The new issue of the music magazine “Maggot Brain” is out, and its 7th issue has an article about, you guessed it, Doug Henning. The article “Within You Without You” is a fascinating read by writer Robert Dayton, and tells the tale of Doug’s early years figuring out his path in magic with some of…
Category: Doug Henning
Jim Steinmeyer Reflects on Ivan Reitman and “Merlin”
Esteemed Author/Illusion Designer Jim Steinmeyer graciously agreed to share his thoughts on working on “Merlin” with Ivan Reitman and Doug in today’s post. “Merlin” turned out to be the last collaboration between Doug and Ivan. While the production’s troubles are well known, Jim reminds us of how Reitman brought joy to the rehearsal process, and…
Brian Lumley Reflects on Ivan Reitman
To reflect on the sudden death of Ivan Reitman, I asked two key people in Doug’s design team that worked with Ivan Reitman to say a few words. Today is Brian Lumley who was with Doug at the start of his career for “Spellbound,” “The Magic Show,” and the early TV specials. Brian is currently…
Ivan Reitman (1946-2022)
Today’s post was supposed to be the 39th anniversary of “Merlin” which occurred yesterday. While I’d still like to make note of that, late last night came word that film director Ivan Reitman passed away in his sleep Saturday at age 75. Which, as you can imagine, is much more important. You can’t talk about…
“Telescope 1972”-Invisible Card Illusion in Full
I love everything about this clip because it’s really representative of Doug’s early performing in the counter culture coffee houses in the Yorkville area of Toronto. While we don’t have many photos of that bygone 70s era, this film footage is probably the closest we have to what that experience was like. Enjoy! Originally Broadcast:…
“World of Magic ’75:” NBC Rebroadcast Newspaper Ad
Special Thanks to Jim Klodzen
“Nash the Slash” DOCU Needs Your Help with Doug Photos
Producer Colin Brunton reached out to me recently with a request for help. Brunton and his team are working on a documentary on the late Canadian musician Jeff Plewman. Plewman, better known as Nash the Slash, was a multi-instrumentalist pioneer in progressive rock music. The film “Nash the Slash Rises Again” will be the first…
Remembering Doug, 22 Years On.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that today, February 7th, marks twenty-two years since Doug passed on. With this website, my goal is to always focus on the positive aspects of Doug’s life and work, and how it affected people. Unfortunately, this final part of Doug’s story is one we can all very much…
“Telescope 1972” Clip-Doug on Practice Theory
Originally Broadcast: November 23, 1972 Special Thanks to Stuart MacLeod at: stuartmac.com
Ebay Alert: Lot of 6 Doug “Stage” Photos
The above six photos are being auctioned off currently on Ebay. While they highlight many of Doug’s frequently seen classic illusions, it’s always a treat to see them represented in a live setting such as this. Where they were taken or the year isn’t listed, but it’s a pretty sure bet it’s the late 70s/Very…
Sunday Post Tribune-December 21, 1975
The following comes from Northwest Indiana’s “Post- Tribune,” and has a lot to offer. Not least of which is the cover, which has Henning and Houdini sharing the same page together. It’s a great cover, and if you look towards the bottom they were still listing Orson Welles as the special guest mere days before…
“Earth, Wind, and Fire” Pyramid Illusion Photos
During his career, Doug consulted with many artists and bands to achieve their creative and musical ambitions. One of these bands was “Earth, Wind, and Fire” for their 1978 tour. Doug designed the floating Pyramid for the group as seen above, and by all the visual evidence it was pretty memorable. I mean the whole…
Houdini NYC House Interior: Part Four
So, all good things must come to an end, and this week’s tour of the Houdini house is no exception! One of the most fascinating items still remaining in the house rests in the basement. Nestled off to the side is an unassuming wine cask that once belonged to none other than Bess Houdini. As…
Houdini NYC House Interior: Part Three
There are some things of note in today’s post worth mentioning. The first photo is the top floor skylight which is original, and isn’t seen all that often. How beautiful and ornate is this? The last photo is a little fuzzy, but a fascinating fun fact of Houdini history. This is the steel sidewalk pull…
Houdini NYC House Interior: Part Two
The first thing you need to know is that Houdini’s house is very, very large. Rooms lead to rooms, other rooms, and beyond. It’s exactly the kind of cavernous townhouse you would expect Houdini to have lived in. Besides its ornate architecture and wood paneling, it’s a real sight to behold. I didn’t have the…
Houdini NYC House Interior: Part One
Sorry for the lack of posts last week. I got caught up with some professional matters that took all of my time. But, I’m back in action, and what a week I have in store for everyone. This past November I was visiting New York City over the Thanksgiving holiday, and had the great pleasure…
Telescope 1972-Torn and Restored Newspaper in Full
Special Thanks to Stuart MacLeod at: stuartmac.com
Magic Magazine-World of Magic 40th Anniversary Part. 3
The End… “REPRINTED FROM MAGIC MAGAZINE WITH PERMISSION © STAN ALLEN, INC. 2022.”
