I’m sure many of you have seen the Minolta camera television commercial that Doug did in conjunction with this campaign. The commercial itself is a lot of fun, while this newspaper caricature is a little, how do I put this, interesting to say the least. To compare the two, here’s the original once again in…
Category: Doug Henning
Montreal Expo Theater Tour Advertisement
The Gazette: Montreal, Canada August 20, 1985
Glenn Campbell Handkerchief Illusion
The above clip comes from “World of Magic II,” and features a somewhat awkward lesson in handkerchief magic from Doug to singer Glenn Campbell. Nobody would ever accuse the “World of Magic” specials to have the best dialogue. But, as we all know it was the magic that really counted…not the cue cards.
Fisher Theater Tour Program
Doug fan Doug Gary Killops recently sent me this vintage program and related this encounter with Doug after the show: “Going through a few old boxes and came across this Doug Henning program. I got it when I saw his show in Detroit at the Fisher Theatre, which must have been in the early 1980s….
Potter & Potter: Silver Lightning Bolt Jumpsuit
The above item (Lot.72) is currently being auctioned by Potter & Potter as part of their Jim Rawlins collection. The costume itself is notable for many reasons. Not least of which, is that it is featured very prominently in the famous publicity photo of Doug walking through a brick wall for “World of Magic II.”…
The “New Houdini” Advertisement
The above ad certainly makes a bold claim in order to sell the soundtrack record to “The Magic Show.” Doug and Houdini were drastically different in terms of presentation. However, if there were similarities between them, it’s that they totally redefined how the public saw magic in their respective time periods. But, I doubt Houdini…
“The Magic Hour” Short Film
For all those looking for some laughs on a Tuesday, check out “The Magic Hour: The Roy Sterling Story.” This recently unearthed internet gem was made back in the far distant year 2006. Granted, that master of illusion Roy Sterling bears a certain resemblance to someone we’re all familiar with here on the site. However,…
Doug’s Milligan Place NYC Apartment
On a recent trip to NYC I happened to be in Greenwich Village, and took the time to visit what once was the apartment of one Mr. Doug Henning. Not just any apartment mind you, but the one he occupied during his time at “The Magic Show” with his first wife Barbara DeAngelis. As the…
From the Playbill Archives: (New) Merlin Interview
Well, it’s not often that you get some new Doug Henning news in your Google feed. However, that’s exactly what happened today when Playbill.com dug into their archives for this vintage article from the opening of “Merlin.” As you would imagine, Doug talks enthusiastically about the show and its illusions. What else would you expect?…
1976 Magician of the Year Award
The above picture comes from the collection of Gary Mandleblatt, and is an extremely rare item if there ever was one. This is Doug’s 1976 “Magician of the Year” award from the prestigious Academy of Magical Arts. The award, still given yearly, honors the best practitioners of magic and their impact on the art form…
Potter & Potter Auction: Glass Wall Hanging
And I’m back… I sincerely apologize for the long delay in between posts. Due to a freelance design job, my spare time became few and far between resulting in an unplanned break from the site. Well folks, it’s a new day, and let’s get back to it shall we? The above item is a current…
1974 NY Daily News “Magic Show” Review
Special Thanks to Michael Whitecar
1977 AMA Awards Banquet Program
The above items come from the collection of Mark Willoughby, and highlight the 1977 AMA Awards where Doug was crowned “Magician of the Year.” As you can tell Doug was in great company that year with other luminaries such as Johnny Thompson, Sid Lorraine, and Billy McComb. The second page gives a more in depth…
Solid Silver Platform Shoes-The Magic Show
Hey it’s a Saturday, and why not a little musical selection from “The Magic Show” to brighten that weekend glow? By the way, I apologize for the lack of posts this week. My freelance design job has been busy, and it’s not always easy to balance the two. But fear not, posts will keep coming…
Potter & Potter Auction-Flaming Miracle Poster
Welcome to 2020 everyone! Let’s begin our third year on a high note with this auction from “Potter & Potter” out of Chicago! This current online auction will win you one of the most distinctive and flashy posters that was ever created for “World of Magic II.” In it, artist Seymour Chwast crafted Doug as…
Happy Holidays…and a NY Times Article!
