The Infamous Milk Can Escape
Shortly after the turn of the century in 1908, Houdini debuted his first all-original performance. Dubbed “The Milk Can Escape,” it involved the magician being handcuffed and sealed away into a large milk can that was filled with water.
(Photo by Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
The success of his performance was immediate; crowds were larger than ever, and Houdini became a bona fide sensation. Advertisements that claimed, “Failure Means A Drowning Death” helped to spur on the trick’s popularity, as did the performer’s insistence that the audience attempt to hold their breath along with him while submerged. Although he only performed this trick for four years of his career, it stuck with him, remains one of his most famous acts for the rest of his life.