Check out this "Today in History" video posted to YouTube by the Associated Press, which pegs Houdini's birthday as today, April 6. How does one even make this mistake anymore? Oddly, they get the place of his birth, Budapest, correct. Usually the false April 6 date goes with his false American birthplace, Appleton, Wisconsin. (Click here if you don't know what I'm talking about.)
This has to be a little extra embarrassing considering how much media attention Houdini's real birthday received on March 24 when Google commemorated the day with a custom doodle. Houdini even spent the day trending worldwide on Twitter.
It's time to update those files, AP.
There's always someone ...
ReplyDeleteBut the AP!? LOL.
ReplyDeleteWeird. Oddly enough that narrator sounds familiar from an A&E Houdini doc. :p
ReplyDeleteI consider March the European date and Appleton April the American. more cake and ice cream.
ReplyDeleteI like how Kevin Connolly (HoudiniHimself.com) put it. March 24 is the birthday of Ehrich Weiss. April 6 the birthday of Harry Houdini.
ReplyDeleteBeth -- Jack Perkins. Yeah, I think it's him.
ReplyDeleteRoss Simpson was the narrator of the above clip.
ReplyDeleteBB
Oh, wow, it really sounded like Jack Perkins. Thanks, Beast.
ReplyDeleteCould it possibly that he was born in an area still using the Julian calendar?
ReplyDeleteThe Russians were using the Julian calendar in 1917, when the October Revolution happened, October 25. That date is November 7 is the Gregorian calendar, thirteen days later.
Houdini was born in Eastern Europe in 1874. March 24 is thirteen days prior to April 6.
That is definitely one of the most popular theories. Manny Weltman believed strongly in this.
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