After Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again
(Part.2)
“My friends said there was practically a flash of light,” says Henning, 35. “I had never felt anything like it in my whole life.” The dazzler was Debby Douillard, 27, an abstract painter with bottomless blue eyes who was taking classes at the university and also had just separated from her spouse. She, too, felt Cupid’s bolt: “It was like I blossomed right on the spot.”
They got engaged within the week and wed last December. He still marvels at the sorcery she’s worked on him. “When I perform, I could love a million people,” Henning admits, “but I had trouble loving one person. I would separate love and sex. Debby’s helped me overcome my fear of intimacy.” Her problem was shyness, and Henning’s Rx has been to use her not only in Merlin but also on tour, where she performs as a singer, dancer and his assistant. “I have a tendency to be inward,” says Debby. “Doug’s turning me inside out. Sometimes it’s painful, but it’s a great growing experience.”
Henning’s interest in magic was sparked when, as a 7-year-old in the Canadian city of Winnipeg, he saw a magician levitate a girl on TV. He got a magic kit, and his mother Shirley encouraged him to perform for his two sisters, hoping it would draw him out. He was so shy, he recalls, that “when company came I used to hide in the clothes hamper.” His father, Clarke, an Air Canada pilot, built him a table to perform on, and by 14 he was making $15 a week at parties. At 17, he spent a summer playing nightclubs in Barbados. Then, when he was 21, his father died in a plane crash. He had to use his magic act to earn enough to finish McMaster University, where he majored in psychology. Once he worked a strip joint: “I was real innocent and had never seen a naked woman.”
After graduating in 1970 he decided to “give magic a whirl” before going into medicine. But the next year he suffered a lung collapse, the result of a congenital ailment. In three months he underwent 13 unsuccessful attempts to permanently re-inflate his lungs. He says he lost 35 pounds, became addicted to morphine, the painkiller he was given, and came to realize “there was a chance I was going to die.” Then a 14th try succeeded. “It’s the greatest miracle that I am alive,” he says.
Wow!! Hid in the clothes hamper!! What a strange bit of deja vu for me there! We moved to a new town when I was 11, & when the new neighbors came to see us I ALSO hid in OUR clothes hamper!! I was a total introvert who could not converse with ANYONE! Sounds like Doug & I had something in common. Sure wish I’d known this when I met him. Great story! 🙂
I had a date with Doug after we meet at lax. I was in love with his charm and looks. We hit it off but I told him I wanted to become an airline pilot. He went into shock. And told me my dad died in an airplane crash. Goggle wasn’t around back then. I was only 23 he was 33. He was still in love with me but I think he didn’t want to get in the way of my dreams. I also think he needed someone to be part of his world. I would have done anything to keep being with him. Meaning I didn’t have to fly. He left me a msg in January 1981 that he wast going to be in Los Angeles for my birthday 1/10 in those days we had answering machines or friends to take msg. He called my airline to apologize. We never dated again because Debbie came into his life. She is a beautiful girl inside and out. I understand why Doug also fell in love with her. I visited Doug one more time in San Francisco for his show. I had never seen him perform. He was magical. He meet me after the show. I had a girl friend and my mom who was dying of cancer. She was trilled to see the show and meet how sweet he was. Somehow I was on the same flight back to Los Angeles LAX with Doug and his party which included Debbie. I didn’t know about Debbie at the time. I would not of gone to sfo to see the show if I knew what I know today. Doug’s manager sat with me on the plane. I have no idea how that happened. He told me they are getting married. I was in shock I didn’t know. I was so embarrassed that I was there. I was so in love with Doug at 23yr old. I kind of wanted to die. Or disappear. I saw them walking in the terminal. I turned around said hi and wished them a happy life. Doug’s manager came after me because he got on the bus that was going to take me to my car. I didn’t know what to think he just was seeing if I was ok. I tried to pretend I was what could I do. I did see Doug again by his choice at lax while I was working. He was filming a TWA airliner commercial for the superbowl football game in 1981. He was nervous and so was I. Maybe if his Dad didn’t die the way he did. Doug and I could of lived happily ever after. I could of loved to be in his show like Debbie. Debbie you were great for Douggy too. Thank you for making him happy. I’m as sorry as you are that he died. I wish we were friends. I married a pilot for United airlines. He had a very successful Carrier. I never got my license do to health reason. I raised 3 furbabbies that have made me very happy. I’m 66 now and still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. Love to everyone who reads this. Doug is a Great man thanks to his parents and sisters and both of his wives. ❤️
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 
Wow!! Hid in the clothes hamper!! What a strange bit of deja vu for me there! We moved to a new town when I was 11, & when the new neighbors came to see us I ALSO hid in OUR clothes hamper!! I was a total introvert who could not converse with ANYONE! Sounds like Doug & I had something in common. Sure wish I’d known this when I met him. Great story! 🙂
LikeLike
I had a date with Doug after we meet at lax. I was in love with his charm and looks. We hit it off but I told him I wanted to become an airline pilot. He went into shock. And told me my dad died in an airplane crash. Goggle wasn’t around back then. I was only 23 he was 33. He was still in love with me but I think he didn’t want to get in the way of my dreams. I also think he needed someone to be part of his world. I would have done anything to keep being with him. Meaning I didn’t have to fly. He left me a msg in January 1981 that he wast going to be in Los Angeles for my birthday 1/10 in those days we had answering machines or friends to take msg. He called my airline to apologize. We never dated again because Debbie came into his life. She is a beautiful girl inside and out. I understand why Doug also fell in love with her. I visited Doug one more time in San Francisco for his show. I had never seen him perform. He was magical. He meet me after the show. I had a girl friend and my mom who was dying of cancer. She was trilled to see the show and meet how sweet he was. Somehow I was on the same flight back to Los Angeles LAX with Doug and his party which included Debbie. I didn’t know about Debbie at the time. I would not of gone to sfo to see the show if I knew what I know today. Doug’s manager sat with me on the plane. I have no idea how that happened. He told me they are getting married. I was in shock I didn’t know. I was so embarrassed that I was there. I was so in love with Doug at 23yr old. I kind of wanted to die. Or disappear. I saw them walking in the terminal. I turned around said hi and wished them a happy life. Doug’s manager came after me because he got on the bus that was going to take me to my car. I didn’t know what to think he just was seeing if I was ok. I tried to pretend I was what could I do. I did see Doug again by his choice at lax while I was working. He was filming a TWA airliner commercial for the superbowl football game in 1981. He was nervous and so was I. Maybe if his Dad didn’t die the way he did. Doug and I could of lived happily ever after. I could of loved to be in his show like Debbie. Debbie you were great for Douggy too. Thank you for making him happy. I’m as sorry as you are that he died. I wish we were friends. I married a pilot for United airlines. He had a very successful Carrier. I never got my license do to health reason. I raised 3 furbabbies that have made me very happy. I’m 66 now and still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up. Love to everyone who reads this. Doug is a Great man thanks to his parents and sisters and both of his wives. ❤️
LikeLike