Harry Houdini's Death-Defying Vancouver Escape: A 1923 Spectacle
When the legendary escape artist Harry Houdini announced his 1923 tour stop at Vancouver's Orpheum Theatre, The Vancouver Sun saw an opportunity for a spectacular publicity stunt. The newspaper issued a bold challenge to the world-famous magician: perform a death-defying escape in public outside the Sun offices. Houdini, never one to shy away from a dramatic feat, eagerly accepted.
The Challenge Accepted
On February 27, 1923, The Vancouver Sun reported Houdini's response from Winnipeg. The escape artist offered to free himself from a straitjacket wrapped around him by members of the Vancouver police force while suspended in mid-air, head downward. After officers pulled the straps, ropes, and sleeves as tight as possible, Houdini would be hoisted by a rope looped around his ankles, attached to a beam above the sidewalk, and lifted three storeys into the air.
The event was scheduled for noon on Thursday, March 1, 1923. Two police detectives identified only as Ricci and Sinclair were chosen to bind him, while Sun photographer W.J. Moore was tasked with documenting the entire spectacle. Houdini himself added an extra layer of excitement by offering cash prizes to amateur photographers who could capture the best images of his escape attempt.
The Great Escape Unfolds
As thousands gathered outside the Vancouver Sun building at 123 West Pender Street, anticipation filled the air. Nearly all spectators were men wearing hats, creating a sea of formal attire beneath the dangling magician. A film crew positioned on a platform above The Sun sign recorded the proceedings, adding to the historical documentation of this remarkable event.
True to his reputation, Houdini made quick work of the challenge. In just three minutes and thirty-nine seconds, the straitjacket fell fluttering to the sidewalk below. A cheer arose from the crowd, swelling into a roar of approval as Houdini successfully liberated himself from the police-constrained jacket while suspended upside down three stories above the street.
Aftermath and Legacy
That same evening, film of the escape was shown at the Orpheum Theatre, where Houdini headlined a vaudeville bill. The escape artist reportedly came out into the audience to watch the film alongside spectators, expressing satisfaction with both the footage and the enthusiastic crowd response. This Vancouver performance was part of Houdini's established pattern of dangling outside newspaper offices to generate publicity—he had performed similar escapes earlier that same month in Minneapolis and Winnipeg.
The Vancouver Archives preserves W.J. Moore's photographic record of this historic event, capturing not only Houdini's suspended figure but also the captivated crowd below. This 1923 spectacle remains a testament to Houdini's showmanship and his willingness to push the boundaries of physical possibility, cementing his legacy as one of history's most daring performers.
