Harry Houdini Harry Houdini Harry Houdini (; born Erik Weisz, later Ehrich Weiss or Harry Weiss; March 24, 1874 – October 31, 1926) was a Hungarian-born American illusionist and stunt performer, noted for his sensational escape acts. He first attracted notice in vaudeville in the US and then as "Harry Handcuff Houdini" on a tour of Europe, where he challenged police forces to keep him locked up. Soon he extended his repertoire to include chains, ropes slung from skyscrapers, straitjackets under water, and having to escape from and hold his breath inside a sealed milk can with water in it. In 1904,
Stanley A. Weiss as proctologist-turned-ventriloquist Gerry Feigen were among a group of friends who met regularly with Weiss at Trader Vic's. His closest friends were the entrepreneur, Harry Hunt, and attorney Bernard Petrie. Living part of the year in the Swiss village of Gstaad, Weiss also befriended a colorful cast of characters including Galbraith, conservative icon and "National Review" founder William F. Buckley, and provocative "Spectator" columnist Panagiotis Theodoracopulos, better known as Taki. Weiss also developed close friendships in Gstaad with two of the actors who played James Bond – Sean Connery and Roger Moore. He would later befriend a third—Pierce Brosnan –