Friday, August 27, 2021

"Show Mar in chains"

This is a photo I've had in my scrapbooks for decades. It was given to me by my grandfather when I first become interested in Houdini. On the back is written: "Show Mar in chains. London." And that's all I know! So I figured it was time to share this image and see if anyone recognizes this English street escapist?


By the way, notice how no one in this photo is actually looking at him.

UPDATE: Chris Gower over at the GEO (Global Escapology Organisation) Facebook group believes this photo shows long-time Tower Hill street performer Johnny Eagle (shirtless man in background) and his assistant Johnny Kedeno (or Cadenno) as the escapist. Chris says: 

Johnny Eagle was the speaker and would get the audience, he would show his strength by bending a piece of 1.5 inch by 0.25 inch steel bar simply by hitting it on his forearm. He had the ability to take the 30 foot of heavy chain and crack it like a whip. His assistant Johnny Kedeno had huge wrists and standard pair of Hiatt 1960 cuffs would not fit him!

Thanks Chris!

7 comments:

  1. He looks familiar. I remember seeing a British escape artist performing a recreation of the USD on a black and white TV show. He was a bit pudgy and looked like this guy.

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    1. Getting closer: The man I'm thinking of was Leo Irby. He performed the USD on the 1950s TV show You Asked for It. Can't find any images of Irby or that clip on the Internet.

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    2. The man in the photo “show man in chains” is not Leo Irby.

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  2. Maybe it's "Show Man in Chains"

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    1. Oh, wow, I bet that could be! I glued it into my scrapbook when I was a kid and wrote that under the photo. I bet I looked at it wrong.

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  3. I wonder if the message on the back has simply aged and was actually "show man"?

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    1. I think you might be right. I can't believe in over 40 years I never considered that! :p

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