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What changes did he make to his name?
He was born Erik Weisz and adopted the name of a famous French magician, Robert-Houdini, as his stage name.
What was problematic about his father?
His father killed a prince in a duel in Budapest.
Who was a formative influence on him in his youth?
The French magician, Robert-Houdini, became a major influence when Houdini read his biography as a teenager.
What brought career success after a difficult start?
When he made escapology the focus of his act, his career began to take off.
How good a sportsman was he?
He was an avid amateur athlete, boxer, swimmer, and cyclist.
Why did he take an interest in mediums? Did he believe in them?
He took an interest mediums after the death of his mother.
Was he ever deceived by people faking supernatural phenomena?
He was skeptical about the supernatural and spent much of his life exposing the tricks that so-called mediums used.
When did he die? What were his last words?
He died on 31 October 1926. His last words were, "I'm tired of fighting".
What attempts were made to communicate with him after his death?
Houdini's wife held seances for ten years, trying to get him to communicate from beyond the grave.
