1874 (March 24): Born Erich Weiss in Budapest, Hungary.
1878: His family immigrated to the United States.
1894: Adopted the stage name "Harry Houdini" and began his career as a magician.
1899: Married Bess Rahner, who became his lifelong partner and stage assistant.
1900: Performed his first major public escape act, freeing himself from chains while hanging upside down from a building in Chicago.
1904: Gained international fame for escaping from handcuffs, straitjackets, and other restraints in various cities around the world.
1908: Performed his famous "Milk Can Escape," where he was sealed inside a milk can filled with water and escaped within seconds.
1912: Published his first book, "Handcuff Secrets."
1913: Completed a successful tour of Europe, performing his escape acts in major cities.
1915: Became a naturalized citizen of the United States.
1918: Served as a spy for the U.S. Secret Service during World War I.
1920: Established his own film production company, Houdini Picture Corporation, and starred in several silent movies.
1923: Performed his iconic "Chinese Water Torture Cell" escape, where he was suspended upside down in a glass-enclosed tank filled with water.
1925 (October 31): Died in Detroit, Michigan, at the age of 52, after a ruptured appendix and subsequent peritonitis.
1926 (November 2): Bess Houdini held a séance in an attempt to contact Harry's spirit, as per his request.
These are just a few of the significant events that marked Harry Houdini's life and solidified his legacy as one of the greatest magicians and escape artists in history.