BBC Houdini Diaries

The Houdini Diaries is a detective story about a man who didn’t exist. Whilst being one of the most famous names in history, Harry Houdini was nothing but a construct; an avatar created by a young Jewish boy named Ehrich Weiss to escape the abject poverty his family was forced to live in.

To rise to the very top of global stardom, Houdini had to be in constant metamorphosis, in order to outshine his rivals and to become the king of magic.

The Houdini Diaries is the definitive documentary on Harry Houdini, finally revealing the man behind the mask. Utilizing exclusive access to Harry Houdini’s highly secretive diaries, we can shed new light on many of the mysteries that have consumed popular culture for the past century.

Through this journey we will answer the most enduring mystery of all: who was Ehrich Weiss, the man who hid behind the most famous magician on earth?

Director: Simon George
Production Company: BBC Studios
Cast: Alex Marchi, Paul Zenon, Marco Gambino
Locations: UK