James Randi's own Shelton pool test

On February 7, 1956, James The Amazing Randi recreated Houdini's famous Shelton pool test on the very site of Houdini's 1926 stunt. Randi said he wanted to prove that Houdini did not employ trickery; one really could remain alive in a space with limited oxygen using Houdini's principles. Below is the story.

The Morning Call, Feb 8, 1956.

Despite Randi saying he would not repeat the stunt, I recently discovered that he did! Randi repeated the test in the pool of the Hollywood Plaza Hotel for the television show You Asked For It. I've shared video of that test on my Patreon below. It's surprisingly tense and makes one appreciate how Houdini's tests must have been similarly suspenseful.

Related:

• James Randi on his Shelton pool test
• James Randi passes away at 92
• The Shelton pool test at 90