https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aPBMHVM1VI It’s not often you get a television interview that begins with a napkin illusion and ends with a harrowing tale of a tiger’s teeth gripping your neck. However, that’s what you get with this lively CBC interview that Doug gave around the time of “Merlin.” If you can make your way through the haze…
Tag: Television
James Randi’s “World of Wizards”- Doug Appearance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lthfq8nWJjw&t=31s 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…
Osmond Family Christmas Special Appearance
Hey it’s Monday here at “The Doug Henning Project!” To wipe that weekend haze from your eyes, let’s spread some post-Christmas cheer with Doug’s appearance on the 1980’s”Osmond Family Christmas Special.” While Doug’s main close-up magic segment begins at the 16 minute mark, he also appears at the show’s beginning and end to spread some…
Grand Illusions: Doug Segment
The above clip comes courtesy of Scott Wells of “The Magic Word Podcast.” It’s a brisk eight-minute biography of Doug from the 1998 multi-part documentary “Grand Illusions: The Story of Magic.” The segment itself is a an enjoyable jaunt through Doug life and career with commentary from such magic notables as Charles Reynolds, Jim Steinmeyer,…
Captain Kangaroo Appearance in Full
Way back when I began this website in 2017 (yes ages ago I know), I posted two rather grainy copies of Doug’s 1975 appearance on Bob Keeshan’s “Captain Kangaroo.” The clips were recorded off of someone’s TV and, to be truthful, were hard to really follow. So, lo and behold, I recently came across this…
Ricky Jay Tribute
I’m sure the majority of you heard the sad news of Ricky Jay’s passing over the weekend. Jay’s contribution to the art of close up magic is immeasurable, and his loss to the art form will be felt for some time. While Doug and Ricky weren’t alike on the surface, both shared an innate appreciation…
“World of Magic VII” Newspaper Ad
Hey Guys! Sorry for the delay in posts. I’ve been up to my neck in our current Indiegogo campaign. Hey, so what better way to take a break with this vintage newspaper advertisement from “World of Magic VII?” The special, as you may remember, starred Doug and his guests Ann Jillian, Kaitlyn Jenner, Billy Crystal,…
World of Magic IV Animal Illusion
What better way to liven up your Sunday afternoon than with this vintage clip where Doug conjures up some adorable baby animals and, well, enough said? Original Air Date: February 15, 1981 ————————————————————————————– While you’re here, be sure to donate to my Indiegogo campaign for my feature length documentary “Doug Henning’s Magical World.” To view…
The Magic Show-Celestial Elevator
There’s nothing like a brief snippet from the TV version of “The Magic Show” to start the day off right! If all elevator rides were this fun…
Lion Tamer from “The Magic Show”
One of my favorite songs from The Magic Show is “Lion Tamer.” The song itself was composed by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), and originally performed by actress Dale Soules. However, this version is recreated by Didi Cohen (Grease) for the filmed version of the musical from the early 1980s. It’s a simple, but heart warming…
Doug on Andy Williams?
Today’s post comes about from an email I recently received from Doug fan and ex-magic builder Russell Bruce. Here’s an excerpt: “A friend and I are really big fans of Dougs, and have been searching for anyone with a copy of Dougs appearance on the Andy Williams Show. In this appearance, they performed the opening…
Rare “World of Magic II” Pop Art Ad
You can chuck this advertisement into the “rare and obscure bin.” This was obviously made for “World of Magic II,” and truly combines the best of what 1970s pop art had to offer at the time. It takes a lot to make Doug Henning look frightening and, well, this comes pretty darn close. Does anyone…
“Den of Tigers” Newspaper Ad
This creatively worded advertisement was for the final live “World of Magic” special. Originally broadcast on December 14, 1978, this special was plagued by numerous issues, not least of which was a tiger escaping through the halls of NBC . However, none of this chaos was visible to the holiday audiences at home, and from that…
Doug Henning CSPAN Talk on “The Natural Law Party”
I though I’d start this Monday on more of a tranquil note with Doug discussing the “Natural Law Party” and the benefits of Transcendental Meditation. This short video, as you can imagine, is old and rare. So, if you’ll pardon its technical glitches, you’ll get a glimpse of Doug Henning at the time of “Veda…
1982 Cheerleader Cabinet Illusion
This illusion hails from the final “World of Magic” special, and features a variation on Guy Jarret’s original 21 person cabinet illusion. However, it wouldn’t be Doug Henning without some tweaks and flourishes courtesy of cheerleaders and a then Bruce Jenner. So, before the weekend starts, enjoy this very Doug Henning magical moment from 1982….
Original Magic Show TV Commercial from the Michael Grandinetti Collection
This commercial featured above was originally broadcast on October 10, 1978, and features Doug’s replacement Joe Ablado in the lead role. While Doug may not appear in the ad itself, his presence can be felt in the poster, the songs, and of course the illusions themselves. So, enjoy this rare bit of Broadway TV magicana,…
Indian Rope Trick Basket
Courtesy of Michael Whitecar’s vast collection comes another item sure to brighten up your Tuesday. It’s the basket from Doug’s Indian Rope Illusion as featured in “World of Magic VI!” Doug’s co-stars in this special were Marie Osmond, Shields and Yarnell, and (as featured above) a young Rick(y) Schroeder. Snakes not included…
Muppet Show Glittered Overalls
So totally by chance I posted the above picture in the banner of yesterday’s post. It’s from the opener of Doug’s guest appearance on “The Muppet Show.” You remember how those went right? (15 seconds to curtain Mr. Henning). Anyway, yesterday’s collector Michael Whitecar quickly sent me another item from his collection that on closer…
The Sands of Egypt Footage
As we round out the week what better way to say goodbye than with the classic “Sands of Egypt” from “Word of Magic I?” The illusion is deceptive in its simpleness, and plays extremely well into the excitement of the evening. This excitement, in my opinion, is what makes this special so wonderful. The live…
Houdini Torture Cell Escape in Full
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iOmrFF2NdQ Clips from 1975’s “World of Magic 1” are a rarity on the internet. For some reason, every other one of Doug’s specials are available to find if you know where to look. But, “World of Magic 1” remains elusive at best…at least online (if you catch my meaning.) It’s a shame really because in…
The Return of Fridays with Doug!
This vintage “World of Magic II” newspaper advertisement comes courtesy of John Cox’s collection. It’s a great piece and it really shows off the spectacle of the special and the era very well. My personal favorite element is that Doug appears ten times larger than the elephant itself and his right hand, well, graphic design…
Ricky Jay on “World of Magic II”
Doug’s friendship with esteemed magician Ricky Jay came to the forefront when Jay appeared on “World of Magic II” in 1976. The segment highlights Jay’s great skill at close up-magic and, of course, card throwing. In the years since, Jay’s reputation has only grown and grown, especially with his play “Ricky Jay and his 52…
Doug and Debby: Morning Show Hosts!
Who’s up for a Detroit morning show from the 80s with Doug and Debby as fill in hosts? I’m not sure exactly the history of Kelly and Co. or even how Doug and Debby wound up hosting it. But, every time I think I’ve seen everything there is to see about Doug on You Tube…
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…
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
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…
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…
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…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 