Bess Houdini facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bess Houdini
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Houdini in the early 1900s
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| Born |
Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner
January 23, 1876 |
| Died | February 11, 1943 (aged 67) Needles, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne, New York, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | |
Wilhelmina Beatrice "Bess" Houdini (born Rahner; January 23, 1876 – February 11, 1943) was an American stage assistant. She was also the wife of the famous magician, Harry Houdini.
Contents
Bess Houdini's Early Life
Wilhelmina Beatrice Rahner was born in Brooklyn, New York. This was in 1876, before New York City became one big city. Her parents, Gebhard and Balbina Rahner, were immigrants from Germany. Her father worked as a cabinet maker.
Meeting Harry Houdini
Bess worked at Coney Island as a performer. She was part of a singing and dancing group called The Floral Sisters. At first, Harry Houdini's younger brother, Theo, was interested in her. But Bess soon fell in love with Harry Houdini himself.
They got married on June 22, 1894. Bess and Harry performed together as "The Houdinis" for several years. Later, Harry became very famous as "The Handcuff King."
Life with a Magician
Even after Harry became a big star, he and Bess still performed their special trick. It was called "Metamorphosis." Bess also took care of their many pets. She collected dolls and made the costumes for Harry's magic shows.
Harry and Bess never had children. Bess's niece, Marie Hinson Blood, said Bess had a health condition that made it hard for her to have kids.
After Harry's Death
Harry Houdini died on October 31, 1926. After his death, Bess opened a tea house in New York. For a short time, she also performed a vaudeville act. In this act, she would freeze a man in ice.
Bess later moved to Inwood, Manhattan. She tried to contact Harry during seances. These were meetings where people tried to talk to spirits. Bess had a secret code with Harry. This code helped her know if the person pretending to talk to spirits was real or a fake.
The Secret Code
The secret code was: Rosabelle – answer – tell – pray – answer – look – tell – answer – answer – tell. Bess's wedding ring had "Rosabelle" written on it. This was the name of the song she sang when she first met Harry.
The other words in the code were part of a secret spelling system. Magicians and their assistants used it to share information during mind-reading acts. For example, "answer" meant the letter "B." "Answer, answer" meant the letter "V." When put together, the Houdinis' secret phrase spelled out the word "BELIEVE."
Remembering Houdini
In the 1930s, Bess moved to Hollywood, California. She worked with her manager, Edward Saint, to keep Harry Houdini's memory alive.
On Halloween in 1936, Bess and Saint held a "Final Houdini Séance." It took place on the roof of the Knickerbocker Hotel in Hollywood. After the séance, Bess blew out a candle. This candle was said to have burned for ten years, waiting for Harry's return. In 1943, she said that "ten years [was] long enough to wait for any man."
After this 1936 séance, Bess asked Walter B. Gibson to continue the yearly tribute. Walter Gibson was a writer and a friend of Houdini. He held the tributes for many years in New York. Later, he passed this tradition to Dorothy Dietrich.
Bess Houdini's Death
Bess Houdini died on February 11, 1943. She had a heart attack while on a train in Needles, California. She was 67 years old.
Bess had been raised as a Roman Catholic. Harry Houdini was Jewish. Because of their different religions, Bess's family did not allow her to be buried with Harry. Harry was buried at Machpelah Cemetery in Queens, New York. Bess was buried instead at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Hawthorne, New York.
Gallery
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Houdini with his mother and Bess (1907)
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The Houdinis' grave marker at Machpelah Cemetery, Queens
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The grave of Bess Houdini in Gate of Heaven Cemetery
See also
In Spanish: Bess Houdini para niños
