Franz Kukol

Franz Kukol (March 4, 1876 - ?) born in Austria, a officer of the Austrian army, was a chief assistant to Houdini for many years.

Kukol started workikng with Houdini (whom always spells his name "Frantz") on March 2, 1903. Kukol wore a very prominent "Wilhelm II" mustache and could speak several languages. He handled his tasks with the precision of an ex-army officer. When he joined Houdini, he signed the document which swore him to eternal secrecy as to Houdini's methods.

In 1908, Kukol co-invented with Houdini and James Vickery the Milk Can Escape.

Franz married a girl named Anna (b. 15 October 15, 1878) on October 29, 1908 and they had baby girl named Marie (b. 1 May 1901).

Franz Kukol applied for US citizenship on August 25, 1914 but was denied. Houdini reported Franz had returned to Germany in Sept 1914 as reported in The Conjuring Record (Sept. 1914) which carried the following:

OBEYS CALL TO WAR; HOUDINI LOSES ASSISTANT

New York, September 3 - Mr. Franz Kukol, one of Harry Houdini's chief assistants, was called by his country, Germany, to the front. He left at once to fight for the cause of the Fatherland. Kukol assisted Houdini in his escape from the water cell and other experiments.

There is some evidence that Kukol continued to work with Houdini, in the U.S. at least until America entered the War.

In 1916, Houdini joked about the conflicts between his German and British assistants.

The U.S. declared war April 6, 1917 and on Sept 12, 1918, both Harry Houdini and Frank Kukol registered for the draft at the same New York office. Then Franz AKA Frank Kukol disappears from the historical record.

Houdini made provisions Kukol of $500 in his will.

Was Frank Williamson Franz Kukol?

A "Frank Williamson" worked on Houdini's full-evening show in 1926. If Franz Kukol was in New York when Houdini died in 1926, he would most likely have to have been a pallbearer after being an assistant for so many years. He wasn't, but a Frank Williamson was. After the funeral, Frank Williamson disappears from the historical record. Could Frank Williamson have been Kukol?

References

• http://www.geniimagazine.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=209739#Post209739
• Houdini's Assistants by Patrick Culliton in Genii 1961 October
• Houdini The Untold Story by Milbourne Christopher (1969)