Doug’s later years are the stuff of legend, even today. Having been told by the Maharishi to return to LA to fundraise for the theme park, Veda Land, Doug found himself in a curious situation. At fundraisers, prospective donors responded most when he would do close up magic. So, what began as a fundraising means…
Tag: Los Angeles
Doug’s First Letter to Dai Vernon
The above letter, as featured in “The Essential Dai Vernon,” is Doug’s initial contact with Vernon to inquire if the esteemed magician might mentor Doug during his time at Los Angeles’ Magic Castle. It goes without saying that Vernon accepted, and due in no small measure to Vernon, Doug blossomed under his tutelage. The rest…
Pantages Retrospective: Part 5
Well, the lights have turned on, the show is over, and it’s time to leave the theater doors, and venture back out into the dreaded real world. I can only imagine this is how audiences must have felt at the end of each Pantages “World of Magic” show, but what a high they must have…
Pantages Retrospective: Part 3
While at the Pantages Doug sat down with Danielle Roter of the “Los Angeles Herald Examiner.” This interview originally appeared on October 16, 1981, and includes a review of the show at the end. It also has the distinction of being one of the most serious and non-smiling expressions on Doug’s face that I’ve ever…
Pantages Retrospective: Part 2
And we’re back… As promised, today’s Pantages post involves Doug’s fabled 1981 performance at the venue. Running from October 13-25th, the show featured highlights from Doug’s career up to that point. Friends of the website Mark Willoughby and John Cox attended one of the shows, and spoke to me a bit about their memories. While…
Pantages Performances Retrospective
Over the past four years I’ve had the pleasure of featuring items from Doug’s various performances at Hollywood’s famed Pantages Theater. Known for being one of Los Angeles’s premier theatrical venues, it has been home to hundreds of Broadway shows, film premieres, concerts, and the Oscars. So, it goes without saying that in his career…
Peter DePaula Playbills and Magazines!
Today’s post is dedicated an unsung hero in the history of “The Magic Show.” When the time came for the production to tour, it was obvious to everyone that Doug wasn’t going to be the one to do it. Enter touring understudy extraordinaire, Peter DePaula. While a tour of Australia never panned out, DePaula (handpicked…
Pantages Performance Memorabilia!
The above item comes from the collection of John Cox (Wild About Harry), and gives us a glimpse of the promotion and ticketing of Doug’s 1981 performances at the Pantages. John himself was at one of these shows, and as he told “The Doug Henning Project” last year: “It was amazing. I wish I had…
Doug’s Oakhurst Drive Home
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…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 