Hey All! Due to work commitments and an upcoming trip to New York, “The Doug Henning Project” will be on a little hiatus. Fear not, I’ll return on Monday, April 9th with many cool and wondrous things to share. So, until then…stay magical! –Neil
Month: March 2018
Brian Lumley: The 2nd Special, Doug’s Legacy, and Rare Photos!
c) Brian Lumley What are your strongest memories prepping the 2nd Special? This show was the one that would take us away from The Magic Show and we were all ready for it. The Broadway show had worn us down and we did not want to be part of the performances any more. Glen and…
Brian Lumley on Houdini’s Water Torture Cell
How did the First Special come about? Very early in The Magic Show’s run a very influential person came and basically fell in love with Doug’s performance. She asked him what he would do if he had a show at Christmas? Doug told her he would make people appear and disappear. He would do small…
Brian Lumley: “Magic Show” Secrets
How did Spellbound end up on Broadway? Ivan Reitman, Spellbound’s producer/director, put an ad in Variety which was published Dec. 19/73. This was the pre-production week. Joe Berhu and Edgar Lansbury saw the ad and came to take a look. By the end of the week Broadway was in the air. We set up shop…
Brian Lumley Interview : Part Two
Glenn Priest (far left), Brian Lumley (Middle), and Doug Were you interested in magic before you met Doug? In a word no. Not Lesley, Glen, or myself had any experience with stage magic. We had each seen or performed magic on our own but that is another story. It is also why we each had…
Brian Lumley Interview: Part One
Today we have a treat in store for you in the form of a brand new interview with one of Doug’s earliest technical collaborators Brian Lumley. From “Spellbound,” to “The Magic Show,” to Doug’s first two specials Brian was there all the way. He was more than gracious enough to answer a wide range of questions,…
Vanishing Elephant Illusion
While I had hoped to find a clip of the original “Vanishing Elephant” illusion from Doug’s second special, everything on You Tube is an inferior and grainy copy. Fortunately for us, Doug recreated the illusion for the 1981 filmed version of “The Magic Show” which is the origin of this higher quality clip. The elephant…
Society of Canadian Magicians: 1974 “Magic Show” Article
In addition to writing a great article this week, Richard Sherry has shared this issue of the “Levitator” from May/June 1974. The issue focuses on Doug’s groundbreaking success with “The Magic Show,” and even features an interview with Doug culled from “The New York Times.” Early interviews with Doug are always great to read, and…
Richard Sherry Remembers: Part Two
Growing Up with a Legend: Part Two By Richard Sherry Doug Henning was friends with a young director named Ivan Reitman who would go on to produce such blockbusters such as “Animal House,” “Ghostbusters,” and “Kindergarten Cop.” It was said that Ivan fronted him the money to purchase the props to create his stage show…
Richard Sherry Remembers: Part One
In this two part article, magician Richard Sherry has graciously agreed to recount for “The Doug Henning Project” the times he spent with Doug as a teen growing up in Canada. It’s a fascinating window into the life of a young Doug Henning and the positive effect he had on the people around him… Growing…
David Ogden Stiers
For most people, actor David Ogden Stiers is best remembered for “MASH,” numerous Disney projects (Beauty and the Beast), and a long list of notable television and film roles. However, most magic fans will know that Stiers co-starred with Doug in the original Broadway production of “The Magic Show.” Playing the villainous and washed up…
“World of Magic V” NBC Promo
There’s something to be said about this NBC TV promo for 1980’s “World of Magic V.” What it is I don’t know, other than that they don’t make commercials like they used to. That’s for sure. On that note, does anyone have a copy of the long lost gem “Valentine Magic on Love Island?
Michael Grandinetti Collection: Doug and Debby Levitating Rope Illusion
The above illusion comes from the collection of Michael Grandinetti, and showcases one of Doug’s more fanciful illusions. Doug and Debby originally performed this levitating rope illusion for a 1986 cover story in “Beverly Hills Magazine.” The cover itself is memorable for many reasons, not least of which are Doug and Debby’s pure 1980s…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 