He died of peritonitis, a burst appendix.

He was 52.

Twelve days before, Houdini had been speaking to a group of students during which he commented about the strength of his stomach muscles. Without warning, one of the students punched him hard, twice, in the stomach. His appendix was ruptured.

Even so, he performed once more before being hospitalized.

He was one of the most famous escapologist in the world. One of his most popular tricks was to be bound and gagged and placed in a water tank, before escaping.