The Sensational Houdini Water Torture Escape
Object Details
- Date
- 1975
- Designer
- Seymour Chwast, American, b. 1931
- Catalogue Status
- Research in Progress
- Description
- Executed in Chwast's characteristic style, influenced by children's drawings and comic books, the brightly colored poster advertises the televised magic show of Doug Henning. Across the upper section in yellow, red and black, the words "The Sensational Houdini Water Torture Escape" appear in a curvilinear banner on a green field. In the center, the figure of Doug Henning is shown upside down in a clear tank of water wearing a yellow and red swimsuit and handcuffs. He is attended on either side by two small women wearing turquoise tutus, white top hats and heels and holding walking sticks. At right a portrait of Hennings in a tondo with a pink banner below reading in yellow letters: BY / DOUG / HENNIG / STARRING IN / "THE MAGIC SHOW" / ONE OF BROADWAY'S / BRIGHTEST RECENT / HITS. On the lef,t a green banner with red and lavender letters: ATTEMPTED / FOR THE FIRST TIME / "LIVE" / ON TELEVISION!!! / DURING THE / Mobil [logo shown] / SHOWCASE / PRESENTATION OF / "THE WORLD OF / MAGIC" / DECEMBER 26 / ON NBC AT 8PM EST. / SPECIAL GUEST STARS / ORSON WELLES / BILL COSBY / JULIE NEWMAR
- made in
- USA
- See more items in
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum Collection
- Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design Department
- Credit Line
- Gift of Ken Friedman
- Data Source
- Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
- Accession Number
- 1997-19-202
- Type
- graphic design
- Object Name
- Poster
- Type
- Poster
- Restrictions & Rights
- Usage conditions apply
- Medium
- Offset lithograph on white wove paper
- Dimensions
- 114.1 x 76.2 cm (44 15/16 x 30 in. )
- Record ID
- chndm_1997-19-202
Executed in Chwast's characteristic style, influenced by children's drawings and comic books, the brightly colored poster advertises the televised magic show of Doug Henning. Across the upper section in yellow, red and black, the words "The Sensational Houdini Water Torture Escape" appear in a curvilinear banner on a green field. In the center, the figure of Doug Henning is shown upside down in a clear tank of water wearing a yellow and red swimsuit and handcuffs. He is attended on either side by two small women wearing turquoise tutus, white top hats and heels and holding walking sticks. At right a portrait of Hennings in a tondo with a pink banner below reading in yellow letters: BY / DOUG / HENNIG / STARRING IN / "THE MAGIC SHOW" / ONE OF BROADWAY'S / BRIGHTEST RECENT / HITS. On the lef,t a green banner with red and lavender letters: ATTEMPTED / FOR THE FIRST TIME / "LIVE" / ON TELEVISION!!! / DURING THE / Mobil [logo shown] / SHOWCASE / PRESENTATION OF / "THE WORLD OF / MAGIC" / DECEMBER 26 / ON NBC AT 8PM EST. / SPECIAL GUEST STARS / ORSON WELLES / BILL COSBY / JULIE NEWMAR