What were the things you found out that you didn’t know before you started?
During the course of my research, there were several new and exciting discoveries. But there was one big one! And it’s that discovery that has drawn the most attention… Very early in my research people started asking me, ‘Who was the first magician to work Vegas?’
Finding a definitive answer to that question became a bit of a challenge and a goal because, over the years a lot of people had claimed that specific credit. But then I found out! And the answer was that a young, 18 year-old magician named Gloria Dea was the first magician to ever perform at a hotel/casino on what would become the Las Vegas Strip. It was in 1941, just a month after the first Strip hotel/casino had opened.
And then I discovered she was still alive and living in Las Vegas. It’s an incredible story – with more than a few really serendipitous coincidences. The ‘journey to discover Gloria’ becomes the throughline as you read Neon Dreams.
Can you talk about Doug Henning’s time in Las Vegas?
Doug was there at an interesting time for his career and for Las Vegas.
I know when most people think of him, they think of him at the Las Vegas Hilton, but here’s a bit of trivia; his first Vegas engagement was at Caesars Palace. His manager, Jerry Goldstein, was working on the Hilton deal, and invited the talent booker at Hilton to come see that Caesars show.
Vegas was, I’d say, a bit past the desert-glam Rat Pack era – but not quite into the 80s era where Vegas became a bit of a tacky joke. It was the beginning of the end of the mob controlled era. But… Vegas was definitely a place where stars were still STARS!
The Las Vegas Hilton also really promoted that they had the biggest stars! This was after the Elvis years, but Hilton was the regular performance home of Liberace, and the hotel was appealing to Jerry Goldstein because it was supposedly more family friendly. It was one of a few theaters or showrooms in town large enough to do the type of show Doug was going to present.
So, the Las Vegas Hilton became Doug’s regular Vegas (performance) home for four years. And incidentally – his favorite place to live in Vegas was at one of Liberace’s homes which Doug rented while he was in town.
Was it a successful point in his career?
I’d say so! He debuted at the Las Vegas Hilton in April of 1978. So, that’s already three NBC television specials into his career. And of course, the power of TV – at that time when there were only three networks – that means a lot! He was a name! He was a star!
Jerry Goldstein (his agent), was helping Doug realize a dream of having the largest touring magic show ever – or at least in fifty years! So the Doug Henning’s World of Magic tour kicked off at the Las Vegas Hilton, wound its way to the East Coast and back, and finished at the Las Vegas Hilton.
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 