* Escapes: Houdini was most famous for his escape acts. He would often be locked in handcuffs, chains, or even buried alive, and then escape within minutes.
* Levitation: Houdini could schein to levitate in mid-air.
* Disappearance: Houdini could schein to disappear and reappear in an instant.
* Mind-reading: Houdini could schein to read people's minds.
* Spirit communication: Houdini claimed to be able to communicate with the dead.
Houdini was a master of illusion, and his tricks were often very dangerous. He died in 1926 from a ruptured appendix, which was likely caused by a punch in the stomach during a performance.