Houdini almost gave up on the act that would make him a star: the handcuff escape. But with his wife’s encouragement, he persisted. And it paid off.
Join Derren Brown as we learn how Houdini went from a sideshow hustler to the big time.
In 1899, Martin Beck, a Vaudeville booker, stumbled into a beer hall in St Paul, Minnesota, and changed Houdini’s life. He thought Houdini’s handcuff escape act was uniquely interesting and offered him a run of shows.
Houdini grasped the opportunity with both hands. As his understanding of what his audiences desired increased, so too did his star rise. He became a Vaudeville star.
Presenter: Derren Brown
Writer/Producer: Calum McCrae
Additional research: Alice Homewood
Sound designer: David Crackles
Executive producer: Sophie Ellis
Commissioning Executive: Tracy Williams
Commissioning Editor: Daniel Clarke
A Strawberry Blond production for BBC Sounds and Radio 4
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