Las Vegas Weekly

July 6, 2010 · 3:05 PM

Photos: Steve Dacri escapes shackles, handcuffs at bottom of Hilton pool

By Robin Leach

Steve Dacri's escape routine at the Las Vegas Hilton pool on July 2, 2010.

Veteran close-up card magician Steve Dacri hasn’t tried an escape routine from handcuffs and shackles in 20 years, but when Las Vegas Hilton executives challenged him to try again, he dived right in!

Said Steve: “It started as a joke when Advertising Director Robin Biffinger wanted me to make a Friday night pool party appearance. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, though, to entertain a huge, spread-out crowd with close-up magic.

“I mentioned an escape routine I once did for television. I was chained to a lounge chair with heavy chains and locks, and two guys threw me into the deep end, and I escaped before I ran out of air. ‘Do that! They would love that one,’ she said.

“I did that over 20 years ago, and I wasn’t prepared to do it again. Holding my breath for 2 minutes underwater didn’t sound like a fun thing anymore. I suggested a card trick. She frowned. ‘Card tricks are good for your show in the Shimmer Showroom. We need something spectacular out there.’ I agreed to show up but no guarantee as to what I might do.

“I dug up a Houdini set of steel cuffs and chains and had my wife lock me into them with two big padlocks. I was out of them within a minute and figured I could easily do that under water. I put on a fine suit and headed to the pool with people wondering if I was serious about this death-defying stunt.

“When I arrived, the party was in full swing, the band was blasting, there were close to 2,000 people dancing, grooving, and The Oasis 105.7 FM radio station was broadcasting live. When the time came, cameras were rolling, and I invited two girls to assist me: Each had to remove a card from the deck and sign their names on them.

“We had them secure me with chains and locks, and I was led over to the deep end of the pool. I tossed the deck into the water, then the crowd all yelled the countdown, and at the last minute, I dove into the pool and sank to the bottom. I sat there calmly, escaped from the cuffs and popped back to the surface with the chains dangling high in the air and the selected cards in my mouth.”

“Just another night in the life of a slightly insane magic man. I think a lot of the party people actually believed they would watch me fail -- and drown. It worked really well, but I won’t be doing it again. Sort of death defying, but the suit was ruined! I’m much happier in the Shimmer theater lounge at the Hilton with my in-your-face close-up magic.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

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Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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