I came across this three-part documentary today while deep diving into You Tube. “Magic’s Greatest Illusions,” narrated by Jason Alexander, originally aired on TLC in 2000. A great documentary unto itself, however, what immediately caught my attention was an extremely rare and largely unseen interview with Doug recorded in 1999. His interview, clearly recorded at…
Category: TV Appearances
Doug Co-Hosts the 1985 Disney Easter Parade (Complete Version)
A couple years ago I posted an extremely rough and grainy compilation of Doug’s illusions as the Grand Magical Marshal of the 1985 Walt Disney World Easter Parade. At the time, I weighed whether it was even worth showing it due to its low quality. Well, I did end up posting it, and since then…
Chip Romero Collection: Gazebo Bandleader Costume
And I’m back. Sorry for the bit of delay, but, as I mentioned I’ve been dealing with a pinched nerve in my shoulder and arm. All that combined with some minor physical therapy, required me to step away from the website briefly. However, enough about me. All this week we will be featuring items from…
Dollar Bill Illusion with Maury Povich-1985
The above appearance by Doug begins at 4:30 and, while it is quick, is pure Doug nonetheless. However, to give you a fair warning, I suspect that this clip of Doug was highly edited for this particular You Tube Channel. Now, if only all of us could do this with a $1 bill.
Magic Week Archive-Close Up Magic with Doug
The fine folks at “Magic Week” have just posted a great compilation of the greatest moments from Doug’s close-up magic. Culled from his various specials, their summary reads as follows: A compilation of 8 incredible close-up magic routines from Doug Henning’s TV Specials. First, from Doug Henning’s World of Magic 1979, recorded live at the…
Doug’s Muppet Show Shoes
In terms of the Muppets, characters have come and gone over their rich 65 year history. However, if you’re looking for one of the most obscure creatures to ever grace “The Muppet Show” stage, then look no further than Doug’s shoes. These bug eyed creations were featured at the opening of his episode where he gleefully…
Doug on the “Today Show” with Bryant Gumbel (1984)
(ED. Note: Due to legal reasons this video was apparently removed by You Tube. Sorry about that) This 1984 “Today Show” appearance comes from when Doug returned to Broadway with his “World of Magic” show. After the perceived failure of “Merlin,” Doug was able to cleanse the palettes of many critics with this, by all…
13 More Minutes of Dai Vernon and Doug on Dick Cavett
(ED. Note: Due to legal reasons this video was apparently removed by You Tube. Sorry about that) If 21 minutes of Doug on Dick Cavett wasn’t enough for you, how about 13 minutes more? I actually wasn’t expecting to find more of this broadcast but, wouldn’t you know it, the second half came to my…
21 Minutes of Doug on Dick Cavett
(ED. Note: Due to legal reasons this video was apparently removed by You Tube. Sorry about that) This twenty-one minute slice of heaven is Doug on “The Dick Cavett Show.” It’s not the full show, but just enough to get your heart racing. The only drawback, as you can probably hear, is the static over…
Muppet Show: Tough Pigs 40 Years Later Article
Two questions! 1) Did you know its been 40 years since Doug first appeared on “The Muppet Show?” 2) Have you been dying for a scene by scene breakdown of the episode? Well, then look no further than the Muppet tribute website Tough Pigs, and their analysis of this beloved episode. However, I have to…
Liza Minelli Mismade Girl-Dick Cavett Show
The above clip, while poor quality, show’s Doug performing the “Mismade Girl” illusion on the Dick Cavett Show. The illusion itself has been performed many times over the years. But, it’s up to you to decide if this is indeed the first time Doug is performing it on TV as he claims. But, if seeing…
World of Magic III-Newspaper Article
In honor of this being our 500th post, here’s Doug levitating a motorcycle!
