The above rare clips come from the James Randi Foundation, and features commentary from the Amazing Randi himself. The clips in question hail from his appearance on the Barbara Walters morning program “Not For Women Only.” While the program featured Randi and “psychic” Uri Geller predominantly, Doug is seen throughout observing on the side with…
Tag: TV
“The Muppet Show” and Doug on Disney Plus!
In an unexpected announcement, Disney confirmed this morning that all five seasons of Jim Henson’s legendary “Muppet Show” will be released on its streaming service Disney Plus. Premiering on February 19th, the release will see seasons 4 and 5 finally seeing the light of day. Both have never been released on DVD, and have been…
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…
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…
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…
Style from “The Magic Show” Movie
For all of you stuck at home for the foreseeable future (myself included), why not sit back, relax, and enjoy the lively number “Style” from “The Magic Show.” Originally performed by David Ogden Stiers on Broadway, this version features Jon Finlayson in the role of evil magician Van Zyskin. As mentioned before, the TV movie…
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…
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…
First Special “TV Listings” Cover and Interview
Today’s post comes from the collection of magician Greg Gleason, and features more fabulous TV listings and interviews that were commonplace over Doug’s long career. The interview and article itself is a general rundown of the making of the first special, and give a nice window into Doug’s pressure filled life at this time. Can…
Doug and Dinah Shore Interview
While this clip includes yesterday’s performance at the start, it’s the sit down interview that begins at 5:53 that’s worth your price of admission for today. What I find fascinating about this chat is that it deviates from the usual talk show banter, and allows Doug to be, well, Doug. His views on science versus…
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…
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: 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!
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…
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?
Rare First NBC Special Publicity Photo!
Continuing from yesterday’s First Special publicity item, I thought this rarely seen picture of Doug and Julie Newmar might help to bring us all back to a strange and mystical place called the 1970s! Enjoy.
First Special Cover Story
To brighten up our Monday commute, let’s travel back to 1975 and take a look at a great cover story of Doug promoting the first NBC special! Special thanks to David Sigafus for sending me this. I had been trying to find a good image of the cover picture for a while.
1984 Chrysler Voyager Commercial!
Happy Friday Everyone! Until Monday, enjoy this vintage and wonderfully dated commercial from 1984. Drive safe out there!
The Muppets Take Doug Henning!
While I’ve featured a previous clip of Doug’s 1980 appearance on “The Muppet Show,” you really can’t go wrong with Muppets, Muppets, and more Muppets! This clip, in particular, is notable because it gives us a full performance to marvel over and suggests that maybe The Muppets aren’t always the best magic assistants. For unknown reasons,…
TWA Airlines Commercial!
Even magicians have to get to their next location in a hurry! This amusing TWA Airlines television commercial from 1981 showcases Doug’s image in a very smart and funny way. While it wasn’t his only commercial it is, in my opinion, one of the best. Hey, you even get to see Doug in a suit! So,…
The First NBC Special: Houdini’s Water Torture Cell Conclusion
As we reach the end of this legendary moment in magic history, the seconds are counting down and down. Doug, sealed in, begins the almost impossible job of escaping from a seemingly watery grave. Would he make it out alive? Or would 50 million people watch a man drown on live television? All your questions are…
The First NBC Special: The Best Bits!
It’s safe to say that everyone that is reading these entries remembers the first special in their own way. The program itself is so crammed with illusions and expert performances that it’s been difficult to decide what to include and what to sadly leave out. After Julie Newmar, the audience is treated to the umbrella and fire…
The First NBC Special: Julie Newmar
After some disappearing and reappearing birds and a little close-up magic with Bill Cosby, Doug gets to the nitty-gritty with this atmospheric box illusion. While shining a light inside and behind, it is revealed that absolutely nothing, I repeat nothing, is inside. Or is there? Ladies and Gentlemen, a totally random and 1970s avante-garde dance routine…
The First NBC Special: Part Two
In watching the special with modern eyes, it’s interesting to note how fresh, energetic, and groundbreaking it all still feels. Rather than doing an opening monologue, Doug dives into one of the things he truly excelled at… close up magic. None of the following scene has any dialogue, and that uniqueness makes it one of my favorite parts of the…
The First NBC Special: Part One
The night was December 26, 1975. Fifty-Million plus people were tuning in live for an NBC worldwide satellite broadcast. The star was a twenty-eight year old magician from Canada that had been taking Broadway and fans by storm in “The Magic Show.” His name, of course, was Doug Henning! Offered a TV special of his own by…
Doug Henning Meet Captain Kangaroo!
“The Doug Henning Project” will be taking a much needed vacation for the remainder of the week and will return rested and wonder-filled this Monday, July 31st. I have something special planned for all of next week, so be sure not to miss it. Until then, enjoy these great clips of Doug on the Captain…
“Magic Show,” Marie Osmond, and More!
As promised here are today’s group of pictures that again range from the making of the “The Magic Show” movie to more of Doug’s NBC specials. Included in the first picture is actress Didi Conn who played Cal, Doug’s love interest in the televised “Magic Show.” Those with eagle-eyes will also probably know her better…
More Never Before Seen Pictures!
Boy do I have a treat for you! Over the next couple days I will be presenting extremely rare and candid shots of Doug and his crew preparing for “The Magic Show” television movie along with various NBC specials. These photos not only show us the meticulous planning that went into every project, but also…
THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT 