TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. This story has been shared 381,315 times. One of his most impressive acts was ''Metamorphosis,'' an illusion borrowed from Harry Houdini, his idol. 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. To take the stage, Kyle passes through a giant fan with spinning bladesthe very trick Id spotted in one of Steinmeyers notebooks. rights reserved. Resting along an opposite wall is a pair of tables used in the iconic sawing-the-assistant-in-half illusion, as well as a locked chest for mind-reading tricks, a cylindrical phantom tube used for optical illusions, and a foam-core model of the magic table he created for Disneys latest stage rendition of Mary Poppins. I think Rich Hall played the Doug Henning part in that skit. This couple stayed married until Hennings death. 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 The feet are fake, he explains. Steinmeyer does it all. In the studio with us are two of the trick tables. Cause of death: cancer. knew I did Magic as an Ad-Vocation and had me go over to the United Kingdom Unit to asst Doug the day he was there - Don't exactly remember what he did -though did remember Doug was like a Big Kid. He married Debby Douillard in 1981. "I proposed to her four days later, Doug said, I made a diamond appear in a rose petal and it rolled out into her hand." I Id approached Steinmeyer with this intent a few weeks earlier. So he traveled with two tractor-trailer loads of 15 sets, equipment for 30 illusions and a menagerie. He admires a trick well done. In the more traditional world of magic, he brought a painted portrait to life and back again (The Artists Dream, performed by husband-and-wife team the Pendragons, among others) and designed a whole series of illusions in which the performer walks through a mirror, a wall, and a number of other impenetrable objects. https://geniimagazine.com/wiki/index.php?title=Debby_Henning&oldid=85761. He was always pleasantly surprised by the reception, Nancy says. The standing-room-only shows caught the attention of NBC, which signed him up to do a special, The World of Magic, in which he recreated Harry Houdinis breathtaking Water Torture Escape trick. Rene Clement wrote: I remeber years ago they did a dueling magicians parody supposedly Henning vs. Copperfield. After I borrow a tie at reception to pair with my sport coat and meet the dress code, the manager greets us. The box incorporates design elements that make it appear narrower to the audience than it actually is. It was a trick Houdini needed 20 seconds to perform; Mr. Henning did it in less than 10. Upon graduating with a psychology degree in McMaster University in 1971, Henning and then-girlfriend Marsden Barrick performed as Henning and Mars at Yorkville coffeehouses, a military base near the North Pole, LAs famed Magic Castle, and on a 1972 episode of the CBCs Telescope program. Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Steinmeyer has given the world more to tease apart than almost anyone on the planet. WebWho Is Doug Henning's Wife? WebDoug Henning seems unmarried yet he is married. According to new reports, Mr. Henning was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1999. Seven Doug Hennings World of Magic TV specials aired throughout the late 70s and early 80s, helping to make Henning a household name. He transformed the Beast into a prince at the end of the stage version of Beauty and the Beast. Also, what I, After Falling Under the Spell of Wife Debby, Doug Henning Hopes to Charm Broadway Again (Part.3) He stuck with magic. True to form, Steinmeyer first gives a non-answer. Nobody else is working at this level. Doug Henning had no children. He was a writer and actor, known for The Magic Show (1983), World of Magic (1977) and Doug Henning's World of Magic (1976). I decide this is where Im going to make my stand and try to extract a secret. It was that performance with that guy. At 53 years old, Doug Henning height '', After his success with ''The Magic Show'' and on television, Mr. Henning returned to Broadway twice, in the 1983 musical ''Merlin,'' and in a 1984 solo show, ''Doug Henning and His World of Magic.''. Doug Henning was born on May 3, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada as Douglas James Henning. Henning sees no one at any. To order I mean its allas soon as people believe youre doing one thing, you can subvert it by doing something else., In Hiding the Elephant, his narrative history of magic, Steinmeyer points out what most of us already suspect or know: The secrets of magic are not true secretsthe answers are often right in front of us. Huh. His wife, Deborah, was at his side, Reuters reported. 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. Doug Henning hippie magician television tv Published by travsd Writer and performer Trav S.D. Type any trick into a search bar and you can view explainers and deconstructions of its mysteries in secondsendless variations on invisible wires, trap doors, and rigged boxes. Debbie told Beverly Hills [213] magazine in 1986. I was a 13-year-old kid who just lost a father And it was like another door opening on an interest I already had, and opening in some bigger, grander way., In the following years, Steinmeyer dropped his own act; what he really loved, he realized, was conceiving ambitious illusionsthe flashbulb of an idea popping inside his head, the mental calisthenics of how it might work, the sketching and spitballing. