The Runaway
From Appleton, the Weiss family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. But Ehirich’s father did not have much luck finding work there, either. The only way he found to earn money was by giving Hebrew lessons. However, he could not earn very much this way.
Meanwhile, two more children were born and the Weiss family often had trouble paying the rent and putting food on the table. The older Weiss boys left school to help support the family. When Ehrich was only eight years old, he worked after school selling newspapers and shining shoes.
In later life, Houdini preferred not to talk about those years in Milwaukee. But there were a few bright moments. When he was nine, friends in the neighborhood organized a children’s circus. They charged five cents, and each child did some tricks.
Ehrich’s mother made him a costume, and he performed on the trapeze. He called himself “Eric. Prince of the Air” and his best trick was to pick up pins with his teeth. He also performed as a contortionist (a person who twists his body into strange positions). This early training on the trapeze and as a contortionist was useful for him later in life. It helped prepare him for the kinds of tricks that made him famous.