: He took a 15-foot running start and dove head-first into the skyline, landing safely on the street after a two-minute descent.
Known as the "artistic crime of the century," 24-year-old French acrobat Philippe Petit spent 45 minutes dancing on a wire 1,350 feet above the ground.
: He crossed the gap eight times , at one point even lying down on the wire to salute the sky. Remembering Four Iconic World Trade Center Stunts
: After years of clandestine planning, Petit and his team rigged a 131-foot steel cable between the North and South Towers.
: Arrested immediately, his charges were dropped on the condition that he perform a free show for children in Central Park . 2. Owen J. Quinn : The First Parachute Jump (July 22, 1975) : He took a 15-foot running start and
: Disguised as a construction worker, he smuggled a parachute onto the roof of the North Tower in a duffel bag.
Before they became a solemn symbol of resilience, the original Twin Towers were a playground for the world’s most daring aerialists. From 1974 to 1983, four men transformed the World Trade Center into a stage for "artistic crimes" that captured the world's imagination. 1. Philippe Petit : The High-Wire Walk (August 7, 1974) : After years of clandestine planning, Petit and
: Though office workers initially feared it was a suicide, Quinn was arrested for trespassing; the charges were eventually dismissed after 19 court appearances. 3. George Willig : "The Human Fly" (May 26, 1977)