Harry Houdini spent 91 minutes submerged in a sealed tank before escaping on August 6, 1926, in what is widely regarded as the greatest feat of his career. It was not only his greatest achievement that he was best known for, but it was also his final act. This challenge is fantastic because of its staged execution, including the tapped cask and the people drinking. In the timeframe of his appearance, it appears that he wasn’t completely unconscious and was able to cover his tracks. The witness says Houdini entered the Milk Can head first, which is unusual. The next night, he dug into the can of milk to find the trick.

In reality, the truth can be found within the account itself, which is also full of intriguing details. Although he made a full recovery and was able to return to performing, this event highlights the incredible risks that Houdini was willing to take in order to entertain his audiences.ĭerek Tait, in his article, recounts an account from an audience member who claims to have witnessed the escape. As his air supply ran out and the tank filled with water, Houdini was rushed to the hospital, where he was treated for near-drowning. Unfortunately, something went wrong and Houdini was unable to get out of the box in time.

The trick was simple yet dangerous – Houdini would be locked inside a box and submerged in a water-filled tank, where he would then have to escape before running out of air. On July 6th, 1912, Houdini took to the stage in Boston to perform his underwater box escape. But one of his most daring feats almost cost him his life – an escape from a water-filled tank that nearly drowned him. His daring escapes from handcuffs, locked chests, straightjackets and even jails captivated audiences around the world. Harry Houdini was one of the most iconic and legendary magicians of all time.

Houdini water tank