Houdini Quotes

The Sun represents the right half of the body and the Moon the left half ... ~ Harry Houdini

McCoy, drained and hollow-eyed, couldn't take his eyes off the life vest belonging to the boy who'd slipped away from the group during the night. The empty vest spooked McCoy. All its straps were still tightly tied-it looked like some trick that Houdini might've played. Then McCoy peered into the water and got another shock: the boy was floating below him, spread-eagled, about fifteen feet below the surface. He lay motionless until a current caught him; then it was as if he were flying in the depths. Jesus, McCoy thought, Mother of God. He started saying the rosary over and over. McCoy had never been overly religious; his mom was the spiritual one in the family. But now he began the process of what he'd later call his purification; he'd started asking God to forgive him of his sins. He was resolved to live but he was getting ready to die. ~ Doug Stanton

Goes like a Magician soona without a wings and soon he will follow his own death like Houdini. ~ Deyth Banger

What the eyes sees, the ear hears, and the mind belives. ~ Harry Houdini

There were moments where I was being kicked in the stomach, and even though I had this brace on to protect me, I still had to prepare myself for it . You can't be relaxed when that's happening. You have to brace your muscles. I can remember thinking as it was about to happen "Wasn't that how Houdini died?" I think it was. ~ Emily Mortimer

I've always loved Houdini, not just because of what he did, but also because of what he stood for. He was a self-made man in a time when the idea of celebrity was still new, and he used his celebrity for good. ~ Michael Redhill

I always have on my mind the thought that next year I must do something greater, something more wonderful. ~ Harry Houdini

Fire has always been and, seemingly, will always remain, the most terrible of the elements. ~ Harry Houdini

Pickpockets either work alone or in pairs, or what is called a mob. ~ Harry Houdini

To cause the face to appear in a mass of flame make use of the following: mix together thoroughly petroleum, lard, mutton tallow and quick lime. Distill this over a charcoal fire, and the liquid which results can be burned on the face without harm. ~ Harry Houdini

It was on the steamer carrying him through the Golden Gate that he happened to reach down into the hole in the lining of the right pocket of his overcoat and discover the envelope that his brother had solemnly handed to him almost a month before. It contained a single piece of paper, which Thomas had hastily stuffed into it that morning as they all were leaving the house together for the last time, by way or in lieu of expressing the feelings of love, fear, and hopefulness that his brother's escape inspired. It was the drawing of Harry Houdini, taking a calm cup of tea in the middle of the sky, that Thimas had made in his notebook during his abortive career as a librettist. Josef studied it, feeling as he sailed toward freedom as if he weighed nothing at all, as if every precious burden had been lifted from him. ~ Michael Chabon

Rosabelle - answer - tell - pray, answer - look - tell - answer, answer - tell. ~ Harry Houdini

The great trouble with magicians is the fact that they believe when they have bought a certain trick or piece of apparatus, and know the method of procedure, that they are full-fledged mystifiers. ~ Harry Houdini

I collect rare photographs ... I have two ... One of Houdini locking his keys in his car ... the other is a rare picture of Norman Rockwell beating up a child. ~ Steven Wright

I don't think you can say something is or isn't magic. That's what was cool about Houdini, because he was a magician who had a magic show, but he was also an escape artist, and they kind of, over time, blended together. They both kind of enhance each other, I think. ~ David Blaine

Whether or not Houdini is my father, whether or not my mother loves me, I would still be me. A girl who loves magic. A girl with strange abilities. I will never be a normal girl. But maybe, just maybe, that's all right. ~ Teri Brown

I'm tired of fighting. ~ Harry Houdini

The secret of showmanship consists not of what you really do, but what the mystery-loving public thinks you do. ~ Harry Houdini

I think that in a year I may retire. I cannot take my money with me when I die and I wish to enjoy it, with my family, while I live. I should prefer living in Germany to any other country, though I am an American, and am loyal to my country. ~ Harry Houdini

As long as you can Houdini your way out of the Sisyphean constraints then originality happens. ~ David Mitchell