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. He was determined to learn enough from the veterans to put magic in a play. He never lost interest in the magic world, says Nancy. I definitely owe a big chunk of my career to Jim, he says. He is credited with reviving the magic show as a form of mass ", Debby agreed, "It was like I blossomed right on the spot. The Magic Castle rules call for people to stow their phones, and there are no TVs. (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. Margaret Hall Lets deconstruct it.. ", They were engaged within a week. A magician friend often told Steinmeyer, If you want to keep something a secret, publish it., So why dont more of us know how magic works? In fact, the script sucked and the characters were mostly uninteresting. Aside from its ambition and quality, what stands out is the breadth of Steinmeyers work. His wife is Debby Douillard (6 December1981 - 7 February2000)( his death), Barbara De Angelis (20 December1977 - 1981)( divorced). Counting both sides of a page, thats 4,800 pages dating back to 1980 or 81. In college, he started pitching tricks to Doug Henning, arguably the worlds most famous illusionist during the 1970s. It made me think about magic in a different way, Ramon says, I was just a performer. With his long, wavy locks, walrus moustache, colourful outfits, and perky new-age demeanour, he cut quite a contrast from the vaguely sinister tuxedo-clad, top-hatted magicians that previously ruled the field. Logan Culwell-Block Henning is 5'5"(1.67m) . People like Jim come along once every two or three generations.. Also learn how He earned most of Doug Henning networth? May 2, 2023, By However, this married later ended in divorce. When the safe is opened, the list matches up, item for item. A lot of people lose that. Henning spent his final years working with the Maharishi to build a meditation theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. WebWife of. In further support of the maharishi, Henning also ran (unsuccessfully) for political office in England and Canada as a member of the maharishis Natural Law Party. The parks is linked to Indian spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Toronto Its from the master thief. 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. A native of Fort Garry, Manitoba, he moved to the United States and became an international star. He was a writer and actor, known for. In the Magic Castles showcase room, the Palace of Mystery, Greg Otto performs a comedy-laden routine (When a heckler pipes up, Otto looks toward the crowd and replies, I thought I told you to stay in the truck.) before Kyle and Mistie Knight deliver a classic big-stage performance heavy on audience participation. You want that thing to be very clear.. The act won a few local awards. Steinmeyer keeps his secrets out of reach as hours of conversation unfold. This page was last modified on 15 February 2021, at 11:24. He was the face of magic, McNally says. After this, there was no looking back for Doug, says McNally. He added stage sets and dancers and speeded up the illusions. Also sported long hair and a long bushy moustache. 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. Henning said his goal was to help audiences recapture a childlike sense of wonder. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us. While attending elementary school in suburban Chicago, he went home every day for lunch, flipped on the TV, and watched Bozos Circus, a variety show sometimes featuring touring magicians. This is a man who changed an art form forever. The Los Angeles-based McNally, who launched the Doug Henning Project online archive in 2017, is currently wrapping up a feature-length documentary on Hennings life and art. Davis' Death of a Salesman co-star Wendell Pierce hosted a screening and talkback for the new film. The production, with songs by Stephen Schwartz and book by Bob Randall, earned Henning a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and, says McNally, a reputation as a legitimate Broadway star. A version of The Magic Show was also mounted at Torontos Queen Elizabeth Theatre in 1980, where it was filmed and aired on CBC. 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. Discover Doug Henning's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Gone were the black capes and magic wands; Mr. Henning wore jeans, flashy jumpsuits, and tie-dye T-shirts onstage. My heart was racing. He later put an advertisement in a local newspaper reading: ''Magician: Have Rabbit, Will Travel. For example, the Mary Poppins illusion originated as an unrelated, sudden jolt of inspiration: a table that employs angled mirrors to conceal items within its folds. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. WebThe magician Doug Henning died at the age of 52. He is a member of famous Writer with the age 53 years old group. I remember something Id read in one of Steinmeyers books: Magicians dont protect their secrets from the audience, they protect the audience from their secrets. Real magic uses laws that havent yet been discovered.. People always say afterwards, I had no idea the performances were going to be so strong.. Henning, the man who performed Harry Houdinis legendary water torture escape on national television before a live audience and later became a spokesman for He also made guest appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and The Muppet Show.. He was a writer and actor, known for The Magic Show (1983), World of Magic (1977) and He posed for photographs, signed autographs and then disappeared once again. "Dougy was supposed to speak that night and do some magic, and I was supposed to tell him when to go on stage." He was 52 years old when he died. Looking like a hippie, he is credited with restimulating an interest in magic and illusion, introducing such tricks as Harry Houdini's famous "water torture escape" to a new generation. Each illusion involves close collaboration with the builder and the performerSteinmeyers client. In a sense, Dougy forced me to overcome my natural shyness.". The secret of magic is not knowledge, its feeling. During the early days, he practised at home for hours, says his sister, Nancy Henning. Every magician thats out there working today owes Doug Henning a great debt.. All There is a century-old magic trick that Jim Steinmeyer finds particularly fascinating. 