Escape artist Harry Houdini died of what causes?

The popular legend surrounding the magician's death often centers on a surprise attack. While visiting McGill University in Montreal, a student named J. Gordon Whitehead asked Houdini if it was true he could withstand any punch to the stomach. Before the performer could properly brace himself, Whitehead delivered several powerful blows. While these punches were a major contributing factor, they were not the direct cause of his demise.

The official cause of death was peritonitis, a severe abdominal infection brought on by a ruptured appendix. It is widely believed that Houdini was already suffering from what the trivia answer states, and the unexpected blows caused the already-inflamed organ to burst. This released toxins into his abdominal cavity, leading to the fatal infection.

True to his showman persona, the famously resilient performer ignored the growing pain and high fever for days, even traveling to Detroit to perform one last show before he finally collapsed. By the time he was taken to the hospital, the infection was too advanced for doctors to treat effectively. The great (Review) escape artist passed away on Halloween in 1926.