ESCAPE ARTIST RECREATES HOUDINI'S STRITJACKET STUNT AHEAD OF HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF ILLUSIONIST'S DEATH

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Escape Artist Recreates Houdini’s Straitjacket Stunt Ahead of 100th Anniversary of Illusionist’s Halloween Death

By Charlotte Phillipp  Published on October 30, 2026 05:51PM EDT

 

An escape artist honored the 100-year anniversary of Harry Houdini’s death by recreating one of his most famous stunts.

 

The Los Angeles-based escape artist known as “Houdini II” made an appearance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle clubhouse on Friday, Oct. 30 — just one day before the 100-year anniversary of Houdini’s death on Halloween 1926.

 

According to CBS Los Angeles and the California Post, Houdini II was suspended about nine stories high, or about 80 feet up in the air, as he dangled from a crane bound in a straitjacket.

 

Although Houdini II had his own twist on Houdini’s original stunt — He was dangling by just one foot as opposed to Houdini’s original two — he made his way out of the straitjacket and safely found his way to the ground after about two minutes (and without any airbags underneath him).

 

“Los Angeles!” he said after the stunt was completed, to cheers from onlookers. “We made history. That’s the first time you’ve seen a one-legged escape; most escape artists use two legs.”

 

Houdini originally performed the escape in 1917, suspended above Times Square in New York City with thousands of spectators watching.

 

The illusionist and escape artist died of a ruptured appendix at age 52 on Oct. 31, 1926.

 

Just several days prior, Houdini began feeling unwell, but ignored his symptoms. While meeting with a university student named Jocelyn Gordon Whitehead before a performance at the Princess Theatre in Montreal, Whitehead asked to test Houdini’s theory that he could withstand any blow to the stomach.

 

Then the student punched Houdini multiple times.

 

The following week, the illusionist became increasingly ill and developed a 102-degree fever. Houdini eventually agreed to go to the hospital on Oct. 25, where, during an operation, the surgeon saw that his appendix had burst.

 

Days later, he was dead.

 

As for Houdini II, the illusionist has previously completed a number of other dangerous stunts prior to Friday’s event, including jumping from Miami’s MacArthur Bridge into Biscayne Bay while bound with ropes and chains.

 

At another event, he escaped from a submerged wooden box resembling a coffin —similar to a 1926 stunt Houdini pulled off in New York City, per History, com — before appearing behind the audience to surprise them.

 

Houdini II also toured around the U.S. and Europe to promote his documentary, “Houdini II: A Beautiful Day to Die,” and has made appearances as a keynote and motivational speaker.

 

“Houdini has been my idol forever,” he said according to CBS Los Angeles.