A native of Fort Garry, Manitoba, he moved to the United States and became an international star. Spellbound: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning Biography - A Short Wiki. Steinmeyers older brother, Harry, nine years his senior, had a drawerful of abandoned magic props, and when Jim was about six, he says, I found that drawer.. Magic was Dougs passion and his life., Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Henning died Monday in Los Angeles, his business office in Toronto said. Jim is an expert in virtually every area of magicin fact, hes singular in that, says Richard Kaufman, publisher of the industry magazine Genii and the author of scores of books about magic. Henning, the man who performed Harry Houdinis legendary water torture escape on national television before a live audience and later became a spokesman for the spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, died of liver cancer Monday in Los Angeles. The mellow magic man famed for his trademark shaggy hair and tie-dyed shirts had suffered from liver cancer for five months. Henning was approached by Broadway producers Edgar Lansbury and Joseph Beruh about bringing a version of the show to New York. May 2, 2023, By He was 52 years old when he died. Suddenly the assistant was standing in his place, and Mr. Henning was in the trunk, handcuffed. By Encouraged students of magic to make their own props and equipment, and not rely on ready-made magic kits. His job is to think of something completely impossible, then figure out a way to apparently accomplish itand that process can be messy. To order On December 6, Doug and Debby were married at the University. People always say afterwards, I had no idea the performances were going to be so strong.. 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But even given Steinmeyers relative anonymity compared with the Cooperfields and Blaines of the world, magic as a whole exists now in the age of YouTube. Its a mind-reading trick, but instead of the magician playing the part of the clairvoyant, its the third-party burglar. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? After Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again (Part.2) My friends said there was practically a flash of light, says Henning, 35. His wife is Debby Douillard (6 December 1981 - 7 February 2000) ( his death), Barbara De Angelis (20 December 1977 - 1981) ( divorced) Doug We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 3 May. I cannot imagine why.Sideshow Gathering 2010 The lock-picking bandit looks at the closed safe with a pair of field glasses and disappears. Doug Henning Also, what I, After Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again (Part.3) He stuck with magic. Thats really what this is. Doug Henning (Douglas James Henning) was born on 3 May, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada, is a Writer, Actor, Soundtrack. Magic, he says, is an opportunity to experience a deception without actually being threatened.. He was a writer, known for The Magic Show (1983), World of Magic (1977) and Doug Henning's World of Magic (1976). David Howard has written for many national publications and is the author of two nonfiction books, most recently Chasing Phil: The Adventures of Two Undercover Agents with the World's Most Charming Con Man. Some days Steinmeyer is a mechanical engineer, building scale models with foam core, mirrors, and toothpicks; others, hes a historian and detective, reconstructing old tricks; still others, hes a graphic designer drawing up informal blueprints, or a playwright developing scripts to go with his illusions. Steinmeyer went and saw a performance by George Goebel, a veteran magician with a grand-scale stage act. Because Zig Zag was so fresh in the 70s, things that felt like that were attractive.. Henning returned to Broadway in 1983 for the Tony-nominated musical Merlin, and the following year Doug Henning and His World of Magic toured across North America. They don't teach you anything.". Discover today's celebrity birthdays and explore famous people who share your birthday. When were little kids, were filled with wonder for the world its fascinating and miraculous, he once said. With his magic shows, he rejected the traditional tuxedo and top hat costume and prefered bright multi coloured casual clothing and tights. He was 52 and lived in Los Angeles. The energy ramps up once the doors open, the dressed-up crowd rolls in, and the performances start. You can find books that lay out the mechanics of most illusions in sonorous detail, down to diagrams with measurements. Well, thosehe points to a stack of notebooksare all that. I decide this is where Im going to make my stand and try to extract a secret. Steinmeyer does it all. He never lost interest in the magic world, says Nancy. It was a trick Houdini needed 20 seconds to perform; Mr. Henning did it in less than 10. He was always pleasantly surprised by the reception, Nancy says. He starred on Broadway, toured with a large stage show, and popularized magic in his own television specials. Where was it taken you ask? In the Close-Up Gallery, Tom Craven peppers his card, rope, and metal-ring tricks with a stream of old-world patter. Despite his absence from the scene, the monthly Magic Magazine reported last July that Mr. Henning had been sighted at several magic stores around the country. Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you! Doug Henning - NNDB We say hello to Steinmeyers wife, television producer Frankie Glass, whose many documentary credits include Ancient Aliens and a series called History vs. Hollywood. Only when I press does he finally relent. (Check out the Toronto Magic Companys work with the citys budding magicians), It was 1975, and 50 million viewers tuned in to watch the stunt on live television unheard of today, says Henning expert Neil McNally. But heres a list of everything inside.. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. What I call illusion magic uses laws of science and nature that are already known. And then theres the script of how youre maneuvering the audience through the act., The story should be both familiar and impossible. Theyve just saw the world together again and seem comfortable in their relationship. Doug Henning's net worth WebAfter Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again (Part.2) My friends said there was practically a flash of light, says Henning, 35. Mr. Henning stood atop the chest and counted to three. That led to his role in The Magic Show. For one it was written as Merlin was just about to open on Broadway, and the other being that it delves into Dougs new These positions had their rewards, he says, but he struggled with the compromises that come with corporate productions. See the article in its original context from. Here is all you want to know, and more! Doug Henning, the ebullient, shaggy-headed magician who sparked a renewed interest in the craft and breathed new life into some of history's most famous A favorite of theatre fans and industry members alike, the restaurant is sounding the call for positive reviews on Google. Email Magician Doug Henning a favorite of TV, Broadway and arena audiences died Monday in Los Angeles after battling liver cancer for the past five months. TV magician and escape artist who brought Merlin to Broadway and became known for his groovy mustache and rainbow-colored clothes. After this, there was no looking back for Doug, says McNally. WebWife of. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Solid metal, right?before doing another. (His senior thesis was on hypnosis. Doug Henning He sold off all his illusions props, sets and secrets at auction to devote his time to Transcendental Meditation. Id be remiss in not mentioning that yesterday, March 24th, was Harry Houdinis 147th birthday. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? There are two walls of reference materials: books about magic, of course, but also books about furniture, graphic design, screenplays, and antique apparatus. The legend reads: LevitationThe Greatest Illusion in the World.. Lets deconstruct it.. My brain fizzes with unsated curiosity. He died on 7 February 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA. Henning had revived magic in a big way. Doug Henning, a Superstar Of Illusion, Is Dead at 52 Magic is not about knowing how weve been deceived. ", "After the show," she continued, "he came over and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if we could talk later. Beverly Hills [213]. He is survived by his wife, Debbie. Its become like, lets talk about magic as a puzzle. So as one of historys greatest conjurers of magic continues to explain and not explain the safe trick, I find myself wondering: If anyone can dig up the secrets behind many of Steinmeyers tricks, why is he so intent on hiding them? Doug was a guest and entertainer and Debby was a volunteer worker. Whats striking, besides the polished performances, is the feeling in the building. Magician Doug Henning, who popularized magic and illusion on Broadway in such shows as The Magic Show, which earned him a Tony Award nomination, died of Gone were the black capes and magic wands; Mr. Henning wore jeans, flashy jumpsuits, and tie-dye T-shirts onstage. He was all over the newspapers, magazines, talk shows, and (had) yearly television specials. Survivors include his wife, Debbie. Steinmeyer allows that historically, the trick is that the woman pulls her knees up to her chest when the sawing happens. Logan Culwell-Block Hes not even sure what to call the act. Mr. Henning was 52. Magician Doug Henning, who popularized magic and illusion on Broadway in such shows as The Magic Show, which earned him a Tony Award nomination, died of liver cancer in Los Angeles Feb. 7. ", Debby agreed, "It was like I blossomed right on the spot. Doug Henning had no children. The diminutive Doug Henning soon landed at Hollywoods Magic Castle, grant in pocket, for a three-month cram course. He vanished and gradually restored on stagefrom veins, to nervous system, to skinthe titular character of The Invisible Man. It was that performance with that guy. If you know of a past magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them or Email us your suggestion. Doug Henning was born on 3 May 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada. By almost any estimation, Steinmeyer is the greatest creator of illusions in the history of magic and theater, but describing Morritts idiosyncratic piece of stagecraft still animates and energizes him. In the 1993 federal election, Henning ran, unsuccessfully, in the riding of Rosedale in 1993 as a member of the TM offshoot Natural Law Party of Canada. | WebView the profiles of people named Doug Henning. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Henning became intrigued by magic as a child when he saw a magician levitate a woman on televisions Ed Sullivan Show. His mother bought him a magic kit. Twenty-two years after his death he would have turned 75 this May Henning is still regarded as one of the greats by his peers, having blazed a trail for the likes of Siegfried & Roy, David Copperfield and Penn & Teller. He later put an advertisement in a local newspaper reading: ''Magician: Have Rabbit, Will Travel.