Harry Houdini Buried Alive poster – vintage magic poster – 1914
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-American magician, escape artist, illusionist, and stunt performer, known for his sensational escape acts. He was born Ehrich Weiss on March 24, 1874, in Budapest, Hungary, and later emigrated to the United States. He adopted the stage name Harry Houdini in honor of the French magician Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin.
Houdini’s career took off in 1899 when he met vaudeville impresario Martin Beck, who recognised his talent for escaping from handcuffs and other restraints. Beck encouraged Houdini to focus on his escape acts and helped him develop a reputation as a master illusionist. Houdini’s daring escapes from seemingly impossible situations, such as straitjackets, underwater tanks, and locked boxes, captivated audiences around the world.
This superb Harry Houdini Buried Alive poster was illustrated by Howard K Elcock in 1914. It depicts a step-by-step visual narrative of one of Houdini’s most elaborate and dangerous escapes. It offers four scenes. The first sees Houdini being “Strapped in Strait Jacket”, then “Secured in Casket” by four assistants. The main image depicts the casket being “Buried under sand and securely locked in a giant vault”. The final scene captures Houdini taking a bow, having successfully escaped, from what is described on this vintage Harry Houdini Buried Alive poster, “a Quadruple Smothering Imprisonment under Tons of Sand”. The escapologist standing proudly, next to the word “FREE”.
For a long time, Houdini, ever the thrill-seeker, was fascinated by the idea of escaping from a living burial. Though the concept was tantalising, but turning it into a theatrical spectacle proved difficult. According to an entry in Houdini’s book Miracle Mongers and Their Methods he states he first performed “Buried Alive” in Berlin in 1908. This Harry Houdini Buried Alive poster was published by the Strobridge Litho Company, some four years later, in 1914. However, there is no documented evidence to suggest he ever performed it around this time.
Houdini had registered what he called his “Buried Alive,” playlet in 1914. The premise of this play involves two tourists who try to one-up a local priest by performing a surprising “miracle.” The stage directions describe the tourist in a straitjacket, who is put into an empty box and lowered into the ground with dirt shoveled atop him. After a few chants and incantations, the tourist is revealed “relieved of his bonds, and appearing just as he was before.” The locals treat him as supernatural, but he insists he is a mere man.
Houdini had planned to debut a new, more ambitious version of his Buried Alive stunt in the 1918 New York Hippodrome revue, “Everything.” However, a film injury that year forced him to abandon his plans.
The first recorded account of Houdini performing the buried alive stunt, was in Santa Ana, California in 1919. According to an article on the Wild About Harry website entitled Buried Alive, the famous escapologist “submitted to an outdoor test in California where he was manacled and buried in a “grave” six feet deep. As he struggled to free himself, he became exhausted and called for help. But he could not be heard. He struggled on, and when his hand finally broke the surface, he was pulled unconscious from the grave by his assistants. Houdini recorded in his notes: “I tried out ‘Buried Alive’ in Hollywood and nearly did it. Very dangerous; the weight of the earth is killing.”
While most people would have been deterred by a single near-death experience, Houdini’s thirst for danger pushed him to attempt two more variations of the buried alive trick. One involved being sealed in a coffin and submerged underwater for ninety minutes.
The third incarnation was a grand stage escape that would have been the centerpiece of his 1927 season. It involved being straitjacketed, sealed in a coffin, and buried in a large tank of sand. However, it remains uncertain whether Houdini ever performed this particular stunt on stage. Tragically, his untimely death in October 1926 prevented its realization.
Interestingly, the custom-made bronze casket, designed specifically for the buried alive illusion, was ironically used to transport Houdini’s body from Detroit to New York following his death.
Owning a Harry Houdini Buried Alive poster
The original posters advertising Houdini’s daring feats are becoming increasingly rare and valuable. To capture the magic and mystery of these historical performances, we offer high-quality reproduction posters that faithfully replicate the original artwork. These stunning reproductions are perfect for collectors, Houdini enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates magic. Display them in your home, office, or man cave to add a touch of mystery and intrigue.