Whereas you have someone like Houdini, who works really, really hard to get really, really famous, and then has actual intellectual ideas that he puts into the culture that stay there. ~ Penn Jillette

I think if you would have cut Houdini with a knife, blood wouldn't come out, PR would. ~ Criss Angel

Houdini used to pull rabbits out of a hat, but he never tried to make a living out of selling them when he had pulled them out of the hat ~ Tommy Douglas

Only one man ever betrayed my confidence, and that only in a minor matter. ~ Harry Houdini

Almost the first thing you see after entering the Houdini exhibition at the Jewish Museum is a large-screen film of Harry Houdini hanging by his ankles upside-down from a tall building, high over a sea of men in fedoras, and thrashing his way out of a straitjacket. ~ Robert Gottlieb

Through the eight books in 'The Treasure Chest' series, readers will meet twins Maisie and Felix and learn the secrets and rules of time travel, where they will encounter some of these famous and forgotten people. In Book 1, Clara Barton, then Alexander Hamilton, Pearl Buck, Harry Houdini, and on and on. ~ Ann Hood

Kiernan leans forward. "I'm guessing that's because you can make it work, Mr. Houdini. Maybe that's how you manage . . ." He pauses when my kick lands on his shin, but finishes the sentence anyway. ". . . some of your more elaborate escapes. ~ Rysa Walker

Kiernan gives him a suspicious look. "You performed at the Expo?"
"Yes," Bess answers. "Along with his brother, Dash. They headlined as The Brothers Houdini on the Midway Plaisance."
"Really?" Kiernan shakes his head. "I was there as well. For the entire run. I knew every headliner on the Midway."
Houdini eyes shift slightly. "Well, we weren't exactly headliners, but yes, we did perform at the Fair. ~ Rysa Walker

I'm tired of fighting, Dash. I guess this thing is going to get me. ~ Harry Houdini

My chief task has been to conquer fear. The public sees only the thrill of the accomplished trick; they have no conception of the tortuous preliminary self-training that was necessary to conquer fear. ~ Harry Houdini

No one has the Houdini school of composition. ~ Morton Feldman

The pickpocket is usually very well dressed and of prepossessing appearance. ~ Harry Houdini

Eating coals of fire has always been one of the sensational feats of the Fire Kings, as it is quite generally known that charcoal burns with an extremely intense heat. ~ Harry Houdini

What the eyes see and the ears hear, the mind believes. ~ Harry Houdini

My professional life has been a constant record of disillusion, and many things that seem wonderful to most men are the every-day commonplaces of my business. ~ Harry Houdini

It is needless to say that women make the most patient as well as the most dangerous pickpockets. ~ Harry Houdini

Disloyalty in trusted servants is one of the most disheartening things that can happen to a public performer. ~ Harry Houdini

Flames from the lips may be produced by holding in the mouth a sponge saturated with the purest gasoline. ~ Harry Houdini

The greatest escape I ever made was when I left Appleton, Wisconsin. ~ Harry Houdini

Magic is the sole science not accepted by scientists, because they can't understand it. ~ Harry Houdini

But then, so far as I know, I am the only performer who ever pledged his assistants to secrecy, honor and allegiance under a notarial oath. ~ Harry Houdini

I am a great admirer of mystery and magic. Look at this life - all mystery and magic. ~ Harry Houdini

The eating of burning brimstone is an entirely fake performance. ~ Harry Houdini

They do tricks even I can't figure out. ~ Harry Houdini

I don't believe it," I muttered. "How on earth did he manage to get the padlocks back onto the can?"

