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The secret of showmanship consists not of what you really do, but what the mystery-loving public thinks you do.

Harry Houdini

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Harry Houdini
Age: 52 †
Born: 1874
Born: March 24
Died: 1926
Died: October 31
Actor
Aircraft Pilot
Escape Artist
Film Director
Film Producer
Historian
Magician
Performing Artist
Philosopher
Stunt Performer
Buda Pest
Erik Weisz
Ehrich Weiss
Harry Weiss
Mystery
Public
Secret
Really
Showmanship
Thinking
Consists
Thinks
Loving

More quotes by Harry Houdini

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Another method of eating burning coals employs small balls of burned cotton in a dish of burning alcohol.
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How the early priests came into possession of these secrets does not appear, and if there were ever any records of this kind the Church would hardly allow them to become public.
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The greatest escape I ever made was when I left Appleton, Wisconsin.
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Never try to fool children, they expect nothing, and therefore see everything.
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I think that in a year I may retire. I cannot take my money with me when I die and I wish to enjoy it, with my family, while I live. I should prefer living in Germany to any other country, though I am an American, and am loyal to my country.
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It is needless to say that women make the most patient as well as the most dangerous pickpockets.
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But it must not be thought that I say this out of personal experience: for in the many years that I have been before the public my secret methods have been steadily shielded by the strict integrity of my assistants, most of whom have been with me for years.
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It is still an open question, however, as to what extent exposure really injures a performer.
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My Brain is the key that sets me free.
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My professional life has been a constant record of disillusion.
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My chief task has been to conquer fear. The public sees only the thrill of the accomplished trick they have no conception of the tortuous preliminary self-training that was necessary to conquer fear.
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To cause the face to appear in a mass of flame make use of the following: mix together thoroughly petroleum, lard, mutton tallow and quick lime. Distill this over a charcoal fire, and the liquid which results can be burned on the face without harm.
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I do not believe that ghosts or spirits exist.
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Never tell the auidience how good you are, they will soon find out for themselves.
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Disloyalty in trusted servants is one of the most disheartening things that can happen to a public performer.
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The great trouble with magicians is the fact that they believe when they have bought a certain trick or piece of apparatus, and know the method of procedure, that they are full-fledged mystifiers.
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Eating coals of fire has always been one of the sensational feats of the Fire Kings, as it is quite generally known that charcoal burns with an extremely intense heat.
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The Sun represents the right half of the body and the Moon the left half.
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Pickpockets either work alone or in pairs, or what is called a mob.
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An old trick well done is far better than a new trick with no effect.
Harry Houdini