The night was December 26, 1975. Fifty-Million plus people were tuning in live for an NBC worldwide satellite broadcast. The star was a twenty-eight year old magician from Canada that had been taking Broadway and fans by storm in “The Magic Show.” His name, of course, was Doug Henning! Offered a TV special of his own by…
Category: Doug Henning
Doug Henning Meet Captain Kangaroo!
“The Doug Henning Project” will be taking a much needed vacation for the remainder of the week and will return rested and wonder-filled this Monday, July 31st. I have something special planned for all of next week, so be sure not to miss it. Until then, enjoy these great clips of Doug on the Captain…
“Magic Show,” Marie Osmond, and More!
As promised here are today’s group of pictures that again range from the making of the “The Magic Show” movie to more of Doug’s NBC specials. Included in the first picture is actress Didi Conn who played Cal, Doug’s love interest in the televised “Magic Show.” Those with eagle-eyes will also probably know her better…
More Never Before Seen Pictures!
Boy do I have a treat for you! Over the next couple days I will be presenting extremely rare and candid shots of Doug and his crew preparing for “The Magic Show” television movie along with various NBC specials. These photos not only show us the meticulous planning that went into every project, but also…
Alternate “Magic Show” Poster
This phenomenal and eye catching poster for the “Magic Show” television adaptation is truly, pardon the pun, a “wonder.” Rarely seen, it shows a totally different concept than the traditional poster that was used for the Broadway and television versions. If anyone has more information on this, where it was used, and the artist please…
“Magic Show” Movie Props!
Today’s images again come from Steve Zigmont’s impressive collection. What you see below are the bottles that the evil magician Van Zyskin uses in his act for “The Magic Show” movie. Filmed for Canadian television, this version of “The Magic Show” differs from the famed Broadway production. However, it is the only version of the play…
“Electric Company” Cover!
This famous picture taken at New York’s World Trade Center was for the June, 1976 issue of “The Electric Company Magazine.” At the time, this feat was billed as the highest levitation attempt in history and was submitted to the “Guinness Book of World Records.” Whether it won or not is anyone’s guess. However, most…
Martin Short is Doug Henning!!!
Although a website is based on words, sometimes they’re just not necessary. Enjoy this hilarious clip of Martin Short as Doug from 1985’s appropriately named “Martin Short Comedy Special!” Special Thanks to Willy Cheyenne.
Doug and The Washington Post: Part Three
“The Spellbound World of Doug Henning” By Richard Harrington June 9, 1982 The Heir to Houdini Henning is spending this week at Merriweather Post Pavilion with one of the last road shows he’ll be doing for a while. All his time and energy are going into “Merlin,” which he describes as a 6-year-old project about…
Doug and The Washington Post: Part Two
“The Spellbound World of Doug Henning” by Richard Harrington June 9, 1982 After graduation from college with a degree in physiological psychology, Henning traveled all over Canada and the United States searching out masters who could teach a young Doug old tricks; post-graduate work included opening for Canadian rock groups. He soon found backers for…
Doug and The Washington Post
I just came across this treat of a “Washington Post” interview I think everyone will enjoy. It was published on June 9, 1982 and takes place right before Doug was winding down touring to concentrate on the creation of “Merlin.” Compared to other interviews I’ve read it really delves deeply into Doug’s thoughts on the…
Doug, Mars, and the North Pole
This rare newspaper article is notable for a number of reasons. Mainly, it profiles Doug and his then partner, Mars Barrick, embarking on their fabled 1971 journey to perform for Canadian Armed Forces 200 miles from the North Pole. The “Snowball Safari,” as it was called, featured 25 entertainers and it was here that Doug’s…
“Merlin” at the Tonys!
It’s a Merlin kind of Monday here at “The Doug Henning Project!” In my You Tube travels, I came across this excellent musical clip from the 1983 Tony Awards featuring the “It’s About Magic” number from Merlin. As with all things “Merlin,” whenever you find any scenes from the show it’s a rarity. So, please…
Backstage Pass!
This item was sent to me recently by Steve Zigmont. It was taken from the backstage wall at the Fox Theater in St. Louis. Normally with touring shows it is common for every production to leave a drawing or stencil as a permanent reminder that they were there. However, the year of this drawing and…
Lifestyles of the Rich and Doug!
