Magic News, Magician Feature

Is Curtis Lovell Crazy?

Curtis Lovell III and Beautiful AssistantInternational escape artist Curtis Lovell II invites you to witness him strapped into a straitjacket and lifted 170 feet into the air — as the rope is set on fire.  When Lovell frees himself, he immediately will be lowered, handcuffed and sealed into a box of water — secured with Master locks.

Through wind, fire and water in his performance of “Hang-Man,” Lovell must face his fear of heights and his fear of drowning.  Neither Lovell nor any other escape artist — including the great Houdini — has ever combined these elements for a stunt of this magnitude.

The City of Grand Terrace, California, will host Lovell’s death-defying stunt as part of its Halloween Haunt in Pico Park, slated for 8 p.m. on Oct. 30, 09.  Last year’s theme element was Earth, during which Lovell faced the universal fear of being buried alive.  The stunt attracted more than 1,500 visitors and national media.

“It was spine-tingling last year with Lovell being buried alive,” said Steve Berry, Acting Manager of Grand Terrace, “We are looking forward to Hang-Man, his next death-defying feat.”

Lovell conceived the idea of Hang-Man as he studied the works of his childhood hero Harry Houdini.

“I always wanted to perform an aerial, upside-down straitjacket escape, but I wanted a twist,” Lovell said.  In addition to the danger of this stunt, Lovell truly fears heights and drowning. “I believe this will help me overcome both of these fears and bring me closer to nature and life,” he said, confidently.

Prior to Hang-Man, on June 13, 2009, at the Million Dollar Theater in downtown Los Angeles, California, Lovell will perform an escape with 1950’s movie actor Tony Curtis.  The stunt and a screening of the classic movie Houdini, are part of “Magic of Tony Curtis,” an event sponsored by the The Jules Verne Festival and the L.A. Historic Theatre Foundation.

Lovell, praised in the media as the “Modern-Day Houdini,” has been a lifelong fan of Tony Curtis and the movie Houdini

“This project is close to my heart,”  Lovell stated, explaining that he grew up watching Tony Curtis portraying Houdini. “As a child watching the movie Houdini, I wanted to be Houdini.  I wanted to be Tony Curtis.  I wanted to grow up to be a world-renowned escape artist.”

Lovell continues work on another “crazy” project for 2009.

“When I attempt Houdini-style stunts, I am always asked, ‘Are you crazy?’ so I think it’s time for me to be placed in a straitjacket,” Lovell joked.  He will be placed in a straitjacket — and escape — at least 194 times in a period of eight hours during his attempt to break the world record.  This stunt is still in the works for the latter part of 2009 or spring 2010.

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