Magic Magazine-World of Magic 40th Anniversary Part.2
To Be Concluded Tomorrow… “REPRINTED FROM MAGIC MAGAZINE WITH PERMISSION © STAN ALLEN, INC. 2022.”
Magic Magazine Dec. 2015-World of Magic 40th Anniversary Article
Several posts this week will be dedicated to the December 2015 edition of “Magic Magazine.” The featured article, by the late Tod Gerard, commemorates the then fortieth anniversary of the first “World of Magic” special. It’s a fascinating and eye opening article with contributions by David Collier, Brian Lumley, Regina Reynolds, and Chip Romero. The…
World of Magic ’77-Artist’s Dream Illusion in Full
Original Air Date: December 15, 1977
“Vegetarian Times” Feb.1985-Full Article
Thanks to Michael Whitecar, I’m able to complete yesterday’s post with the full article from the February, 1985 issue of the “Vegetarian Times.” As you can imagine, it’s an article that checks off all the boxes from Doug’s early history, TM, his food habits, his love of animals, and Houdini. Yes , Doug even speaks…
Vegetarian Times Cover Story-Feb. 1985
Happy New Year Everyone! I hope your holiday season went spectacularly, and we’re all rested and ready for what 2022 has in store. Here’s hoping for good things as the website enters its fifth year! The above cover is one I sadly don’t have the article for. The magazine itself was up for auction last…
Happy Holidays and Hello 2022!
Well, here we are again at the end of another year (It’s the website’s fourth to be exact). I wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a very Happy Holiday season, and an even better New Year! It goes without saying that the last couple years have been challenging for everyone. I only hope…
Telescope 1972 Promotional Postcard
In keeping with the clip of Telescope 1972 from a couple days ago, I thought it would be appropriate to feature this promotional postcard that was printed for the original broadcast. The whimsical drawing really captures Doug and Mars’s image and look at the time. It’s a great companion piece to an even greater program!…
Telescope 1972 Clip- Doug, Mars, and a Magic Wand!
The above clip once again comes from the CBC 1972 program “Telescope.” I have great love for this documentary overall, and one of the standouts for me in this scene is seeing Doug’s then assistant/girlfriend Mars Barrick on film. Mars is generally seen in a lot of early publicity photos of Doug in this early…
Carisa Hendrix and Doug on Facebook
Magician extraordinaire, Carisa Hendrix (aka Lucy Darling), was recently spotted via her Facebook account posing next to a fun part of Doug history. This nifty piece of backstage art can be found at the Fox Theater in St. Louis, and is representative of permanent art left by most touring productions of their time at a…
Six Doug Performance Photos on Ebay
The above auction is currently happening on Ebay, and is pretty good if you ask me. It’s not always common that Doug performance photos come up for sale, and these ones in particular are a lot of fun. As the seller says, the dates and location of the photos are unknown. But, at 16 bids…
The New Tops Cover-July 1974
The above 1974 cover is from the venerable magic manufacturer Abbott’s. The magazine itself was a long time staple of the company and existed in various forms from the 1930-1990s. Through many monthly articles, the magazine kept the magic community abreast of the comings and goings of the magic world at large. Ending in the 1990s …
Telescope 1972-Close-Up at the Magic Castle
The above clip comes from the 1972 documentary “Telescope.” The series, broadcast on the CBC, profiled Canadians and their lives and professions. The majority of the documentary is filmed at the world famous Magic Castle in Los Angeles, and the clip above is a perfect example of this It’s worth noting that Doug is only…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 