One of the things things that I’ve been meaning to check off on my Los Angeles bucket list for some time is paying a visit to the last house that Doug ever lived in. For various reasons I’ve never quite had the time…that was until last Friday. Upon his return to Los Angeles in 1999…
NY Times “Merlin” Interview: Part 4
So, as we wrap up this week on “Merlin” it’s interesting to think of what could have been had it run longer. But, the fact that we are still talking about it means some of the “magical musical’s” incantations and spells might just still be lingering. See you soon! FOR HIM, MAGIC IS MORE THAN…
NY Times “Merlin” Interview: Part 3
FOR HIM, MAGIC IS MORE THAN TRICKS By GLENN COLLINS Published: February 13, 1983 Television newsmen have tried to bribe Mr. Henning’s stagehands – unsuccessfully – to learn his secrets. ”I could patent the illusions,” he said, ”but then anyone could find out how it’s done.” Instead, through the years, the hundreds of people who…
NY Times 1983 “Merlin” Interview: Part 2
FOR HIM, MAGIC IS MORE THAN TRICKS By GLENN COLLINS Published: February 13, 1983 Some of the ”Merlin” magic, like the horse and rider that vanish in midair, or the monster robot that mysteriously comes to life on stage, is new. Other illusions are updated variants of necromantic classics, like the elegant disappearing-duck stunt, based…
NY Times 1983 “Merlin’ Interview
I’ve been thinking recently about “Merlin.” Well, actually I’ve been thinking about how we only really know of it through pictures and some brief You Tube Clips. There was no cast album, and it only really exists through the veil of people’s memories and recollections. While we can’t travel in time, what we can do…
Canadian Walk of Fame TV Event
The above segment was broadcast on Canadian television in 2010 in honor of Doug’s induction into the Canadian Walk of Fame. While the sync and picture quality are off, the segment itself is really well done and the narration by David Copperfield is truly rare indeed. Doug’s legacy is not something that is always recognized, and events…
Erix Logan, Doug Henning, and Mousetrap!
The following email was sent to me recently by renowned magician Erix Logan. It’s a fascinating read that gives us an insight into a famed Doug illusion that took on another life of its own, long after he retired. I have always been a huge fan of Doug and the way he thought about magic….
Original Unicorn Costume and Pin
Daniel Guerrero was kind enough to pass on these photos from his collection. If anyone can help fill in the gaps on where this costume was originally featured I would greatly appreciate it. Another point of interest is the close-up of the pin featuring Doug and Debby in the second picture. I think the world…
A Little “Magic Show” Music!
This 2010 clip is from a concert series called “If It Only Even Runs a Minute.” The series itself explores obscure and often overlooked Broadway shows such as, you guessed it, 1974’s “The Magic Show.” The play, if you already didn’t know, was Doug’s big break into the public spotlight and reignited the public’s fascination…
From the Collection of Michael Grandinetti
Well, the last few weeks have certainly been fun haven’t they? It’s still amazing to me how much of Doug’s life is left to be explored, and on the rare occasions I’m not quite what to put up something magically (pardon the pun) finds its way to me email.No better example of this are these…
Fan Mail Mystery!
Magician Pat Darienzo of Long Island shared with me this article he wrote soon after Doug passed away. What you are about to read is truly a Doug Henning mystery…and living proof that our mail system may be a little slow. The Greatest Trick Doug Henning Never Did By Pat Darienzo Doug Henning, to whom…
Even More Rare Photos from Ken McCreedy!
Ken McCreedy’s collection continues today with these great shots of Doug with his early assistants, his childhood home, and his high school (which unfortunately has seen better days). The one thing “The Doug Henning Project” loves to do is post rare pictures. Feel free to send them my way if you uncover some hidden gems!…
Vintage After Performance Photos!
