Plaque

Hippodrome - Harry Houdini

Erection date: 3/10/2013

Inscription

Escape artist, Harry Houdini, appeared here February to April 1904, with the Mirror handcuff challenge.
The Hippodrome Theatre
"My brain is the key that sets me free"

The plaque refers to the London Daily Mirror newspaper which challenged Houdini to escape from special handcuffs. On 17 March 1904 during a matinee performance Houdini took the challenge and, apparently, struggled for an hour to escape. He succeeded but there is debate still about whether the Mirror colluded in the trick.

Site: Hippodrome performers (4 memorials)

WC2, Cranbourn Street, Hippodrome casino

Left to right down the plaques are: Forsyth, Davis, Garland, Houdini, which we think is the sequence of erection.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Hippodrome - Harry Houdini

Subjects commemorated i

Daily Mirror newspaper

Tabloid newspaper.  Created by Alfred Harmsworth, initially as a paper for wo...

Read More

Harry Houdini

Escape artist.  Born Erik Weisz in Budapest.  Later names include: Ehrich Wei...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Hippodrome - Harry Houdini

Created by i

London Hippodrome

From Hippodrome Casino: "Originally opened in 1900 by the renowned theatre ar...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Hippodrome - Harry Houdini

Also at this site i

Hippodrome - Bruce Forsyth

Hippodrome - Bruce Forsyth

Sir Bruce appeared eight times between May 1964 and February 1981 and unveile...

Read More

Hippodrome - Judy Garland

Hippodrome - Judy Garland

Judy Garland, 1922 - 1969, "The greatest entertainer who ever lived" performe...

Read More

Hippodrome - Sammy Davis Jr.

Hippodrome - Sammy Davis Jr.

Unveiled by Bruce Forsyth.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Frederic Chopin - St James's Place

Frederic Chopin - St James's Place

SW1, St James's Place, 4

The Telegraph: "That November farewell, given in aid of a Polish charity, came at the end of a difficult six-month British sojourn, whi...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Lady Eleanor Holles School

Lady Eleanor Holles School

EC2, Gilbert Bridge

You can just see the left edge of this plaque in our photo, on the pillar at the left.

1 subject commemorated
Thomas Attwood

Thomas Attwood

SW3, Cheyne Walk, 17

Thomas Attwood, 1765 - 1838, composer and organist at St Paul's Cathedral and the Chapel Royal, lived and died here. Erected by the Wheel...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Samuel Morse

Samuel Morse

W1, Cleveland Street, 139

London County Council Samuel Morse, 1791 - 1872, American painter, and inventor of the Morse Code, lived here, 1812 - 1815.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
BBC Television Centre - Derek Nimmo

BBC Television Centre - Derek Nimmo

W12, Wood Lane, BBC Television Centre - Star Terrace

The plaque on the brick wall in the picture reads: The BBC Star Terrace, "Bring me fun, bring me sunshine, bring me love" Sylvie Dee. De...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators