- 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 I left The Magic Show at the end of October to build the 2nd Special in LA. Doug left at the end of November.
Why did you quit working for Doug after the 2nd Special?
In a nutshell I was burned out. The stress got to me. Glen broke down before air time and I had to carry the show…
Did you keep in touch with Doug after you left?
No. I went to see him perform twice in the following years.
How did you hear about his passing in 2000?
CBC News the day it happened
In your opinion, what was Doug’s main effect on audiences?
I believe he brought magic back to a lot of people.
What life lessons did you learn from Doug?
Magic is very real, but I knew that before I met Doug. Meditation by itself works, I meditate myself (not TM), I believe it kept Doug alive for years. But the politics of TM meditation and the hangers on it develops is what caused the dissension. I believe there is ample evidence of this.
How would you like Doug remembered?
I saw Doug bring smiles and laughs to people of all ages from all walks of life. Doug’s magic was very heart warming and inspirational. He broke the lock that was keeping magic off of Broadway. NBC had to expand their broadcasting capabilities to put Doug’s shows on the air. He changed the way magic was performed in general. He made it move faster and made it fun.
Personally, I remember the smiles on the faces of everybody in the audience. Especially the Christmas audiences. The only people I ever heard poo-poo his magic were older jealous magicians in the very beginning of The Magic Show.
I still use Doug’s message from the Hexaflexagon in The Magic Show album when I’m teaching difficult tasks –
“The hard must become habit. The habit must become easy. The easy must become beautiful.”
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 