If Houdini came back from the dead, the first thing he would do is kick Criss Angel's a$$.

I think that's what the op meant.

I will agree with you Clarissa, a lot of what Houdini did is up for debate.

From my studies though, I do stick to the view point that he was a great magician in skill. He had the knowledge, and when he was younger, he was quite skilled with close-up magic. As he grew older, and drifted from that, I'm sure he wasn't as good, and probably fumbled a little. His problem was that he didn't fit the stereotype of a stage magician. He wasn't refined. But once he started doing escapology, he flourished because he was an amazing showman.

As for the Dai Vernon quote; it also has to be remembered that Dai was a crude and rude man. He was very knowledgeable, and very skilled, but he was also a very rude person. There were quite a few magicians who passed up learning from him because of that reason. This isn't an insult to him, because I'm sure I would have liked him, but he did bad mouth a lot of people. It was just his personality. Oh, and I think I should mention that he had a reason to bad mouth Houdini anyway; Houdini shunned him.

I love reading well reasoned arguments. I think as with all things, the truth lies somewhere between the two extremes. Some say he was a god, others say he sucked donkey balls.... maybe he was a god that suicked donkey balls? Or maybe he had his on and off days... just like the rest of us

Houdini was better than magicians give him credit for, the idea the he was a bad magician and good escape artist is non-sense in my opinion because Houdini did card manipulation kind of somewhat like McBride is famous for right now I suppose, and anyone that can do card slights of that kind decently is at a respectable level of skill in my opinion. I mean you don't see Angel doing cups and balls much less card manipulation whether its close-up or on stage.


Oh wait I forgot......


Why's you all not be believin dat criss is houdini? I be the only person up in here for voting criss to Houdini!!!!! I'm tellin ya MINDFREAK!!!!! Houdini escape death and come Chris!!!! Houdini comin back he said criss so know you that is chris houdni! Plus escapes are doing by cris and houdini do escaping stuff so dat HAS to mean they the same one!!!!

try You'se gotz two understand dis!!!!!

If you have any doubts about the life of Houdini I recommend you read The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America's First Superhero .

I also recommend Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible and Learned to Disappear.

Criss Angel is morondini. That is about it. There were thousands before him who emulated Houdini, and will be thousands more after Criss' poor show is canceled. He just uses the names of other magicians to boost his own, mainly Blaine, who he also emulated. Criss is far too stupid to create any original personas. He wants to be better than everyone yet does nothing to obtain any skills.

However I do like his lamebrained MTV rock-star/metrosexual reject in biker clothes with a speech impediment persona. Oh wait, that is actually him...

I said I was Houdini reincarnated back in the day too. Plus our birthdays are exactly 100 years part. But I grew up.

You must have read my mind. I just got that book a Little bit ago. was about to pick it up. Nice to see it has credibility.

The funny thing is Steinmeyer, was the one that reported that some of the magicians of his day did not think Highly of Houdini. So.. Steinmeyer read it wrong? or was it simply the jealousy of the Magicians that did not like him?

If you believe Steinmeyer a good Historian, then it leads to the conclusion, that the magicians that though little of him, were petty, and jealous. Would not be the first time. Some magicians have Big egos..* looks at the mirror to see if she has an inflated ego... needs to see an ego deflater... needs to be more humble.*

I Miss the old Avatar

There are just so many accounts of Houdini that it's hard to know which ones are credible. Houdini ticked many magicians off though when he did an expose on Robert-Houdin. Many magicians were angry that Houdini would insult and try to tear down his once former idol (and quite possibly his life-long idol. I don't think he ever stopped idolizing Robert-Houdin. The fact was though, there could only be one man to define magic, and Houdini wanted to make sure it was him). So that could have led to a lot of the negative accounts, because after that book came out, Houdini got attacked over and over again by other magicians (not physically).

Guyzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........


Houdini about dis thread not be! Bein about houdini be cirs! Stay on the right subject lets do.

But da best houdini to be had cuz criss da best magic ever and chriss be houdini! From da dead come back he did! He was like "I'ze goin two death escape" and den he "MINDFREAK!!!!" he said!!

So dat makes kriss da best two houdni be da best two they the same cause!!!

LMAO... remind me never to read the forums while I drink My coffee, i almost spit on the keyboard lol

Jesus-Tapping Dancing-Christ! English please or I delete the post. Reading that crap makes my eyes hurt...

Which avatar?