Is j gordon whitehead still alive

J gordon whitehead wikipedia
J. gordon whitehead cause of death
Born in Budapest, Hungary, as Erik Weisz, he moved to the United States with his family at a young age.

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Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead was the McGill University student who punched Houdini in his dressing room at the Princess Theater in Montreal on October 22, 1926. Whitehead's blows either started, contributed, or covered-up the appendicitis that would take Houdini's life nine days later.

J. Gordon Whitehead was born November 25, 1895 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. He was 31 when the dressing room incident occurred. Popular mythology states that he was a boxer, but this is not true. It's also not clear whether Whitehead's intent was to harm Houdini that day, or if it was a misunderstanding.

Whitehead was not charged in the incident and lived out a solitary life in Montreal. At some point he had an accident which resulted in a steal plate being placed in his head. In 1928 Whitehead was charged twice for shoplifting books. In his later years the troubled Whitehead lived as a recluse and hoarder. He died of malnutrition on July 5, 1954. He is buried in an unmarked plot in Hawthorn-Dale Cemeteryin Montreal, Canada.

The photo above is from The Man Who Killed Houdiniby Don Bell and shows Whi

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Something Good #26: A Séance for Houdini

One thing that can be good to do is to sift through ancient newspaper archives in search of stories and mysteries about your surroundings. I first discovered this when I became curious about a faded painted ad just down the block from where I lived. Looking up the company that originally painted it, I found an article about an armed hold-up that took place in their offices in 1961.

It’s not a story that holds any particular significance, and it has probably completely vanished from living memory. But, like the tales told in certain YouTube comments, it was important to somebody, sometime, and knowing it rendered visible a layer of my neighbourhood’s historical patina.

In my research, I’d discovered that Google News lets you extensively browse through the archives of hundreds of newspapers, many defunct. This presents some interesting opportunities.

One thing that many Montrealers are aware of is that the great magician and escape artist Harry Houdini, né Erik Weisz, spent a fatal final engagement in our city.

The story goes tha

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This is the only known photo of Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead, the McGill University student who punchedHoudini in his dressing room at the Princess Theater in Montreal on October 22, 1926. Whitehead's blows either started, contributed, or covered-up (lots of debate about this) the appendicitis that would take Houdini's life nine days later on Halloween.

J. Gordon Whitehead circa 1950.

This photo comes from The Man Who Killed Houdiniby Don Bell, a MUST read for anyone interested in the events of 10/22/26. It shows Whitehead in Rodick's Bookstore in Montreal around 1950. Bell says Whitehead was 31 when he delivered the blows, so this would put him in his mid 50s here.

Sort of ironic that Whitehead is holding a book here. Returning a borrowed book was how he gained entry to Houdini's dressing room that fateful day. He was also charged with shoplifting books twice in 1928.

According to Bell, the troubled Whitehead died a recluse and hoarder in 1954. He is buried in an unmarked plot in Hawthorn-Dale Cemeteryin Montreal, Canada.

Thanks to Dorothy Dietrich and Dick Brookz of the Ho