Magic in the nick of time.
Escape artist Steve Baker, the Evel Knievel of escape artists, performed live escape stunts on TV in the 1980s.
I remember when I was younger I saw an escape where the escape artist / magician was locked inside a box filled with explosives, and the box is lifted into the air by a crane and the time runs out and it explodes but then… the guy operating the crane turns out to be the magician! Nope, I didn’t buy it – it was obviously some sort of trick. Mr. Baker’s performances, on the other hand, looked like they involved real danger.
The slow-motion replay really sells it.
The first video is not the greatest quality, but I love the beginning announcer’s "Mission Impossible" voice: "He must escape in ten seconds to cheat death":
Death Race Escape – First time on TV
Death Race Escape on Dick Clark Presents!
– Steve Baker, Mr. Escape>>
– My favorite story he tells, about escaping from a Japanese roller coaster>>
– Great escape: Magician, wife want to free memorabilia, State Journal-Register>>