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…
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…
Doug Henning’s World of Instagram: Julie Newmar Rehearsal Photo (Alternative Angle)
In a post from a couple years ago, I featured publicity images from Doug’s “World of Magic I” rehearsals with Julie Newmar. While at the time I thought I had printed all that was out there, this little gem came up today on Instagram. The picture doesn’t seem as staged as the previous ones, and…
Criss Angel Doug Tribute
The last person you would probably expect to be a Doug fan is Criss Angel. Yeah, that Criss Angel. While their stage personas couldn’t be more dissimilar, this video clip from 2010’s “Mindfreak” proves that Criss Angel will go to any length to show his devotion to the man, the myth, the Henning. Any length…
“Good Morning Captain” TV Cameo
File this Doug appearance under “blink and you’ll miss it!” While many of us have seen Doug’s extended 1975 appearance on “Captain Kangaroo.” (If you haven’t a link can be found HERE ) But, did you know that he appeared once again in 1976? This lengthy opening recently found its way on You Tube, and features Doug…
Martin Short Tonight Show Appearance-May 14, 1992
In my never ending quest to find more footage of Martin Short performing his spot on impersonation of Doug, I came across this “Tonight Show” appearance from May 14, 1992. As Carson’s reign on the “Tonight Show” ended that month and year, this was more than likely Short’s final appearance on the show. What better way…
World of Magic V- Flexible Glass Illusion
For an illusion that seems so simple, its impact on the audience is not. Doug handles this close up illusion wisely by sitting with the audience and utilizing the intimacy of the television camera. How he did it isn’t as important as the effect it had on the viewers at home. Immediately afterwards, Doug performed…
Doug Henning and Season 4 of “The Muppet Show”
Doug’s appearance on Jim Henson’s iconic program “The Muppet Show” is a bit of an enigma. Sure there are some great clips from it that exist on You Tube (which have been shown here), but it’s not widely available for viewing or for purchase. This is mainly due to the fact that Disney (who owns…
Shimada “World of Magic” Bound Script for Sale
Rudy Sanchez brought to my attention a truly one of a kind item he is selling…Shimada’s bound script from 1974’s “World of Magic 1.” As you can see from the photos below, the item itself is the real deal and comes with a certificate of authenticity and letter proving its provenance. Aside from being a detailed…
“Magic Show” Movie Newspaper Articles and Ads
The newspaper articles below represent the time when Doug made a live filmed version of “The Magic Show.” Meant to be an accurate recreation of the famed musical, this production was plagued by legal and funding issues which never allowed it to live up to its potential as a proper motion picture. In the end,…
At Home with Amy Sedaris- Lance Henning Appearance
Comedian Amy Sedaris and Doug Henning are two names you probably wouldn’t think of as going hand in hand. But, Amy and “Lance” Henning recently cooked up some “magical” dishes on a recent episode of TruTv’s “At Home with Amy Sedaris.” Whether, “Lance” has as much “wonder” as his more famous clone is up for…
1985 Saturday Night Live Sketch-Martin Short as Doug
To make your weekend even better I thought I’d post a link to this vintage Saturday Night Live sketch from January 12, 1985. In it, Billy Crystal plays Joe Franklin hosting, appropriately, “The Joe Franklin Show.” However, this sketch wouldn’t be on this website if it wasn’t for Martin Short’s brilliant impersonation of Doug. The…
Doug and Barbara Walters-Full Photo
The above photo comes from a July 16, 1974 appearance of Doug on a Barbara Walters NBC program titled “Not for Women Only.” While actual footage from this program isn’t readily available, this photo certainly gives you a taste of Doug utilizing Walters in the sawing illusion. as featured in “The Magic Show.” While I…
“Beyond Reason”-CBC Game Show Pilot Clip
The clip featured in today’s post originally aired on June 1, 1977. In it, Doug finds himself on a sort of psychic “Dating Game” called “Beyond Reason.” While shielded from view, several psychics try to guess who the mystery guest (Doug) is in a limited amount of time. I’ll leave it up to you as…
Tonight Show: Full Interview and Double Sawing Illusion
Aside from the fantastic Double Sawing Illusion, the interview for this “Tonight Show” appearance is unusual in the sense you hear Doug talk about a venue you wouldn’t normally expect him to play: a rioting prison. His experience there, and how he handled it is a keeper and well worth the 12 minutes. Happy St. Patricks…
Tonight Show 1981 Appearance in Full with Interview
The glass illusion part of this clip is widely available from the Johnny Carson You Tube channel. However, what makes today’s post extra special is that this is the full segment with the Johnny interview that followed. Doug was there to promote “World of Magic IV,” and regales the audience with tales of famed 19th…
1982 Genii Awards Appearance
This clip comes once again from the “Sleight of Direction” You Tube Channel, and showcases a new venue for the famed “Celestial Elevator” Illusion…the 1982 Genii Awards! So, sit back, relax, and watch something astounding aside from Doug in a tux!
James Randi’s “World of Wizards”- Doug Appearance
Before we deep dive back into Dave Collier’s spectacular photos, I wanted to share with you this great special I found on You Tube’s “Sleight of Direction” Channel. Dating back to 1976, James (The Amazing) Randi’s hosts the TV special “World of Wizards,” and boy does it have some of the greats! But, most of…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 