Houdini and Niagara Falls: How Legends Attach Themselves to Great Men

*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-(--header-height)" dir="auto" data-turn-id="205a0cda-5bd1-44b8-bf3b-f172b757dc3c" data-turn-id-container="205a0cda-5bd1-44b8-bf3b-f172b757dc3c" data-testid="conversation-turn-103" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn="user"> *]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" dir="auto" data-turn-id= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-3" data-turn-id-container= "request-699c9d8e-8998-8329-94d7-4ba726badcc0-3" data-testid= "conversation-turn-104" data-scroll-anchor="false" data-turn= "assistant"> Robert Williams explores the enduring myth that Harry Houdini performed a daring escape at Niagara Falls and shows that, despite its plausibility, no historical evidence supports the story. The article examines how films, museums, publicity, and public expectations can combine to create legends that feel true even when they aren't. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/houdini-and-niagara-falls-how-legends-attach-themselves-to-great-men/ About the Author: Robert Williams is a best-selling author, world record holder, and professional magician. He writes the Substack blog Examine Everything, where he takes a thoughtful, skeptical look at the evidence—or lack thereof—behind a wide range of extraordinary claims. Drawing on his background in magic and real-world experience, he reveals the tricks and techniques that drive deception, helping readers think more deeply about what they believe and why. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/