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Anyone know any history of the "buried alive" stunt - either as a feat of endurance or as a miracle escape? Any info gratefully received.

I think Banachek may have talked briefly about the history in one of his Psi series volumes. Don't hold me to that, though...

Harry Houdini did it in the 1910s and then some american magician did it on telly in the 1980s where he had wet concrete poured into a grave and he was in a glass coffin, "a death defying stunt" they called it, a big act but I forget his name....

Google Joseph Burrus and Alan Alan.

Apart from Houdini and a couple of turn of the century fakirs I only know the history of it in Ireland. Probably not of much use to you.

There was a documentary on the BBC on dangerous magic that included quite a bit on being buried alive. It might be this one, but don't have time to watch to check.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM-NGUydDpQ

I dont know much on the history of this effect, but I am interested in the responses you may get. Allen Tipton would probably be the one for this. I will say this though - I did see footage (it may have been from the show in the above link) which was quite upseting, and made me decide that Id NEVER perform an effect that would put my life in danger, its just not worth it. It was a guy who did the effect with a glass coffin and cement (I dont know if its the same guy V.E.Day mentioned). The coffin had been tested before the event which resulted in the toughened glass being significantly weakened. The effect went tragically wrong, and he died instantly when the weight of the cement crashed through the glass. Sadly his wife and child were among the spectators.

jim