Houdini death date disputed in new book

A new book challenges the long-accepted date of Harry Houdini’s death, arguing he died one day earlier than officially recorded.

Larrian Gillespie, a forensic medical researcher, contends that Houdini died on October 30, 1926, rather than October 31. Her book, Houdini: The Man Who Died Twice, cites a doctor's affidavit and medical records to support this timeline. Gillespie states that the state death certificate contains errors and was likely altered to align with Halloween. She claims Houdini's inner circle wanted the date changed so the magician would always be remembered on that night.

Gillespie also disputes the cause of death. While contemporary reports list diffuse peritonitis resulting from appendicitis, she argues the real cause was an intestinal blockage. She says a doctor allowed Houdini to eat a bowl of vegetables and sour cream while he recovered from surgery, leading to the blockage. No autopsy was performed at the time, which has allowed alternate theories to persist for a century.

Houdini’s death occurred at Grace Hospital in Detroit. He had been hospitalized after a college student in Montreal punched him in the stomach, an event that may have aggravated his condition. Gillespie’s book received a starred review from Kirkus, which described it as an absorbing and argument-starting account. George Hardeen, Houdini’s great-nephew, told the Associated Press that he found the book convincing and had zero doubts about the findings.

The new account has not convinced every expert. Bruce Averbook, a Houdini scholar, told the AP he doubted the date was altered. He noted that Houdini’s personal assistant wrote down the death date as October 31 and that the family was in deep grief at the time. Averbook stated, He had no reason to lie about this. John Cox, a Houdini blogger and founder of Wild About Harry Press, said the book contains good new information about Houdini’s career. However, Cox believes a second opinion is still needed regarding the death details. He added that the death is a small part of Houdini’s overall story.

Other centennial publications are also arriving. A rare essay by Houdini titled An Interesting Scrapbook appears in the current issue of The Strand Magazine. In it, Houdini discusses early American magicians and laments the lack of historical records about them. The essay was inspired by playbills shared with him by cartoonist Kin Hubbard. Eric Colleary, curator of Theatre and Performing Arts at the Harry Ransom Center, noted that Houdini had a deep interest in other magicians. Colleary said Houdini visited their graves and paid to have them maintained to keep their memories alive. Houdini, born Erik Weisz in 1874, became a professional magician by his teens and an international celebrity by age 30.

Events are taking place this weekend to mark the centennial. A Grand Houdini Centenarium is being held in Budapest, his hometown. An auction of memorabilia is occurring in Hollywood, California. Seances are planned in Chicago and Frederick, Maryland. Houdini is buried at Machpelah Cemetery in New York City, a site that has served as a Halloween gathering place for many years.