller admonished him not to take on the dangerous trick, which had recently taken the life of a magician friend of Houdini’s, and Houdini agreed to do the Upside Down instead. Houdini served as auctioneer of Liberty Bonds at this benefit, bringing in tens of thousands of dollars for the war effort. In the 1920s, Houdini continued his charity work, giving shows to benefit the United Jewish Campaign and performing in children’s hospitals and prisons.



After the war, Houdini offered to teach leaders in the U.S. Bureau of Mines how to preserve air in case of mine collapse emergencies. After Houdini managed to stay underwater in an airtight casket in a New York swimming pool in 1926, Dr. W. J. McConnell of the Bureau tried to spread Houdini’s lessons outside of the Bureau as well, although most experts did not accept his offer, either not believing that Houdini was authentic or not wanting to be associated with a magician. Houdini also designed a diving suit that he believed would save the lives of divers because it allowed them to exit the suit quickly in case of emergency.





In Houdini’s Words




Houdini was not alone in thinking that magic tricks could help humankind. In Miracle Mongers and Their Methods he describes how the discoveries of “fire eaters” and their ilk have helped develop tools for modern fire fighting. Houdini’s clear pride in the use of magic tricks to save lives comes through in his extensive use of “scientific” evidence.



In our own times the art of defending the hands and face, and indeed the whole body, from the action of heated iron and intense fire, has been applied to the nobler purpose of saving human life, and rescuing property from the flames. The revival and the improvement of this art we owe to the benevolence and the ingenuity of the Chevalier Aldini of Milan, who has travelled through all Europe to present this valuable gift to his species. Sir H. Davy had long ago shown that a safety lamp for illuminating mines, containing inflammable air, might be constructed of wire-gauze, alone, which prevented the flame within, however large or intense, from setting fire to the inflammable air without. This valuable property, which has been long in practical use, he ascribed to the conducting and radiating power of the wire-gauze, which carried off the heat of the flame, and deprived it of its power. The Chevalier Aldini conceived the idea of applying the same material, in combination with other badly conducting substances, as a protection against fire. The incombustible pieces of dress which he uses for the body, arms, and legs, are formed out of strong cloth, which has been steeped in a solution of alum, while those for the head, hands, and feet, are made of cloth of asbestos or amianthus. The head dress is a large cap which envelops the whole head down to the neck, having suitable perforations for the eyes, nose, and mouth. The stockings and cap are single, but the gloves are made of double amianthus cloth, to enable the fireman to take into his hand burning or red-hot bodies. The piece of ancient asbestos cloth preserved in the Vatican was formed, we believe, by mixing the asbestos with other fibrous substances; but M. Aldini has executed a piece of nearly the same size, 9 feet 5 inches long, and 5 feet 3 inches wide, which is much stronger than the ancient piece, and possesses superior qualities, in consequence of having been woven without the introduction of any foreign substance. In this manufacture the fibers are prevented from breaking by action of steam, the cloth is made loose in its fabric, and the threads are about the fiftieth of an inch in diameter.