The Daily Star - Stay Tuned
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The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y., Friday, August 29, 2014 18 By Cassie Dresch TV Media H e was known as Harry Houdini — the master of illusion, the greatest escape artist of all time. He was larger than life and seemingly invincible. He could wriggle and writhe his way out of a straitjacket or a pair of hand- cuffs with ease, even when he was upside down. Yet what's most often for- gotten is that he was human, too. History is taking viewers on a whirlwind, magical adven- ture that traces Houdini's life from the very beginning in des- perate poverty to the height of his fame when he was the hot- test act in the world. Check out the man behind the magic when the special two-part miniseries "Houdini" airs Mon- day and Tuesday, Sept. 1 and 2, on History. Born Erik Weisz in Budapest, Hungary, Houdini came to the United States with his family at the age of four. When his family changed their last name from Hungarian spelling to German spelling, he became Ehrich Weiss, and his friends would often refer to him as "Ehrie" or "Harry." At just nine years old, Houdini began performing, in- cluding a gig as a trapeze artist under the name "Ehrich, the Prince of the Air." He officially became a professional magi- cian in 1891. History's four-hour adapta- tion of Harry Houdini's life will be broadcast over two days starting with the first two-hour segment on Labor Day and will conclude the following eve- ning, Tuesday, Sept. 2, with the final two hours. In a news re- lease when the project was first announced, History said the show will "chronicle the life of a man who can defy death through his stunts, his vi- sions and his mastery of illu- sion," telling the story behind the storied illusionist as he ris- es to fame and battles through the struggles that entails. "It's not magic that History has established a strong track record with its high-quality his- torical dramas from quality auspices. We're excited to build on that tremendous momen- tum with 'Houdini,'" said Dirk Hoogstra, executive vice-presi- dent and general manager of History. "The Great Harry Hou- dini is a fascinating man in his- tory, and I have no doubt that Adrien Brody will bring the ma- gician's riveting story to life for our audience." Indeed it will be the Acade- my Award-winning actor Adrien Brody playing the titular role. Brody, who is most famously known for his work in Roman Polanski's war drama "The Pia- nist" (2002), is no stranger to dramas. He's also starred in the Oscar-nominated thriller "The Village" (2004) and Wes Ander- son's uniquely stylish "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (2014). Brody seems to be a natural fit for the role of Houdini as well. His mother was born in Budapest, and from a young age he had an affinity for mag- ic, performing tricks at chil- dren's birthday parties under the name "The Amazing Adrien." Now, he's gone full circle and is coming back to magic — albeit in a slightly dif- ferent way — and he's more excited than ever to put his stamp on the great magician. "Since my childhood, when I dreamed of being a great ma- gician, Harry Houdini has been one of my heroes," Brody said in a news release. "His bravery and obsessive determination still fascinate me. Houdini mas- tered the art of escape — not only from physical chains, but from poverty and the social constraints of a humble immi- grant origin. His life story ap- peals to the universal longing for acceptance with which we all can identify. To portray him is beyond an honor." Playing the famed magi- cian's wife and stage assistant will be the gorgeous Kristen Connolly ("The Cabin in the Woods," 2012). A former pro- fessional tennis player, Connolly got her start in acting in 2003 in the Julia Roberts drama "Mona Lisa Smile." Since then, she's done stints both on television and in film, including time spent in "The Guiding Light," "As the World Turns," "Certainty" (2011) and "The Bay" (2012). Now, as Bess Houdini, she'll continue steamrolling through 2014, which has proven to be a big breakout year for the 34-year-old. This year has seen her star in season 2 of the criti- cally acclaimed web TV series "House of Cards" alongside two-time Academy Award win- ner Kevin Spacey ("The Usual Suspects," 1995). She's also nabbed a regular spot in ABC's upcoming thriller "The Whis- pers" and starred as Desdemo- na in a theater production of "Othello" with Blair Under- wood ("L.A. Law"). Harry Houdini was a pioneer for magicians, illusionists and escape artists. His world-re- nowned act helped him carve his place in history, but what's forgotten is the fact he's still just a man. Catch the story about the man behind the magic when the special two- part miniseries "Houdini" pre- mieres Monday, Sept. 1, and concludes Tuesday, Sept. 2, on History. Adrien Brody stars in "Houdini" Adrien Brody headlines History's 'Houdini' miniseries Featurestory