David Blaine is an American magician, mentalist, and endurance performer known for his street magic and televised endurance feats. He rose to fame in 1997 with his television special "David Blaine: Street Magic" and has since captivated audiences with specials like "David Blaine: Real or Magic" and "Beyond Magic." Blaine's performances often involve elements of illusion, close-up magic, and physical challenges.
1926: Harry Houdini's Death
Harry Houdini, a famous magician, died in 1926 before he could attempt a stunt similar to David Blaine's "Buried Alive."
April 4, 1973: David Blaine's Birth
David Blaine was born on April 4, 1973 in New York City.
1994: Blaine's Mother Passes Away
When David Blaine was 21 years old, his mother died from cancer in 1994.
May 19, 1997: "David Blaine: Street Magic" Premieres
David Blaine's first television special, "David Blaine: Street Magic," aired on ABC on May 19, 1997, garnering significant attention and praise for its innovative approach to magic.
1997: Rise to Prominence
David Blaine rose to fame in 1997 with his debut television special, "David Blaine: Street Magic," which aired on ABC. The same year, he also appeared in "Magic Man."
January 16, 1998: "Magic Man" Airs
On January 16, 1998, "Magic Man," featuring David Blaine performing street magic across the United States, aired.
April 5, 1999: "Buried Alive" Stunt Begins
David Blaine began his "Buried Alive" stunt on April 5, 1999, spending seven days in an underground plastic box submerged in water.
November 27, 2000: "Frozen in Time" Stunt
On November 27, 2000, David Blaine attempted the "Frozen in Time" stunt in Times Square, aiming to spend 72 hours encased in ice. He endured 63 hours, 42 minutes, and 15 seconds before being removed due to health concerns.
May 22, 2002: Vertigo Stunt
On May 22, 2002, David Blaine began his "Vertigo" stunt, standing atop a 100-foot pillar in Bryant Park for 35 hours.
October 29, 2002: Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic Published
On October 29, 2002, David Blaine published his autobiography and interactive treasure hunt, "Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic."
2002: "Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic" Publication
David Blaine published his autobiography and armchair treasure hunt book, "Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic," in 2002.
September 5, 2003: London Glass Box Stunt Begins
David Blaine embarked on an endurance stunt on September 5, 2003, spending 44 days in a transparent box suspended above the River Thames in London without food, consuming only water.
March 20, 2004: Mysterious Stranger Treasure Hunt Solved
The interactive treasure hunt within David Blaine's book, "Mysterious Stranger: A Book of Magic," was solved by Sherri Skanes on March 20, 2004.
2004: Alleged Sexual Assault
Former model Natasha Prince accused David Blaine of sexual assault, claiming the incident took place at a house in Chelsea, West London, in 2004. Blaine denied the allegations and no charges were filed.
May 1, 2006: "Drowned Alive" Stunt
David Blaine's "Drowned Alive" stunt commenced on May 1, 2006, involving a seven-day submersion in a water-filled sphere at Lincoln Center, resulting in kidney and liver damage.
November 2006: Times Square Gyroscope Escape
In November 2006, David Blaine performed a stunt in New York's Times Square to support The Salvation Army. He escaped from shackles while in a spinning gyroscope suspended above the ground.
November 21, 2006: "Revolution" Stunt
David Blaine started his "Revolution" stunt on November 21, 2006, aiming to escape from a rotating gyroscope within 16 hours while shackled and deprived of food and water. He completed the stunt in 52 hours.
2006: Drowned Alive
In 2006, David Blaine performed his "Drowned Alive" stunt, which involved an underwater breath hold challenge. He later attempted a live world record for this stunt in 2009.
February 10, 2008: Peter Colat Sets Breath-Holding Record
Peter Colat of Switzerland set the Guinness World Record for oxygen-assisted static apnea on February 10, 2008.
April 30, 2008: Guinness World Record Attempt on "Oprah"
David Blaine appeared on "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on April 30, 2008, to attempt breaking the Guinness World Record for oxygen-assisted static apnea.
September 18, 2008: The Upside Down Man Announcement
On September 18, 2008, David Blaine announced his upcoming performance, "The Upside Down Man," in collaboration with Donald Trump.
September 19, 2008: Tom Sietas Breaks Breath-Holding Record
German diver Tom Sietas set a new Guinness World Record for breath-holding on September 19, 2008, during an appearance on "Live with Regis and Kelly."
2008: Breath-Holding World Record
David Blaine set a new Guinness World Record for oxygen-assisted static apnea by holding his breath for 17 minutes and 4 seconds in 2008.
2008: Hurricane Katrina Relief Performance
In 2008, David Blaine traveled to New Orleans to perform for people affected by Hurricane Katrina. This footage was later included in his 2010 television special "David Blaine: Bullet Catch."