Recently I had the pleasure of having magician Ken McCreedy send me some candid photos that he snapped in the 1970s and 1980s. Since I started the website, I’ve really enjoyed having Doug’s fans send me after performance photos. No two are ever the same, and they really speak volumes to how available Doug was…
Genii Online Interview
Hey Everyone! Are we all rested from the weekend? I wanted to let you know that I was recently interviewed by “Genii Online” regarding “The Doug Henning Project.” “Genii Online” is the online version of the esteemed magazine of the magic industry called, you guessed it, “Genii.” David Roberts did a great job with questions,…
Trunk Illusion Disclaimer
Dear Readers, Recently, some visitors to the site have expressed concerns about this week of Trunk Illusion posts, and whether I am exposing magic secrets. I just want to be clear to everyone that this was made with the full approval of John Gaughan who built the illusion in 1978 and currently owns it. He was very much…
A Concluding Chat with John Gaughan
As the day concluded, John and I went into his collection room which houses a vast and impressive array of magic artefacts stretching back over two hundred years. As you read this short interview, it’s important to note that Doug worked with the true best of the best in magic. It certainly was a team…
John Gaughan: More Trunk Illusion Videos
Hasn’t this been great? If you’ve been enjoying it so far, be sure not to miss tomorrow’s concluding sit down interview with John. See you then. Once again thank you for Jeffrey Chang for all his help!
John Gaughan: Trunk Illusion Insights
There’s really not too much that I can add to these proceedings, so I think its best if I just let John continue to do the talking. Collapsed Trunk under Tabletop
John Gaughan: Trunk Illusion
Last month, legendary magic designer John Gaughan was gracious enough to open his workshop doors for “The Doug Henning Project.” John was one of the website’s original interviewees, and at that time he had briefly mentioned to me that in his collection he owned Doug’s original Trunk Illusion from “World of Magic IV.” Never one…
Brooke Shields Trunk Illusion
On December 14, 1978 Doug Henning presented his fourth special “World of Magic” live on NBC. While this special is memorable for many reasons, one of the highlights was the reveal of his co-host for the evening Brooke Shields. For those who need a refresher please check out the first two minutes of the special…
2015 Spellbound Book Review
Spellbound: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning (Book Review) By Mark Williams Spellbound: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning takes a look at the life and times of Master Illusionist, Doug Henning. It truly is a fantastic book by author, John Harrison. The book was originally released at “Magic Live!” in 2009. I can tell…
Rare Transcendental Meditation Commercial
While this clip is incredibly grainy and with terrible audio, I think it’s important to show. As many of you know, Transcendental Meditation was a very important part of Doug’s life. He found it in the very early days of his career as a calming method for his nerves, and over time it was a dominating…
Seeking Article Submissions!
Welcome back everyone! So, here we are after 4 1/2 months and the website is still going strong. Can you believe it’s even approaching the 100th post? Anyway, I wanted to reach out to you the readers of “The Doug Henning Project” for article submissions! If you any ideas for Doug based articles please write…
Henning on Houdini Radio Interview
This audio clip comes courtesy of John Cox’s fabulous Wild About Harry website. In this radio interview from 1980, Doug discusses the first television special and the intense preparations that went into his escape from Houdini’s Water Torture Cell. While it’s brief, it gives the listener a peek into Doug’s rehearsal process and the mystery…
Genii Wedding Cover Story
Straight from the archives comes this January, 1982 “Genii” cover story of Doug’s wedding to Debby Douilard. The article is notable for featuring many unknown details of the ceremony that took place at the Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa on December 6, 1982. This was Doug’s second marriage, and as they say, the rest…
Crystal Gale Special 1979
Well, aren’t we on a television special roll this week? I particularly enjoyed this clip from a 1979 Crystal Gale television special because it sort of serves as a best of Doug Henning all wrapped up into one. Granted, a lot of these illusions had been seen on Doug’s previous specials, but the lighting…
NBC’s Night of 100 Stars
Enjoy this clip of Doug assisted by a young Ricky Schroder and a not quite so young Maureen Stapleton. For those who don’t know, “The Night of 100 Stars” was an NBC event with, you guessed it, 100 stars of film and television. Doug, star # 69, performs his classic illusion sawing two women in…
1978 NBC Promo
What better way to start your Monday than with a Doug Henning 1978 NBC Promo?
Chicago Tribune Interview Conclusion
Well here we are. I’ve particularly enjoyed this article for Doug’s musings on the past, present, and future of magic as he saw it at that time. If you have any thoughts please drop me a line. See you next time! Doug Henning Pulls New Secrets From His Hat To Hold Off Competition By Larry…
Chicago Tribune Interview: Part Two
Welcome back! For our second round, the article delves a little more in depth into Doug’s views on current magic and, in particular, David Copperfield’s recent Statue of Liberty disappearance trick! Enjoy. Doug Henning Pulls New Secrets From His Hat To Hold Off Competition By Larry Cart Blowing minds has, of course, always been the…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 