Houdini’s Water Torture Cell

Houdini died of peritonitis from a ruptured appendix at 1:26 p.m. in room 401at Detroit's Grace Hospital on October 31, aged 52.

Tony Curtis portrayed him in the movie Houdini (1953) and it was inaccurately portrayed that Houdini died while in his Water Torture Cell illusion.

The Chinese Water Torture Cell" or "The Water Torture Cell", Houdini always referred to it as "the Upside Down" or "USD". The first public performance of the USD was at the Circus Busch in Berlin, on September 21, 1912. Houdini continued to perform the escape until his death in 1926.

He could easily hold his breath for over two minutes and this illusion was one of his featured pieces in his theatrical show.