In 1894 Ehrich Weiss (Later Known As Harry Houdini the great Magician of all time) became influenced by a French Magician that was said to be one of the best French Magicians of his time. The French Magicians name was Jean Eugene Robert-Houdini. In the start Harry Houdini did mostly card tricks for his audiences. Later he did make an Elephant and its trainer disappear or vanish on stage. It was said there was a pool under the stage. That gives pool tricks a new meaning :) Soon after he began his escape acts for his magic tricks on stage.