Ina letter to his friend Will Goldson, the Water Tortie Ce greatest spectaculrthing ever witnested on the stage” (form Flin, A Pisteril Life by Milbourne Christopher, Crowell Company, 1976). Thiswa writen in. 1912 when Howdini fist presented hie newestand greatestcreationatCiecu Basch in Belin. He had worked on this effect for approximately three years, having i con structed in England in 1911. He fist performed i there fora very limited ali ence (posi asfew as one) forthe purpose ‘of copyrighting and registering i. Houdin ‘had previously experienced Leal problems, andpatentawerenotpossiblebecause when fling forthe pater the secret would be revealed. [ewasthospresentedasaskiewith ‘prepared acre. His foresight proved wise 1 the copyright formed the basis of his ‘winning a lawsuit preventing Undena, a fernale performer, fromdolngeslailar eck. ‘The Water Torture Cell was willed to Theodore Handeen, Houlin!s brother and former parcner, withthe condition it wasto be destroyed ypon Hlandcen’s death. Howe ne of 1942, 1 sequited the Cell many other Howlin ffests. Obuaining more that just the apgurits, Hardeen taught me the never-revealed se: TEecape Act os | wos doing & crete of che similar typeof challenge presentation dur hat period. =| Houdini's most spectacular escape and possibly the most famous illusion of all time. by Sidney Radner ATER TORTURE CELL ‘The Water Torture Cell was shipped to sme in five trunks and three crates with a total weight of 1,610 pounds, The cistom- smadetrunkscost over $500in 1912, andre beautifl to beheld to thie date. One trunk held the top, a second the bate, a thind the ‘seo sides, anda fourth trunk held the reat section. Three crates held three front glass plates, astwo were cari as spares A final ‘munkeatred allthe necessary pulleys hard- From thetimeofHeodint sdeathin 1926 tas ie was shipped tome in 1942, the Cell owl pacing the escapeternal unseen, Once ka sy basement, it ‘vas viewed by only e amell group of meg: cians including Handeen, Wiliam Lindsay Gresham, Walter Gibson, and Milkourne (Chaatopher (who related the experience'in 111943 Linking Ring). Hardeen had planned tohelpme present thetrick"afierthe war." Hisuntimely death in 1945 peevented this from ever happen: ing Acthat ie lwasio i" India Itisinterestingtonote that in 1953 thefamoutmagiceolleeta, aha MeMsrus, equested hat ship my Houdini col to the Museum of the American Gieus in uraota, Florids, where It would be pre served. Fortunately, Teomed theoffer down In 1971 the Water Torture Cell was, slongwith oterapparates hippedtoHeary Mollers newly created Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in Niagara Falls, Ontario, (Canada. Itremainedthereuntlafew months egowhen MullerandIdecideditwastimeto have the pparatus restored betterpososed thenecesarysillsrequired to work on this unique apparatus, John (Gaughan was selected todothe restoration. \obnewtesth he boxtom ard lower back swmterdarnage caused bya leaking aquatiuen sued inthe display.) Over the last SO years Ihave read nurse ousexplanationsofthe"US.D."asHowdint called it(forupside down). None havebeee, Chie thrve feet om with one oe 4 jut under caine all, h thick glass and Lined with snetal. Charles Reynolds also wrote was metal lined.” Actually its a small 26.5, finches wide und $9 inches ll Ie s made of Honduras mahog fgings, many cast especialy forthe piece, bal and steel, with brass but iso metal ine The glass ise ick ina 1914 eceeding as follows “In front, you will nocee: laced there forsell-prosection. Shou stony when | amlockedup.andit's ly mpostbletoobeatnaie ry ast thoroughly traine haw longit sposible forme toll ai, one of them watches through the cu tains ready tneascofemergency, withan ace to ray in, demolishing the glass allowing thewaterfoflow outin order to savemy life, I positively and honestly éanotexpeetany accident to happen, but we :suil happenandwhen least expected. John Gaughan oesitharwhacimprssed Nnenest wast fne-cooformarahip of te lenav neck piece, "Ie was bullelike apiece offurnivusyratherthanastage prop=puttogetherwith such, are.” When filled with ap- proximately 250 ‘water and Houdini, the cons teoes would exceed one ton oe of There were diffeeat ve sonsefthe Water TortreCel evolving late the one muthen- ‘He cell chat exists today, One ofthechanges made involved thewse ofafety sto protect inst broken glass in case of en emergency. The tars were buile as m separate ‘cage that was loweredincothe Wate 30%, Stny Radner bacare a protege of Hardee and ices ie Tne thn par arse wht many needing ocurne Go: ll. The use of thincaus was terand Hardeen hse sve elle ie war's ines eaecion slsccosiowed when Howlin tice mata ee Ha-ee and dor osoverbe Wr sdscovered that without d arn theaviience halabetrer (Che ofthe safety atures nstadvertised worethe wrophigslocatedin thease of the inches Woter Torture Cell. The pli in diameter, could be unscrewed iter the inside or the side in case ofan emergency. More often, they satheoutside s'amethod to ermpty the Cal. Because Henry Muller ayreed, we de- cided to allow dhe Water Torture Cell to stay ir Los Angeles after Johey Gaughsn’s restoration [twill he exhibited for dhe fist time inthe United Staessince 1926. the criceon Magis History carly Novem: «in Noth Hollywood, la. Afver which, iwill 1d 10 the Houdini Jcal Hall of Fume. Per- some day, a€ the right ime und inthe right sitaae tion, this “greatest spectacular thing ever ‘witnewed on the stage” may once agai be per formed e magic a of fee ig laghan wt trom Ne private fate, Newsies tion