Theodore Hardeen (March 4, 1876 – June 12, 1945), known simply as Hardeen, was a Hungarian magician and escape artist, best known as Harry Houdini's brother. Hardeen usually introduced himself as the "brother of Houdini." He was the founder of the Magician's Guild.
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Hardeen was born as Ferencz Dezso Weisz or Weisz Ferenc Dezső in Budapest, Hungary, and went by the name of Theodore Weiss when the family was living in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was known as "Deshi" and later "Dash" by his parents.
It was Hardeen who first conceived of escaping from a straitjacket in full view of the audience—a concept fully used by Houdini and generations of performers since.[1]
In 1893, Hardeen performed with Houdini at Coney Island as "The Brothers Houdini". While there, Harry met and married Wilhelmina Beatrice (Bess) Rahner.
Will Goldston, English stage magician and editor of the Magician Annual, wrote that:
Hardeen learnt his business from Houdini, and he learnt it well, as no man could have failed to do with such a master. But the natural ability was always there. Even if Houdini had not existed to point the way, it is quite likely that Hardeen would have become an escape artiste. I have seen him perform several times, and have marvelled at his achievements. The huge chains in the cartoon are hardly an exaggeration of those from which he breaks loose. The handcuffs but a simple thing compared with those with which he is used to toy. Hardeen, like his more famous brother Harry Houdini is a great favourite in the magical world. He is a man of considerable culture and one of the best raconteurs I have ever met. Like Houdini, he is willing to expend both time and money freely to further the cause of magic. Both the amateurs and the professionals of our number regard him as a friend. And the general public regard him as a brilliant artiste and a thrilling entertainer.
After his brother's death in 1926 Hardeen played the vaudeville circuit, doing many of Houdini's routines. From 1938 to 1941, Hardeen was featured in Olsen and Johnson's Broadway revue, Hellzapoppin, and during World War II he performed for the troops (as his brother had done during World War I).
In 1936 Hardeen starred in Vitaphone short film for Warner Bros. called Medium Well Done. In it, Hardeen played a "hardboiled detective" on the case of a bogus medium. The film was directed by Lloyd French, who directed many of the early Laurel and Hardy shorts. [2]
Planning on writing a book about his brother, in 1945 Hardeen went to New York's Doctor's Hospital for a simple operation. He unexpectedly died of complications while recovering from the procedure. He was 69 years old.[3][4][5]
During his final show on May 29, 1945 in Ridgeway, Queens, Hardeen named his chief assistant, Douglas Geoffrey, his official successor. Geoffrey went on to perform as "Hardeen, Jr." for many years. He died on January 14, 1990 at age 82.[6]
The HBO Series Boardwalk Empire featured a performance by Hardeen, played by Remy Auberjonois (son of actor René Auberjonois) as a subplot of Episode 11 "Paris Green" which first aired on November 28, 2010. [7]
Richard Valentine Pitchford (1895–1973) took over the Magicians' Guild after Hardeen's death.[8] Sidney Hollis Radner received the Houdini collection from Hardeen.[9]