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

Private Dwyer VC

Private Dwyer VC

SW6, Putney Bridge Approach, Vicarage Gardens

A building had been here, about where this monument is, since before 1430. It became the vicarage but its large garden was much reduced b...

War dead | WW1
2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Royal Gates - Victoria Park

Royal Gates - Victoria Park

E9, Grove Road

The plaque is not clear about what was constructed. The piers look original so we guess it was just the gates themselves.

3 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Sir John Wolfe Barry - Tower Bridge

Sir John Wolfe Barry - Tower Bridge

SE1, Tower Bridge Road, Tower Bridge

We knew about this plaque but it's inside the Tower Bridge engine rooms, to the south of the Bridge. These are only accessible to visitor...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Bankers Clearing House - 6

Bankers Clearing House - 6

EC4, Lombard Street, Post Office Court

At the north end of Post Office Court, attached to the west wall adjoining St Mary Woolnoth, are six salvaged carved panels. We have numb...

3 subjects commemorated
Beatrice Viscountess Samuel

Beatrice Viscountess Samuel

W2, Corner of Inverness Terrace and Porchester Gardens

{A second plaque on the same wall reads:} This garden was refurbished by Westminster City Council in consultation with the residents of B...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Lockerbie bench - 14 - Royal

Lockerbie bench - 14 - Royal

TW9, Kew Gardens

We have numbered these 17 plaques, anti-clockwise, starting from the plaque for the whole crew which faces the water. Oddly, the last two...

2 subjects commemorated
Alfred. Lord Tennyson - SW1

Alfred. Lord Tennyson - SW1

SW1, Upper Belgrave Street, 9

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, 1809 - 1892, poet, lived here in 1880 and 1881. English Heritage

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator