Hanging like Houdini at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, a sky-high escape

In honor of Harry Houdini's death 100 years ago, the escape artist known as Houdini II reenacted the dangling-from-a-crane, bound-in-a-straitjacket stunt at the Magic Castle on Friday morning.

This time, there was an extra challenge involved: dangling from one foot. As Houdini II was suspended about nine stories high in Hollywood, he wiggled his way out of the jacket and safely returned to the ground.

He was released from the harness to cheers, and shouted, "Los Angeles!"

"It's beautiful up there … we made history," Houdini II said. "That's the first time you've seen a one-legged escape; most escape artists use two legs."

In 1917, Houdini performed the original stunt in New York, above Times Square. He was suspended upside down in a regulation straitjacket, and in front of thousands of spectators he escaped the binds.

Houdini II wore a replica of Houdini's straitjacket, he said. "Houdini has been my idol forever ... so, the 100th anniversary of his death, that made it just so cool for me."

Houdini died on October 31, 1926, at the age of 52 from peritonitis, possibly related to appendicitis, possibly related to gut punches he had received just over one week earlier.  

Rob Zabrecky, the director of séances at the Magic Castle, said there will be an event on Saturday to raise the spirit of Houdini.

"So there's an organization of Houdini aficionados that meet every year. They have since the '40's. And this year, we're meeting at 7001 Franklin, the Magic Castle," Zabrecky said. 

"And there are no trapdoors, no hidden assistance, no mirrors; we're really going to try to raise the spirit in an honest, in the most honest way we possibly can."

The tradition of holding a séance for Houdini is practiced by magicians throughout the world.