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.. Shackled hand and foot and encased underwater in a steel canister, he broke free in under a minute, emerging wet and beaming. Doug Henning was born on May 3, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada. His long-suffering wife is always willing to do everything he asks of her. He was a writer and actor, known for The Magic Show (1983), Andrew Gans Debby Henning was the wife, assistant, business partner and muse to illusionist Doug Henning. Thats really what this is. Encouraged students of magic to make their own props and equipment, and not rely on ready-made magic kits. 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. advertisement advertisement Cancer And Death Doug Henningwas diagnosed with liver cancer in late 1999. But with Wakelings box, you can still see her feet sticking out the bottom, and beyond that, the box looks too narrow for a knee lift. We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 3 May. The legend reads: LevitationThe Greatest Illusion in the World.. Henning was also a disciple of transcendental meditation and its leader, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. With a curly mane of hair and a near-constant grin, Mr. Henning was one of the most famous illusionists in the world during the 1970's and early 80's, appearing in three Broadway shows and a dozen television specials. I mention this to Steinmeyer on the drive backhed been in his meeting for the durationand he nods. In each case, he stunned audiences with a seemingly impossible array of disappearing assistants and levitating ladies. 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 By TM devotees claim that the silent meditation technique promotes relaxed awareness, stress reduction, access to higher states of consciousness, and reduces heart disease and high blood pressure. Over the next decade, he was a regular presence on television, adding splashy new tricks to his repertoire, like a 1980 show where he appeared to have been eaten by a shark. Taking its name from basketball star LeBron James, the work comes to New York after runs at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group. Steinmeyer sees Im not going to let the sawing-in-half trick go, and maybe against his better judgment, he relents. WebView the profiles of people named Doug Henning. The New York Times, in fact, labeled Steinmeyer theaters celebrated invisible man.. For one it was written as Merlin was just about to open on Broadway, and the other being that it delves into Dougs new For magic to accomplish the impossiblemaking something disappeara flaw in the magic has to be hidden, like a trick mirror or special compartment. He also dabbled in politics. Some of these tell-alls have existed for generations. From the mid-70s to the early 80s, Toronto-raised master illusionist and escape artist Doug Henning was inescapable. Audiences should recognize the magic about to be performed. (Houdini traded places with a prisoner in a trunk in 20 seconds; Henning did it in one-third of a second. His answer, at first, is that he doesnt really like the question. The thing about the Magic Castle and places like it, when youre there in the right size theater, the intimacy is just completely amazing. He had been ailing for five months. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. He never has, its possible he never will, and this doesnt bother him in the least. Im sitting in Steinmeyers studio in Burbank, California. Sign up for reopening news, announcements, and exclusive discounts on tickets to your favorite shows! It still coaxes grasps from a crowd. His wife is Debby Douillard (6 December 1981 - 7 February 2000) ( his death), Barbara De Angelis (20 December 1977 - 1981) ( divorced) Doug When were little kids, were filled with wonder for the world its fascinating and miraculous, he once said. Henning had revived magic in a big way. He felt he had achieved his goals in performing and he wanted to move along to other challenges, says Nancy. Debby also married Mexican artist Jose Carcamo, whom she divorced in 1980. In each show, his illusions became increasingly complex. Hed been polite, but wary. WebKristen Anne Bell (born 1980) is an American actress and singer. I asked one of his crew after the show if I might meet Doug and get his autograph. Doug Henning's net worth Andrew Gans 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. Everyone idolized him, and the age of modern television and stage magic began then. He begins a mesmerizing filibuster about the illusions evolution, citing his friend and mentor Alan Wakeling, who in the 1970s came up with an incredibly elegant design for the trick in which two audience members shackle the hands and feet of the woman, and instead of sawing the box in two, the magician stabs four blades through the sides. Then we cross their yard to his studio followed by Albert, their doddering but ebullient 13-year-old dachshund. NEW YORK -- Doug Henning, the mustachioed hippie magician who helped repopularize the craft in the 1970s with TV specials and Broadway shows, has died at 52. A decade later, Henning was awarded a star on Canadas Walk of Fame a touching epilogue from a country that gave him so much, says McNally. It involves a burglar, a safe, and mind-reading, and it unfolds like this: A group of random audience members file on stage and each place a personal possession inside a sturdy, commercial-model safe, out of view of the magician, Charles Morritt. WebHenning discovered TM while working on the Spellbound show in Toronto. I always hate reading that stuff.. With his magic shows, he rejected the traditional tuxedo and top hat costume and prefered bright multi coloured casual clothing and tights. Logan Culwell-Block This story has been shared 125,059 times. The truth of how magic works is that most of us dont know because we dont wantto know. Mr. Henning stood atop the chest and counted to three. For one it was written as Merlin wasjust about toopen on Broadway, and the other being that it delves into Dougs new marriage to Debby Douillard (Henning) and the, I love this vintage 1986 commercial not only for its obvious camp value, but for the fact that it gives you a glimpse into Dougs touring productions and promotions. WebHe was living with his second wife, Debby Douillard, and he had no children. Soldering 101: How To Bond Wires, Cables, and More, How the Microwave Was Invented by Accident, How Noise-Cancelling Earbuds Actually Work. Suddenly the assistant was standing in his place, and Mr. Henning was in the trunk, handcuffed. "", "My friends told me there was practically a flash of light," Doug told People magazine in the December 20, 1982 edition. To order copies of Mr. Henning was one of the supporters of a $1 billion theme park, Veda Land, proposed for the Niagara Falls area. May 2, 2023, By Natural Law Party. There are 24 notebooks, 100 pages each. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about May 2, 2023, By When their mother was diagnosed with cancer, he spent several months caring for her in Toronto. As well, Debby starred in several summer theater musicals (including Fiddler on the Roof and Applause) and studied mime, jazz dance and singing. No one is sneaking a look at their phone, and no one resists the timeless astonishment that has come from magic audiences for decades, from Charles Morritt to today. Part of the challenge is that a trick has to tell a story, because magic above all is about storytelling. That led to his role in The Magic Show. December 20, 1982, pages 70-72. In the mid-1980's, Mr. Henning retired from the stage and became increasingly interested in transcendental meditation. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? Reworked and retitled The Magic Show, it opened in 1974 at the Cort Theatre and enjoyed a four-year-run. He is survived by his wife of nearly 20 years, Debby. Born May 3, 1947 Steinmeyer doesnt know how the safe illusion works. Theres no substitute for that, Steinmeyer says. At the time of my visit, Steinmeyer served as president (though his tenure has since ended), and we arrive about an hour before opening. These positions had their rewards, he says, but he struggled with the compromises that come with corporate productions. Then simultaneous with that, theres the script of what youre actually doing, so theres a divergent thing where youre saying one thing and youre doing something else. Steinmeyer helped Ramon create what has become a signature part of his act. Steinmeyer went and saw a performance by George Goebel, a veteran magician with a grand-scale stage act. Two other Steinmeyer illusions soon made a Henning TV special, and Henning eventually offered him a job helping launch Merlin on Broadway. Steinmeyer demonstrates a version of the sawing-in-half illusion. "I had never felt anything like it in my life. Debby met Doug Henning at a charity benefit at the Transcendental Meditation Center at Maharishi International University in Fairfield, Iowa. As we walk through his home, posters of great magicians past stand guard along the walls. He was married to Debby Douillard and Barbara De Angelis. Steinmeyer began as an audience member. Given the nature of his business, he said, he had to be proprietary about sharing the way magic is accomplished. Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites. Morritt had come up with a new twist on a familiar routine: Magician presses his fingers to his temples, closes his eyes, and sees the un-seeable. After my heart finally calmed down, time literally seemed to go into slow motion. Henning died Monday in Los Angeles, his business office in Toronto said. See the article in its original context from. Mr. Henning was 52. Doug and Debbie Houdini Plaza 1986 Performance, Close Encounters of the Doug Kind: Part Three, Nathan Lane Discussing "Merlin" on Playbill.com, Remodeled James Earl Jones (Cort) Theatre Interior, Follow THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT on WordPress.com. The members-only club for magicians and enthusiasts is both a laboratory for the craft and, by night, a place for guests to take in performances both large-scale and intimate. Republication or distribution of this content is I couldn't help myself. Only when Steinmeyer finishes speaking do I realize weve barely moved from my starting point. Steinmeyer uses the mind-reading trick as a launchpad into a disquisition on how magic tricks evolve, which is fascinating, but it temporarily walls me off from a question Im eager to ask about the trick, or, really, any trick: How does it work? As is customary for first-time guests, Im given the password that, when spoken aloud, opens the hidden door into the castle. He knew that if he wanted to do what he loveddesign illusions from a molecule of an idea in his notebook and let it grow into something naturallyhe needed to be on his own. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Woman has 'loud, full body orgasm' in the middle of LA concert, All the red carpet highlights and star-studded fashionfrom the Karl Lagerfeld-themed Met Gala, Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving reception, Bodies of two missing teen girls and a registered sex offender among seven people found dead on Oklahoma property, The best-dressed celebs at the 2023 Met Gala: Rihanna, Gisele Bndchen, more, Kim Kardashians Met Gala 2023 look sparks comparisons to Playboy cover, Kim Kardashian, Pete Davidson reunite at Met Gala 9 months after breakup, Katy Perry will be temporarily replaced on 'American Idol' amid drama. If a magician cant conceal this secret, the trick is worthless. The interview is notable for two reasons. 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?
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