Karel Soucek
Czech daredevil who survived Niagara Falls but died in Astrodome stunt.
Karel Soucek, a Czech-born daredevil who made his home in Canada, is remembered for surviving a 1984 plunge over Niagara Falls inside a barrel. He died the next year after a stunt at the Houston Astrodome went wrong.
Before moving to Canada, Soucek served as a tank commander in Czechoslovakia. He built a reputation as a thrill-seeker through stunt flying, wing walking, skydiving, and motorcycle tricks, settling in Hamilton, Ontario. For his 1984 Niagara Falls attempt, he studied past barrel rides, sent unmanned barrels over the falls to check the currents, and dropped his own barrel off the Niagara Escarpment to test its shock absorption. His custom barrel, painted bright red, was 9 feet long and 5 feet in diameter, and carried the messages "Last of the Niagara Daredevils - 1984" and "It's not whether you fail or triumph, it's that you keep your word... and at least try!"
On July 2, 1984, the barrel was launched into the Niagara River about 1,000 feet above the falls, with Soucek inside. It went over the brink in seconds, and Soucek emerged bleeding but alive. He was fined $500 for lacking a permit. The stunt cost him $15,000 in materials and labor and another $30,000 to film, but he quickly recouped those expenses through sales and interviews. Buoyed by his success, he planned to build a museum in Niagara Falls, Ontario, to display his gear. To fund it, he convinced a company to sponsor a barrel drop from the top of the Houston Astrodome into a water tank.
On January 19, 1985, Soucek was sealed inside his barrel 180 feet above the Astrodome floor. The barrel was released too early, spinning as it fell. Instead of hitting the center of the water tank, it struck the rim. Foam pads meant to cushion his landing had floated to the surface before the drop. Soucek was still alive when rescuers cut him from the barrel, but he died while the Astrodome stunt show continued. Evel Knievel had urged him to cancel the stunt, calling it "the most dangerous I've ever seen." Soucek is buried at Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Quick Facts
- Birth Name
- Karel Souček
- Birth Date
- 1947-04-19
- Birth Place
- Czechoslovakia
- Death Date
- 1985-01-20
- Death Place
- Houston, Texas, U.S.
- Resting Place
- Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
- Occupation
- Daredevil
- Known For
- Going over Niagara Falls in a barrel
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Before emigrating to Canada, Soucek was a tank commander in Czechoslovakia. He established himself as a daredevil through stunt flying, wing walking, skydiving, and motorcycle stunts, and lived in Hamilton, Ontario. For his 1984 Niagara Falls attempt, he researched previous attempts, sent unmanned barrels over the falls to test currents, and dropped his barrel off the Niagara Escarpment to test shock absorbance. His custom barrel was 9 feet long, 5 feet in diameter, bright red, and bore the words 'Last of the Niagara Daredevils - 1984' and 'It's not whether you fail or triumph, it's that you keep your word... and at least try!' On July 2, 1984, the barrel was rolled into the Niagara River 1,000 feet above the cataract. It was swept over the brink, and Soucek emerged bleeding but safe.
Reader's Guide
Karel Soucek's significance lies in his brief but dramatic career as a daredevil, culminating in a successful Niagara Falls barrel drop and a fatal stunt at the Houston Astrodome. His 1984 feat placed him in a tradition of Niagara daredevils, and he quickly capitalized on the fame by planning a museum. However, his attempt to fund that museum through a barrel drop from the Astrodome's roof ended in tragedy when the barrel was released prematurely, hit the rim of the water tank, and foam pads had floated to the surface. Soucek died while the show was still ongoing. Stuntman Evel Knievel had tried to dissuade him, calling it 'the most dangerous I've ever seen.' Soucek's story illustrates the risks of extreme stunt performance and the fine line between triumph and fatal miscalculation. He is buried at Drummond Hill Cemetery in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
Did You Know?
- Soucek was a tank commander in Czechoslovakia before emigrating to Canada.
- He spent $15,000 on materials and labor and $30,000 to film his Niagara Falls stunt, but quickly earned back all costs from sales and interviews.
- His barrel was 9 feet long and 5 feet in diameter, painted bright red.
- Evel Knievel tried to persuade Soucek not to go through with the Astrodome stunt.
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