Today I thought I’d feature a four minute vintage clip of Doug and Debby on the classic 1980s program “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.” What’s cool about it is that it gives us a glimpse not only into Doug’s home, but his famed workshop where many of his illusions were developed. Also, what I…
Vanish Magic Magazine
I just wanted to let everyone know that the new July 2017 issue of “Vanish Magic Magazine” features a long form article written by yours truly about, you guessed it, Doug Henning. The article has tons of great pictures and delves into the history of Doug along with my reasons for starting “The Doug Henning…
A Wonder-Filled Fourth of July!
Have a very happy, safe, and magical Fourth of July from your friends at “The Doug Henning Project!”
Houdini: His Legend and His Magic Part Four
For our last round of pictures I wanted to focus on the excellent chapter “Houdini in Color.” What we have here are wonderful and bold color plates that really spring to life from the page. It’s my favorite chapter, and I suspect I may not be the only one! I thought it was more than appropriate to end with…
Houdini: His Legend and His Magic Part Three
The following represents some of the best items in the book in terms candid shots of Houdini and Bess, formal portraits, and newspaper coverage of Houdini’s death in 1926. It’s also refreshing to see Bess and Harry as they really were on vacation and away from the spotlight. Upon seeing them for the first time as…
Houdini: His Legend and His Magic Part Two
The following items represent not only a personal and very touching introduction from Doug to his parents, but many rare documents and photos from Houdini’s early and formative years. As with all legends, Houdini didn’t sprout fully formed and these pictures and clippings give us a very unique insight into this time in his life. …
Correction!
Hey Everyone! Before we get to the next post, I wanted to share a correction that was sent to me regarding how Doug obtained the items featured in “Houdini: His Legend and His Magic.” The real facts, such as these, can get muddled though various sources, accounts, and years. So, I’ll leave it to expert…
Houdini: His Legend and His Magic Book
For the rest of the week I’m going to rightfully be focusing on the classic Doug Henning and Charles Reynolds book “Houdini: His Legend and his Magic.” The book, originally published in 1977, is widely considered one of the most thorough and personal books ever published on Houdini. The reason for this lies in its…
Spellbound Pamphlet!
Today is a first for “The Doug Henning Project” as I am featuring an item from my own collection. While I can no way lay claim to some of the amazing Doug-related items I’ve seen in private collections, this simple pamphlet is special in what it would eventually become. “Spellbound” was Doug’s vision for a…
People Magazine Interview: Part Three
After Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again (Part.3) He stuck with magic. In 1973, he borrowed $5,000 from his mother and, with a friend, launched a rock musical-cum-magic show called Spellbound in Toronto. That led to his role in The Magic Show. Though one critic hailed him…
People Magazine Interview: Part Two
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…
People Magazine Interview: Part One
In doing some online research I came across this fascinating article from the December 20, 1982 issue of “People” magazine. The interview is notable for two reasons. For one it was written as “Merlin” was just about to open on Broadway, and the other being that it delves into Doug’s new marriage to Debby Douillard (Henning) and the…
Coming to Providence!
I love this vintage 1986 commercial not only for its obvious camp value, but for the fact that it gives you a glimpse into Doug’s touring productions and promotions. It’s a great commercial in the sense that it’s most likely one of a few he used as he moved from town to town. It’s also…
Houdini’s Magic Magazine: Pictures
What a treat these pictures are! Flipping through the magazine, I was taken aback at how rare some of these shots are, especially of “The Magic Show” itself. For those with an eagle-eye, yes that is not Doug in the title role. By that point Doug had left the show for greener television and touring…
Houdini’s Magic Magazine
To round out another great week I’m going to be featuring Doug’s appearance in the August, 1977 issue of “Houdini’s Magic Magazine.” The magazine itself ran from August 1977 to March 1978, and in that time it featured many of the top magic stories and artists of the day. Doug was no exception, and the history…
Close Encounters of the Doug Kind: Part Three
“The date was October 9th, 1985. This was after a show they did at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas, outside the stage door. I asked one of his crew after the show if I might meet Doug and get his autograph. The guy very snobily said “Mr. Henning sees no one at any…
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