Harry Houdini's Most Notable Escapes

When one stops to ponder the art of escape, the mind often drifts towards one individual: Harry Houdini. A popular vaudeville performer in the early 1900s, Houdini stumped the world with his miraculous breakouts. He was a showman first and foremost, but his ability to escape complex restraints is unmatched in modern times.

His career started with open challenges to police departments across Europe. After being chained and handcuffed, he would escape the shackles of local law enforcement officials, earning the nickname: "The Handcuff King." His act would later move to America, where his stunts became more elaborate and the crowds of onlookers grew. He became 'the' escape artist, freeing himself from straightjackets, ropes, jails and of course, handcuffs. He even encouraged the public to devise escape scenarios. If only he had been alive for Twitter…

Houdini has become so renowned with art of escape that his last name has now become a verb: "How did you Houdini yourself out of that Krakit escape room?"

Here is a short list of some of Houdini's most popular escape stunts:

Siberian Transport

After being strip-searched and shackled in a military van headed for Siberia, Houdini escaped a trip to Russia's most severe interment camp. Putin won't let this one go and still credits the evil Western Alliance as aiding Houdini.

Reflecting on his life, years later, Houdini was quick to cite this stunt as a standout in his career:

I think my escape from the Siberian Transport was my most difficult performance. I was placed in the great vault usually assigned to political prisoners, and when the great door was shut, I had the hardest time of my life, perhaps, in releasing myself. But nevertheless, it took me 18 minutes to walk out, and face the dazed officials.

The Mirror Handcuffs

In 1904, Harry Houdini accepted a challenge from the Daily Mirror to escape from a pair of specialty handcuffs. Legend has it the cuffs took five years to make. The cuffs required a six inch key to unlock. Houdini did the impossible, and broke them after a hour and ten minutes. 

He was also able to cutoff his suit coat during the escape.

The Milk Can

This escape challenge was a crowd favourite because of the visual confinement element. Houdini was a shorter gentleman, but even with his small frame, the sight of his body being squeezed inside a milk can must have been quite the spectacle. Houdini upped the danger factor by filling the rest of the can with water. The top of the can was latched shut and then secured with a padlock. Oh, and of course Houdini entered the can handcuffed.

Houdini focused the performance on the water element, asking the audience to hold their breath while he was submerged. Of course no one could remain breathless in the time it took him to escape.

The Chinese Water Torture

Jesse 'The Body' Ventura would have firmly disapproved of this trick. For the Chinese Water Torture, Houdini was suspended upside down in a glass case, with an inner cage that prevented him from twisting his body. He was of course handcuffed as well. Another crowd favourite, Houdini preformed this trick until his death in 1926.

The Straightjacket Dangle

Unlike the escapes mentioned above, this one was done without cover. Houdini was suspended from a crane upside down in a straightjacket. Done as publicity stunt in New York City, Houdini escaped his restraints in two minutes and thirty-seven seconds.

All of these stunts are incredibly dangerous and should not be attempted. Houdini's mastery came in his ability to stay focused and calm. These are the same elements that will lead to success at the Vancouver Escape Room. We've dialed back the danger factor considerably, but it never hurts to channel the accomplishments of one of the greats.