He added the“i” because a friend of his, Jack Hayman,
told him adding the“i” at the end would make it mean“like Houdin” in French,
which of course isn't correct, but nevertheless resulted in“Houdini”.
With this new career in mind, Harry took up Houdin's name, though adding the“i” because a friend of his,
Jack Hayman, told him adding the“i” at the end would make it mean“like Houdin” in French.
Georges still wanted nothing to do with it and promptly sold his share of the shoe business to his brothers, using the money(along with a sizable dowry from his wife) to purchase an old run-down downtown theater called Robert Houdin Theater.