Background
Hardeen was born as Ferenc Dezső Weisz (also spelled Ferencz Dezso Weisz) in Budapest, Hungary, and went by the name of Theodore Weiss when the family was living in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Hardeen was born as Ferenc Dezső Weisz (also spelled Ferencz Dezso Weisz) in Budapest, Hungary, and went by the name of Theodore Weiss when the family was living in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Hardeen was the first magician to conceive escaping from a submerged straitjacket in full view of the audience, rather than behind a curtain. In 1893, Hardeen performed with Houdini at Coney Island as "The Brothers Houdini". Will Goldston, English stage magician and editor of the Magician Annual, wrote that:
Hardeen learned his business from Houdini, and he learned it well, as no man could have failed to do with such a master.
But the natural ability was always there.
Even if Houdini had not existed to point the way, it is quite likely that Hardeen would have become an escape artiste. The huge chains in the cartoon are hardly an exaggeration of those from which he breaks loose.
The handcuffs but a simple thing compared with those with which he is used to toy. Hardeen, like his more famous brother Harry Houdini is a great favourite in the magical world.
He is a man of considerable culture and one of the best raconteurs I have ever metropolitan
Like Houdini, he is willing to expend both time and money freely to further the cause of magic. Both the amateurs and the professionals of our number regard him as a friend. And the general public regard him as a brilliant artiste and a thrilling entertainer.
After his brother"s death in 1926 Hardeen played the vaudeville circuit, doing many of Houdini"s routines.
In 1936 Hardeen starred in a Vitaphone short film for Warner Brothers called Medium Well Done. In it, Hardeen played a "hardboiled detective" on the case of a bogus medium.
The film was directed by Lloyd French, who directed many of the early Laurel and Hardy shorts. He unexpectedly died of complications while recovering from the procedure.
He was 69 years old.
During his final show on May 29, 1945 in Ridgeway, Queens, Hardeen named his chief assistant, Douglas Geoffrey, his official successor.
Geoffrey went on to perform as "Hardeen, Junior." for many years. He died on January 14, 1990 at age 82. Richard Valentine Pitchford (1895–1973) took over the Magicians" Guild after Hardeen"s death.
Sidney Hollis Radner received the Houdini collection from Hardeen.
He was portrayed by Remy Auberjonois (son of actor René Auberjonois).