Thomas opened his mouth, but Mrs. Harvey silenced him with a look. "Not a word out of you, dear. Or I swear I'll finish my story about poor Mr. Harvey and his underthings. ~ Kerri Maniscalco

I do not believe that ghosts or spirits exist. ~ Harry Houdini

I remember finding a Houdini book at the library and seeing an image of him chained on the side of a building. He looked so intense and scary, and I couldn't get that image out of my head. That started building up my love of magic. ~ David Blaine

No performer should attempt to bite off red-hot iron unless he has a good set of teeth. ~ Harry Houdini

Another method of eating burning coals employs small balls of burned cotton in a dish of burning alcohol. ~ Harry Houdini

In 1921, Harry Houdini started his own film company called - wait for it - the Houdini Picture Corporation. ~ Kage Baker

It is still an open question, however, as to what extent exposure really injures a performer. ~ Harry Houdini

In all feats of fire-eating it should be noted that the head is thrown well back, so that the flame may pass out of the open mouth instead of up into the roof, as it would if the head were held naturally. ~ Harry Houdini

No prison can hold me; no hand or leg irons or steel locks can shackle me. No ropes or chains can keep me from my freedom. ~ Harry Houdini

An old trick well done is far better than a new trick with no effect. ~ Harry Houdini

I didn't really know much about the Houdinis when I started. As soon as they sent me the script, I wanted to find out everything I could about Bess. Luckily, I have a really wonderful friend named Michael Mitnick, who's a writer. He was a magician as a child, and that led him to the theater, which led to drama school, and he writes films now. Magic was really his thing, growing up, so he put me in touch with his magic teacher who is a real Houdini expert. ~ Kristen Connolly

A magician is only an actor - an actor pretending to be a magician. ~ Harry Houdini

It was just like a digital fixation with cards and math and science and then I started to look at images of great magicians from Houdini down the line. ~ David Blaine

Never try to fool children, they expect nothing, and therefore see everything ... ~ Harry Houdini

But her favorite is the Houdini fantasy. Big Red disagrees with his biographers, who say that he was driven by his longing to shuck off this mortal coil. She knows that he was all the time just searching for a box that could hold him. ~ Karen Russell

Dear Jane, Just so you know: e. e. cummings cheated on both of his wives. With prostitutes. Yours, Will Grayson ~ John Green

Currently, his clients include the victims of a series of "Houdini-handcuff suicide killings," in which brown boys were handcuffed in the back of the police car and police claim they committed suicide: Victor White in Louisiana, Chavis Carter in Arkansas. Also Alesia Thomas of Los Angeles, a black woman who died after a police officer kicked her seven times in the crotch - there's a video the court will not release for fear of another Rodney King riot. ~ Anonymous

I must fling myself down and writhe; I must strive with every piece of force I possess; I bruise and batter myself against the floor, the walls; I strain and sob and exhaust myself, and begin again, and exhaust myself again; but do I feel pain? Never. How can I feel pain? There is no place for it. ~ Harry Houdini

Never tell the auidience how good you are, they will soon find out for themselves. ~ Harry Houdini

I am not an irretrievable skeptic. I am not hopelessly prejudiced. I am perfectly willing to believe, and my mind is wide open; but I have, as yet, to be convinced. I am perfectly willing, but the evidence must be sane and conclusive. ~ Harry Houdini

A common pickpocket trick is for the operator to carry a shawl or overcoat carelessly over the left arm, and to take a seat on the right side of the person they intend to rob in a streetcar or other vehicle. ~ Harry Houdini

Anyone who believes in magic is a fool. ~ Harry Houdini

The possible, as it was presented in her Health textbook (a mathematical progression of dating, "career," marriage, and motherhood), did not interest Harriet. Of all the heroes on her list, the greatest of them all was Sherlock Holmes, and he wasn't even a real person. Then there was Harry Houdini. He was the master of the impossible; more importantly, for Harriet, he was a master of escape. No prison in the world could hold him: he escaped from straitjackets, from locked trunks dropped in fast rivers and from coffins buried six feet underground.

And how had he done it? He wasn't afraid. Saint Joan had galloped out with the angels on her side but Houdini had mastered fear on his own. No divine aid for him; he'd taught himself the hard way how to beat back panic, the horror of suffocation and drowning and dark. Handcuffed in a locked trunk in the bottom of a river, he squandered not a heartbeat on being afraid, never buckled to the terror of the chains and the dark and the icy water; if he became lightheaded, for even a moment, if he fumbled at the breathless labor before him– somersaulting along a river-bed, head over heels– he would never come up from the water alive.

A training program. This was Houdini's secret. ~ Donna Tartt