2009: Blaine Discusses Hallucinations
During a 2009 TED Talk, David Blaine revealed experiencing hallucinations during the final hours of his "Vertigo" stunt.
2009: Live Underwater Breath Hold Record Attempt
In 2009, David Blaine appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, where he attempted to break the world record for holding his breath underwater. This was a reprisal of his 2006 "Drowned Alive" stunt.
January 15, 2010: Magic for Haiti
On January 15, 2010, David Blaine performed "Magic for Haiti" in Times Square, a 72-hour performance that raised almost US$100,000 for Haiti earthquake relief.
April 18, 2010: David Blaine: Bullet Catch
On April 18, 2010, a 42-minute television special aired featuring David Blaine performing the illusion of catching a .22 caliber bullet in his mouth.
2010: Hezi Dean Breaks Blaine's Record
In 2010, Israeli magician Hezi Dean surpassed David Blaine's record for the longest time encased in ice.
January 27, 2011: Birth of Daughter
David Blaine's daughter with French model Alizée Guinochet was born on January 27, 2011.
October 5, 2012: Electrified: One Million Volts Always On Begins
On October 5, 2012, David Blaine began his 72-hour endurance stunt "Electrified: One Million Volts Always On." He stood on a 22-foot pillar, surrounded by seven Tesla coils producing an electric discharge.
October 8, 2012: Electrified: One Million Volts Always On Concludes
On October 8, 2012, David Blaine concluded his 72-hour endurance stunt "Electrified: One Million Volts Always On." He was able to walk away with assistance and was transported to a hospital for a medical check.
November 19, 2013: David Blaine: Real or Magic Premieres
On November 19, 2013, David Blaine starred in a 90-minute ABC television special titled "David Blaine: Real or Magic," directed by Matthew Akers.
2013: "David Blaine: Real or Magic" Premieres
David Blaine starred in the television special "David Blaine: Real or Magic" in 2013.
2014: First Live Tour
In 2014, David Blaine embarked on his first-ever live tour, showcasing his tricks and stunts to audiences in the Middle East and North America.
August 2015: Live Bullet Catch Performance
In August 2015, David Blaine performed his bullet catch trick live on stage in front of 20,000 people in Las Vegas. During the performance, Blaine's mouthguard broke.
2015: Bullet Catch Retirement
After a successful yet risky live attempt at his bullet catch trick in 2015, David Blaine decided to retire the stunt and instead focused on his underwater breath hold for his live shows.
November 15, 2016: Beyond Magic Premieres
On November 15, 2016, ABC aired "Beyond Magic," a 42-minute television special in which Blaine performs magic for various public figures, including catching a .22 caliber bullet in his mouth.
2016: "Beyond Magic" Airs
In 2016, David Blaine's television special, "Beyond Magic," was released.
October 2017: Sexual Assault Allegations Surface
In October 2017, following a report in The Daily Beast, British news outlets reported that London's Metropolitan Police had asked Blaine to participate in an inquiry regarding sexual assault allegations made by former model Natasha Prince. Blaine denied the allegations.
April 2019: NYPD Investigation
In April 2019, the New York City Police Department investigated David Blaine over sexual assault allegations made by at least two women. No charges were filed.
June 2019: 'Real or Magic' Tour in the UK & Ireland
In June 2019, David Blaine brought his "Real or Magic" tour to the UK and Ireland, performing in various cities, including Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham, Bournemouth, and London.
April 1, 2020: David Blaine: The Magic Way Premieres
On April 1, 2020, David Blaine starred in "David Blaine: The Magic Way," which aired on ABC. The special featured various close-up magic acts, card tricks through video chat, and in-person performances for celebrities and ordinary citizens.
September 2, 2020: David Blaine Ascension
On September 2, 2020, David Blaine performed his "Ascension" stunt in Page, Arizona. The stunt involved him floating while holding on to 52 helium-filled balloons. Blaine reached an altitude of 24,900 feet before parachuting back to the ground.
2020: "The Magic Way" Premieres
David Blaine's television special, "The Magic Way," premiered in 2020.
September 2022: David Blaine Live Residency Begins
In September 2022, David Blaine began his first Las Vegas residency with his show "David Blaine Live" at the Resorts World hotel. The show had an extended run until June 2023.
June 2023: David Blaine Live Residency Ends
In June 2023, David Blaine concluded his "David Blaine Live" residency at the Resorts World hotel in Las Vegas.
December 2023: Impossible Residency Begins
Following the success of his "David Blaine Live" show, David Blaine announced his new residency, "Impossible," at The Encore theater in Wynn, Las Vegas, which premiered in December 2023.