Cheyenne Marie Richardson
Choice 1
Harry Houdini
I would like to be Harry Houdini because when I grow up I want to be a magician because Houdini was a magician who had fun with kids. I would like to be Harry Houdini also because he made people laugh by doing good tricks. And I also I want to be the person who can have fun with little kids and make them have a great life through fun and laughter , but first things first I have to go to school for that. That’s why I would like to be Harry Houdini.
Cheyenne Marie Richardson
Choice 2
Bill Cosbey
I would like Bill Cosby because he was a TV show producer, a comedian also a writer. I do like witting books fun books, for kids. Sometimes my friends like the books I write with only pictures. Also I would to be Bill Cosby because when I was growing parts of my life I watched my shows TV family the little girl is so funny. Did you know that Bill Cosby left high school without a diploma and he’s gotten far? That’s why I would like to be Bill Cosby.
Cheyenne Marie Richardson
Choice 3
Clara Barton
I would like to be Clara Barton because she was a nurse, an educator and a founder of the American Red Cross. She did a lot in her life then the American Red Cross is very important to her maybe. She was born on December 25, 1821. That’s when my nana died but in 2005. But that’s not the reason why I want to be her Id like to be her. I like her as a famous American but I don’t know why. The Founder of the Red Cross I just can’t get over that. The Red Cross helps people who are in danger like Haitians from Haiti so that what Clara Barton did but not in Haiti.
by Cheyenne Richardson
When you think of the bowling ball you think of strikes and spares. Well, to Houdini the bowling ball meant challenges. One of his many escape challenges was jumping into a pool while being chained to a bowling ball. This was similar to many other difficult situations he was able to escape.
Houdini was born on March 24, 1874 in Budapest, Hungary. Houdini’s real name was Erik Weisz. Erik’s father’s name was Mayer Samuel Wiesz and worked as a rabbi. Erik’s mother’s name was Cecilia. He had 7 brothers and sisters. In 1878, Erik and his family moved to America. Harry’s family was very poor. He really wanted to do some magic, He made a circus with his three friends that made a few cents for the magic tricks and balloons and lots of rides. During these shows he called himself “Ehrich, the Prince of Air.” At the age of 12, Erik decided that his family was so poor that he thought it was better if he rain away. He hopped a train that took him to Missouri even though he was trying to get to Texas. Erik really enjoyed magic, he constantly read about the French magician, Jean Eugene Robert Houdin.
When Erik was 17, he and a friend teamed up to do magic tricks. Erik changed his name for the show. He wanted something that rhymed with Ehrie (his nickname) so that’s where he got the name Harry. He got the last name after Jean Eugene Robert Houdin, the famous magician, so he added the “I” to Houdin and Harry Houdini was born.
Harry decided to help his mother by performing magic shows. This time he worked with his brother. The most amazing trick was called the Metamorphosis. In this trick Harry was put into a cloth sack and locked inside a trunk. His brother would pull back the curtains and clapped three times. Harry would be free from the sack and trunk. Then before audiences’ eyes, Harry would open the trunk and his brother was inside.
During these popular shows Harry met a singer and dancer named Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner, but she went by Bess for short. So one time when he wanted someone to help him with the “Metamorphosis Show” he chose Bess and his brother Theo. One of the tricks included the big casket and Harry cut it open to see if the body was the same as possible. If so he passed the test. Harry and Bess’s show became very popular. By 1900, they were so popular they were able to take their act to Europe.
While touring in Europe, they performed in London, France, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands and Russia. They came back to the United States in 1905. They started a new tour in the United States. Harry liked to do death defying tricks.
When Harry’s life was in danger he still put on a show for the audience. In the Hippodrome the 8 foot tall elephant Jennie joined Harry onstage; behind him was a huge box of curtains. Harry sent Jennie into the box, seconds later Jennie was gone.
Years later Harry thought that the tricks were too hard on his body. One day in 1926, he broke his left ankle. In Montréal a student asked to punch him. He said yes and the student punched him out of the blue. Hours later his appendix burst but it was too late to take him to the hospital Harry Houdini died.
Houdini affected people’s life because he inspired people to enjoy magic.
Listen to AN INTERVIEW WITH HARRY HOUDINI
Bibliography
“Harry Houdin.”4\15\2010. http:\\www.Biography.com.
Sutherland Jiu J. Who was Harry Houdini? New York: Grosset and Dunlap, 2002.