Dean Gunnarson

Dean Gunnarson is a famous Canadian escapologist, also known as an escape artist. He was born on January 27, 1964, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He grew up in San Antonio, Texas. Dean is well-known for his amazing and daring stunts, many of which have been shown on television. His incredible escapes have been seen in over 165 countries around the world. He has performed more than 500 shows in China, where millions have watched his TV specials. In 2012, the Chinese Government honored him with "The World's Top Escape Artist" award. He also performs across Canada and the United States at events like fairs, shopping malls, and sports games.

Dean Gunnarson's Amazing Career

Early Challenges and TV Fame

Dean had a very scary experience in October 1983. He was handcuffed, chained, and placed in a coffin. This coffin was then lowered into the Red River in Winnipeg. The stunt went wrong, and he couldn't get out. Luckily, his team quickly pulled him from the river and freed him. He needed help from paramedics to recover. This event even led Johnny Carson to call him "that crazy Canadian" on his TV show.

Dean Gunnarson has been featured in many television specials. In 1987, he appeared in The Search for Houdini. Here, he recreated two famous escapes by the legendary Harry Houdini. In 1988, he was part of the NBC special Magic in The Magic Kingdom, filmed at Disneyland. He also set two world records for escapes on The Spectacular World of Guinness Records.

Daring Escapes on Television

In 1998, Dean starred in NBC's The World's Most Dangerous Magic. For this show, he escaped from a straitjacket while hanging upside down. He was 726 feet above the ground, suspended from a trapeze at the Hoover Dam. The next year, in The World's Most Dangerous Magic II, he performed another incredible escape. He hung upside down over a swamp filled with 130 hungry alligators in Florida. He was even covered in chicken meat and blood!

Dean has also appeared on many other popular TV channels. These include the Disney Channel, Family Channel, Discovery Channel, TLC, Travel Channel, and even Food Network. A special moment for Dean was opening a show for the famous rock band Aerosmith in New York City.

Awards and Recognition

In 2012, Dean Gunnarson received the prestigious Merlin Award. He was named "World's Best Escape Artist" in Shenzhen, China. This award came from The International Society of Magicians, a huge organization with over 37,000 members. It was the first time they ever gave this award to an escape artist. Other famous winners include David Copperfield and Penn & Teller. Many people consider Dean the greatest living escape artist today.

In February 2013, Ripley's Believe It or Not gave Dean a special record. They called him the "World's Most Daring Escape Artist." This happened in New York during the Anderson Cooper Live TV show. Dean has also been featured in several Ripley's books. One book showed his escape from being buried alive under 2.5 tons of wet cement.

In 2016, Dean Gunnarson had his own Canadian reality TV series called Escape Or Die!. This show was popular and sold to many countries. It followed Dean and his team as they traveled the world doing dangerous escapes.

Dean also won the "Houdini Award" on a Japanese TV show called Magic Stars. He was the first and only escape artist to receive this honor. He also became the youngest person and first Canadian to win the U.C.T. "Humanitarian of the Year" award. He earned this for his efforts in raising money for many charities.

Dean Gunnarson's Most Famous Escapes

Dean Gunnarson has performed many incredible and dangerous escapes. Here are some of his most famous stunts:

• Buried Alive: In 2010, Dean was buried in a grave for two days without food or water. He then dug himself out on October 31, the same date Harry Houdini passed away.
• Cement Tomb Escape: In 2008, Dean was handcuffed, chained, and buried alive. He was under 2.5 tons of wet cement and managed to escape!
• Houdini's Milk Can Escape: For a TV special in 1987, Dean performed this classic escape. He was a last-minute replacement for another performer who was injured.
• Challenge at Hoover Dam: In 1998, Dean escaped from a straitjacket. He was hanging upside down by his toes from a trapeze, 726 feet above the Hoover Dam.
• Gator Bait: In 1999, Dean hung upside down over a swamp. Below him were 130 hungry alligators! He escaped from a straitjacket and chains.
• Airplane Jump: For a Japanese TV show, Dean was handcuffed and in a straitjacket. He was then thrown from an airplane 13,500 feet in the air. He had one minute to free himself and open his parachute during freefall.
• Tractor Pull: In 2007, Dean was chained between two powerful tractors. He had to escape before the tractors pulled him apart.
• Car Crusher Escape: On a Guinness World Records TV show, Dean was chained inside a 1970 Cadillac. His neck was chained to the steering wheel, his legs to the brake, and his arms to the doors. He escaped before the car was crushed.
• Beer Can Escape: Dean was handcuffed and chained inside a giant 200-liter beer can. He escaped while the can was overflowing with beer and ice.
• Roller Coaster Escape: Dean was chained to the tracks of a fast Bullet Coaster in China.
• Houdini's Chinese Water Torture Cell: A recreation of one of Houdini's most famous and difficult escapes.
• Shark Cage Escape: Dean escaped from a cage while surrounded by sharks.
• Packing Crate Escape: He escaped from a sealed wooden crate.
• Car Wash Escape: Dean performed an escape inside an automatic car wash.
• Under Water Coffin Escape: Similar to his early Red River stunt, but this time he successfully escaped underwater.
• Hanging Upside Down Burning Rope Escape: A dangerous stunt where he had to escape before a burning rope broke.
• Death Cage – Zhangjaijei, China: An escape from a dangerous cage in China.
• Burning Viking Ship Escape – Iceland: Dean escaped from a burning Viking ship.
• Snake Temple Escape – Malaysia: An escape performed at a temple known for snakes.
• Russian Death Tank: Another extreme escape involving a tank.

Dean Gunnarson's Awards and Honors

Dean Gunnarson has received many important awards for his incredible work:

• 2013 Ripley's Record: He was named the "World's Most Daring Escape Artist" by Ripley's Believe It Or Not in New York.
• 2012 Merlin Award: The International Magicians Society in China honored him as the "World's Best Escape Artist."
• 2004 Silver Cuffs Award: He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in Indianapolis for his many extreme escapes over almost 30 years.
• Guinness World Records: Dean set two world records for his escapes on the TV show Spectacular World of Guinness Records.
• Humanitarian of the Year: He was chosen from 185,000 people in North America for this award. It recognized his dedication to raising money for many charities.
• Houdini Award: In Tokyo, Japan, Dean won the "World's Greatest Escape Artist" award. The famous actor Tony Curtis, who played Houdini in a movie, presented it to him.