Living Proof

I was in fourth grade when I first became aware of Houdini. I suppose I might have heard the name in passing or been aware of the idea of magic and magicians, but I know that I was in fourth grade when I first saw the film, "Houdini" starring Tony Curtis. It was a revelation to me because I had previously imagined all magic to be simply sleight of hand or clever constructions that allowed a mannequins toes to wiggle as the lovely assistant was sawed in half. Houdini's act was most certainly based on such misdirection, but he also brought an athlete's zeal to his performance - specifically in his many daring escapes.
I read several biographies about Houdini after this, and discovered that he was able to accomplish many of his most infamous escapes relatively easily, but let the audience fear the worst before revealing himself safe, unharmed, and free. Later in his life, he became obsessed with the supernatural, searching simultaneously to make a connection with his dead mother and to debunk any fake seance artists who preyed on those who shared his hopes for link with the afterlife. When he died in 1926, Houdini told his wife that he would try to contact her "from beyond" - that was on Halloween. (cue theremin)
Since that time, there has been a great deal of speculation about the circumstances of Houdini's death. The generally accepted theory is that he died from a punch to the stomach from an overzealous college boy that ruptured his appendix. George Hardeen, his great-nephew, wants the escape artist's body exhumed to determine if enemies poisoned him for debunking their bogus claims of contact with the dead. It gets even more comic book from here: The likeliest murder suspects were members of a group known as the Spiritualists. Houdini devoted large portions of his stage show in later years to exposing the group's fraudulent seances. The movement's devotees included Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle. In a November 1924 letter, Doyle said Houdini would "get his just desserts very exactly meted out ... I think there is a general payday coming soon."
The skeptic magician killed by the creator of Sherlock Holmes - coming soon to a theater near you. Alas, it probably won't star Tony Curtis.