Famous Escapologists
Escapologist↕ | Country↕ | Active↕ | Signature Escape↕ | Known For↕ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Houdini | Hungary / United States | 1891-1926 | Chinese Water Torture Cell | The original and still most famous escape artist, handcuff king, straitjacket hangs over cities |
| Theodore Hardeen | Hungary / United States | 1890s-1945 | Straitjacket in full view | Houdini's brother and rival, popularized the open straitjacket escape, inherited the Houdini act |
| David Blaine | United States | 1997-present | Drowned Alive water sphere | Endurance stunts, buried alive, encased in ice, 44 days in a box above the Thames |
| Dorothy Dietrich | United States | 1970s-present | Straitjacket escape while hanging from a burning rope | First woman to catch a bullet in her teeth on TV, Houdini Museum co-founder |
| Dean Gunnarson | Canada | 1980s-present | Handcuffed in a coffin submerged in a river | Televised escapes in extreme cold, close-call near-death Winnipeg river escape |
| Norman Bigelow | United States | 1970s-2000s | Door of Death spike release | Dangerous blade-and-spike escapes, Houdini tribute performances |
| Murray Hatfield | Canada | 1980s-present | Buried alive in concrete | Large-scale illusions mixed with escapes, Canadian tour circuit |
| Jonathan Goodwin | United Kingdom | 2000s-present | Burning straitjacket hang upside down | Dynamo consultant, America's Got Talent: Extreme accident, ultra-high-risk stunts |
| Roslyn Walker | United Kingdom | 1970s-1990s | Underwater handcuff release | British Isles circuit stages, shows paired with classic illusions |
| Steve Baker | United States | 1960s-2016 | Mailbag escape | Guinness world records for handcuff escapes, called the King of Escapes in Las Vegas |
| Bill Shirk | United States | 1970s-present | Buried alive and strapped in a straitjacket | Midwestern radio personality turned escape artist, multiple Guinness entries |
| Rick Maisel | United States | 1980s-present | Underwater chain and padlock release | Texas-based stunt performer, televised straitjacket escapes |
| Alan Alan | United Kingdom | 1940s-2000s | Burning rope straitjacket hang | British escapologist who performed suspended escapes over London streets |
| Anthony Martin | United States | 1980s-present | Sky-dive handcuff escape | Escapes from aircraft mid-fall, multiple handcuff and chain records |
| Criss Angel | United States | 1990s-present | Straitjacket suspension over Las Vegas | Mindfreak series, large-scale televised escapes, Las Vegas residency spectacles |
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