Cannell is that the illusion was achieved by a handler and crew of twelve strong men. Several theories have floated around, but a likely theory by Houdini writer J.

To this day, no one knows exactly how he did it and there is no film record of the trick. Was the elephant still in the room? Yes, more specifically the cabinet - it never left. On January 7 1918, Houdini astounded a large crowd at New York’s Hippodrome theatre when he made an elephant vanish from an oversized cabinet that could be viewed from most angles. Chances are you’ve heard of the father of escape arts, Harry Houdini - but he did many other great magic tricks, including making an entire five-ton elephant disappear. The disappearing act is the punchline of many a magician joke, and it’s a trick that certainly leaves an impact. Many of the variations of the sawing trick are still a mystery to non-illusionists, so we won’t spoil the magic! Some performers have gone as far as to pursue legal action to keep their secrets from the public, while others, such as famous duo Penn and Teller, often reveal their methods as part of the act. Historically there has been some division (sorry) among illusionists about preserving secrecy around their version of the act. Variations of the trick include the use of transparent boxes, multiple chops such as in a ‘zigzag’ formation, and different types of saws or blades. There are many ways which this trick can be performed, including slipping fake feet into the lower half and curling up into the top portion of the box, a method which was patented by Horace Goldin in June 1923. Selbit awed the public by seemingly sawing his assistant in half and even getting audience members involved by holding ropes that were tied around her hands and feet. There is debate around who invented the illusion, but it’s generally accepted that the first public performance of the ‘Sawing a woman in half’ trick was by P.T.

Sawing a glamorous assistant in half is a staple act in any magic show.

Houdini box trick