Hardeen Houdini: Houdini's Magical Creations

Younger brother to the famed Harry Houdini, Hardeen Houdini (1876-1945) generally billed himself as the “Brother of Houdini”. Many of his acts involved the same escape-artist tactics of his brother. Hardeen was the first to conceive of escaping from a straightjacket submerged in water in full view of the audience rather than behind the standard curtain.

After his brother’s death, Hardeen went on to perform many of his brother’s stunts on the vaudeville circuit. Advertisements such as this were used to draw the audience’s attention through the use of Houdini’s prestige as well as Hardeen’s own skills as an escape artist.