Harry Houdini is a renowned magician, escape artist and escape artist who has left an indelible impression on pool and magic history with his death-defying and daring acts. In 1926, Harry Houdini had amazed audiences with an array of incredible feats. From vanishing elephants and escaping from seemingly insurmountable restraints, to escaping from impossible restraints. Houdini was best known for his underwater challenge that took place just months before he tragically died.
Houdini performed the Underwater Box Escape, which was one of his most impressive underwater escapes. Houdini was restrained in a large wooden box and his hands and legs were often cuffed or chained. Houdini would be submerged in a large body of water such as a tank or river.
As the clock began to tick, anticipation grew. The spectators held their breath, in fear and wonder at how Houdini was going to overcome this seemingly impossible task. Houdini’s strength, agility and his ability to hold his breathe for long periods were all he had as the water closed in on him.
The Underwater Box Escape wasn’t just a physical test, but also a battle of the mind. Houdini was required to stay calm and focused while under the pressure and darkness of the water. To free himself, he had to carefully manipulate, contort and manipulate his restraints.
Houdini’s underwater escape feats would make him famous around the world. They would be studied, copied, and discussed for 100 years. This is a list of Houdini’s most famous underwater escapes.
| Escape Act | Date | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror Handcuff Escape | July 7, 1904 | East River, New York City | Houdini was handcuffed, sealed in a wooden box, and submerged for less than two minutes in the East River. |
| Chinese Water Torture Cell | 1912 | Locations | Houdini had to get out before he ran out of air while suspended upside-down in a glass tank filled with water. |
| Milk Can Escape | 1908 | Locations | Houdini had to escape from a milk can that was filled with water by holding his breath. |
| Overboard Box Escape | May 10, 1912 | Aquitania (ocean liners) | Houdini managed to escape after being handcuffed and nailed in a wooden crate. He was then thrown into the Atlantic Ocean, but he managed to resurface. |
| Escape from the Siberian Straitjacket | March 18, 1903 | Detroit River, Michigan | Houdini had to escape from a straitjacket that was strapped around his ankles before he could be submerged in the icy water of the Detroit River. |
| Mirror Barrel Escape | June 11, 1915 | Aquitania (ocean liners) | Houdini had to be strapped down and dropped into a barrel filled with water, where he was forced to get out before he ran out of air. |
| Underwater Box Escape | September 28, 1912 | Worcester Massachusetts | Houdini had been handcuffed, sealed in a box of wood and submerged into a reservoir. He was able to escape in just a few minutes. |
| The Vanishing Elephant Escape | May 18, 1918 | New York Hippodrome | Houdini made a daring escape from a cabinet that was submerged under a large tank of elephants. |
| Mirror Challenge Escape | March 27, 1914 | Los Angeles, California | Houdini had to be unchained and freed from a box filled with water in the time allotted to win $1,000. |
| Suspended Straitjacket escape | July 15, 1925 | Rochester, New York | Houdini had to escape from a crane in an upside-down straitjacket before he was lowered into Genesee River. |
| Bridge Jump Escape | August 5, 1908 | Belle Isle Bridge, Detroit, Michigan | Houdini, with his hands and feet bound, jumped off the Belle Isle Bridge into the Detroit River. He escaped, and swam up to the surface. |
Harry Houdini, Hotel Shelton Swimming Pool Coffin escape
In July 1926, the final year of Houdini’s life, fellow magician Rahman Bey shocked audiences by spending an hour in a metal container in a New York swimming pool. He set Houdini a challenge that was anything but modest. Bey’s feat ignited Houdini and he embarked on a long journey of self-mastery and preparation.
Houdini spent weeks preparing himself mentally and physically for the task. He practiced shallow breathing to regulate his breath and conserve oxygen in an airtight box. Houdini was given a custom-made, glass case that allowed him to signal distress in the event of suffocation. He spent an incredible one hour and ten minutes in the glass case during his first attempt. He was not satisfied with his first practice attempt, so he decided to do a second one, submerging the case in water. He managed to last an incredible 70 minutes this time before asking to be let go.
Houdini took on the ultimate challenge in New York’s Hotel Shelton, on 5 August 1926. He was enclosed in a casket made of metal and lowered into a pool. Journalists were there to witness his audacious stunt. Houdini was concerned about his reputation and his own safety. Houdini installed a buzzer inside the casket to alert him to any distress. He also had a phone line for communication with James Collins, his assistant who gave updates about the time.
Houdini pushed the limits of human endurance with each passing minute. Collins told him that Houdini had exceeded Bey’s time, but he chose to stay submerged. After an incredible 91 minutes he finally signaled for release. Houdini was a showman who immediately documented his experiences by writing a detailed note to Dr. W. J. McConnell. McConnell was an expert on survival techniques for trapped miner. Houdini, a true showman, meticulously described his position, his physical sensations and what he ate for breakfast in his letter to Dr. W. J. McConnell, an expert on survival techniques for trapped miners.
After one hour and twenty eight minutes, he wrote: “I began to see yellow light and carefully watched myself to not go to sleep. Houdini wrote, “There is no doubt that I would have easily stayed 15 or 30 minutes longer if the test had been conducted in a galvanized coffin where fresh air was allowed to enter.
Houdini died tragically three months after his life began, due to complications caused by a ruptured intestine. According to legend, Houdini died after a college student tested his claim that he would be able to withstand a punch in the stomach without consequences. Although his final act was less spectacular than the underwater challenge, the incident served as a reminder of Houdini’s willingness to take risks throughout his career.
Houdini’s underwater challenge is a testament of his unmatched commitment, unwavering resolve, and unmatched performance. His ability to challenge human limits and capture audiences around the world remains an inspiration to magicians and escape artists to this day. Houdini’s incredible feat is a reminder of how pursuing the impossible takes unwavering dedication and a unyielding attitude.
Photo Credits: Getty Images
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