Houdini's Death-Defying Mystery, the trick: "Escape from a Galvanized Iron can filled with water and secured with massive locks - Failure Means a Drowning Death." Ehrich Weiss, aka, Harry Houdini (1874 - 1926) was a Jewish Hungarian-American magician. His is regarded as the greatest escape artist in history. During his career he as was also a stunt performer, actor and film producer. The Milk Can became widely imitated after Houdini introduced it in 1908.