Today is the birthday
… of Annabella Sciorra. The actress is 44.
… of Peyton Manning. Number 18 is 32.
… of Keisha Castle-Hughes. The Oscar-nominated actress (Whale Rider) is 18.
Clyde Barrow was born 99 years ago today. He lived until 1934.
Two-time presidential candidate and loser (1944, 1948) Thomas E. Dewey was born on this date in 1902.
One of the most successful silent film actors, Roscoe Arbuckle was born on this date in 1887. In fact, Fatty Arbuckle had the first million dollar deal in Hollywood. Arbuckle died of a heart attack at age 46 just as his career was recovering from a scandal and trial in 1921 that had echoes in the recent Duke case. Charged with rape that lead to a woman’s death, he was acquitted in a third trial after two hung juries, but he had been convicted by the press and his career was slow to resume.
Eric Weiss was born on this date in 1874.
Whatever the methods by which Harry Houdini deceived a large part of the world for nearly four decades, his career stamped him as one of the greatest showmen of modern times. In his special field of entertainment he stood alone. With a few minor exceptions, he invented all his tricks and illusions, and in certain instances only his four intimate helpers knew the solution. In one or two very important cases Houdini, himself, alone knew the whole secret.
Houdini was born on March 24, 1874. His name originally was Eric Weiss and he was the son of a rabbi. He did not take the name Harry Houdini until he had been a performer for many years. Legend has it that he opened his first lock when he wanted a piece of pie in the kitchen closet. It is certain that when scarcely more than a baby he showed skill as an acrobat and contortionist, and both these talents helped his start in the show business and his later development as an “escape king.”
The Times’ obituary is really quite interesting.