Friday, February 15, 2019

Remembering Harry Houdini Hinson

Here's a rare photo of Bess with her nephew Harry Houdini Hinson. Harry was the oldest child of Bess's sister Marie Hinson. He was the brother of Vincent, Ruth, and Marie (Blood). Harry was following the footsteps of his famous uncle and namesake by practicing magic. By all accounts he was quite good. Tragically, Harry was killed at age 20 in a sleighing accident 85 years ago today on February 15, 1934.

This photo, which is the only photo I've ever seen of Harry, comes from the collection of John Hinson, who you'll remember shared many wonderful rare unpublished photos with us back in 2013. So on this sad day, here's remembering the brief life of the other Harry Houdini.

Thanks to John Hinson and Jon Oliver.



  1. In 1943, Bess claimed that hearing this news gave her a heart attack. She was in a seance at the moment he died, and since nothing in the seance alerted her to his death, this confirmed for her that seances were bunk.

  2. That is, in a 1943 article. The article was after her death, so she obviously said this some time earlier.

  3. John Hinson great nephew of bess and harry HoudiniFebruary 15, 2019 at 2:32 PM

    RIP uncle Harry

  4. To myself, this most cruel eventuality of a long-ago past seems inexpressibly sad. He had his whole life before him and The Fates deigned that there would of it be no more, past his twenty years already attained. Yes. His cruel end must have shattered Bess utterly.

    Who knows what this Houdini might have become, if those cruel sisters had not intervened so finally, so suddenly.

    Thanks very much, John, for making this fine remembrance of H.H.H. and Bess Houdini available to us. As always, it is a splendid job you have done.



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