Well folks, it’s that time of the year where I close up shop and reflect on the year that just passed and the one that is just upon us. As always, I wish you the happiest of holidays and sincerely thank you for all your support over the past two, almost three years. It’s everyone’s…
Kiel Opera House Advertisement
The above advertisement was printed on June 1, 1980 in the “St. Louis Post-Dispatch.” The Kiel Opera House, now known as the Stifel Theatre, was opened in 1934 and enjoyed a healthy and long life until it was closed under financial disagreements in 1991. Reopening in 2011, the theater seems to be back to its…
Derren Brown “Doug” Name Check!
Mentalist Derren Brown, whose current Broadway show “Secret” is smashing records, was recently interviewed by “Long Island Weekly.” In it, Derren discusses the show’s history, and a certain other magician is mentioned regarding their time on Broadway. “Recently, breaking the record as the longest-running magician on Broadway, Brown made his U.S. debut with Secret, which…
Statue of the Pharaohs Today
If you ever wondered where a lot of Doug’s illusions have ended up over the years. Well, the short answer is that they’re mainly still around, just not always in one place as they used to be. In the case of Doug’s “Statue of the Pharaohs,” let’s get a bit of a refresher before we…
Genii Online: Jim Steinmeyer Interview
In the annals of Doug Henning history, the name Jim Steinmeyer looms large. Having been discovered by Doug at the age of 16, Jim went onto help shape the latter part of Doug’s career from the specials, to Merlin, and beyond. In 2017, Genii Online sat down with Jim for a wide ranging six-part interview….
World of Magic III-Newspaper Article
In honor of this being our 500th post, here’s Doug levitating a motorcycle!
Cooper-Hewitt Archives: World of Magic Poster
While some of you may already be aware of this promotional poster, I’m featuring it because this version comes straight from the Cooper-Hewitt Smithsonian Archives in New York City. It’s colors and quality are highly preserved, and this is definitely one of the most pristine versions I’ve ever seen. For me, this poster has always…
World of Magic V: Compressed Illusion
The above clip originally aired on February 14th, 1982 and is the final “World of Magic” special. As it goes with any magician, looks can be deceiving, and Doug had one more special up his sleeve called “Doug Henning: Magic on Broadway.” But, that’s another story. Now back to this one. While no one could…
Plymouth Magic Wagon Doug Billboard
The above image caught my eye via a sale currently featured on EBay. The item being sold is an original 16mm copy of Doug’s classic Plymouth “Magic Wagon” television commercial. However, it is this image from the campaign that made me do a double take. While I was aware that the original commercial had a…
Vintage “Hendoo” Newspaper Article
Special Thanks to Ken McCreedy
Henning “Animaniacs” Appearance
Welcome back from Thanksgiving folks! Did you know that Doug Henning appeared on Steven Spielberg’s beloved 90s cartoon series “Animaniacs?’ Or more to the point, a suspiciously Doug like character named “Merlin!” To be truthful, I haven’t seen this episode before. But, if I were a betting man, I’d say someone on that writing staff…
Unseen Merlin Production Publicity Photos
These pictures were given to me by writer Michelle Ainsworth and really showcase the scope and scale of “Merlin” very nicely. The top color photo was taken by photographer Peter Cunningham and is a real stunner if you ask me. While there is no documentation as to who took the second photo, I suspect it…
Vintage “Hendoo” For Hire Advertisement
This unique and very rare advertisement is from a time where a young Doug Henning was known as “Hendoo” and he hadn’t taken the world by sensation. Not yet anyway. Rather than just doing a straight classified, Doug employed this nifty visual to draw potential customers in. Do you see it? Look one way and…
Merv Griffin Show- Chita Rivera Performing “Merlin”
Finding existing performance clips of “Merlin” is a lot like finding Sasquatch or seeing a UFO. They tend to be very fleeting, and you have to look hard. Well, as luck would have it I recently came across this excerpt from the “Merv Griffin Show” where Chita Rivera performs “I Can Make it Happen.” As…
Original “Magic Show” Set Design Sketch
The above piece comes from Henning admirer Glen Henry and is a real rare piece of Broadway history. It’s not often that you find a production sketch from the original version of “The Magic Show” at a small store in Ocean Grove, New Jersey. But that, my friends, is exactly what happened. How it ended…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 