Harry Houdini died in Detroit, Michigan on Halloween in 1926. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t die in a performance, but rather died of a ruptured appendix. Houdini had been suffering from appendicitis for several days when J. Gordon Whitehead decided to test Houdini’s claim that he could take any blow to the stomach. Whitehead didn’t give Houdini a chance to prepare himself and repeatedly punched him in the stomach area. This further worsened Houdini’s appendicitis, but he continued to refuse medical aid and continued to perform shows, even while holding a 104°F (40°C) temperature and passing out during one show, only to be revived and continue on. He died shortly after this from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in Room 401 in Detroit’s Grace Hospital on October 31, 1926.
How Harry Houdini Died
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Harry Houdini died in Detroit, Michigan on Halloween in 1926. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t die in a performance, but rather died of a ruptured appendix. Houdini had been suffering from appendicitis for several days when J. Gordon Whitehead decided to test Houdini’s claim that he could take any blow to the stomach. Whitehead didn’t give Houdini a chance to prepare himself and repeatedly punched him in the stomach area. This further worsened Houdini’s appendicitis, but he continued to refuse medical aid and continued to perform shows, even while holding a 104°F (40°C) temperature and passing out during one show, only to be revived and continue on. He died shortly after this from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in Room 401 in Detroit’s Grace Hospital on October 31, 1926.
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