As is customary for first-time guests, Im given the password that, when spoken aloud, opens the hidden door into the castle. The parks is linked to Indian spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation. On December 6, Doug and Debby were married at the University. Steinmeyer heads to his board meeting and leaves me to roam the castle, still only occupied by staff hustling to prepare for the first dinner seating. What we want, instead, is to sign what Steinmeyer calls a mysterious pact between a performer and the audience. We want to be in the midst of that credulous, shrieking crowd at the Magic Castle. Education Its from the master thief. The diminutive Doug Henning soon landed at Hollywoods Magic Castle, grant in pocket, for a three-month cram course. He added stage sets and dancers and speeded up the illusions. It says, in essence, Ive decided not to crack that safe and steal the contentsits not worth my time. My secret, he says, is that I keep a messy notebook. 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. "I will not have that in our house," she said. Help us get to over 4,000 biographies in 2018. WebThe magician Doug Henning died at the age of 52. From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians. To order Magic is something that happens that appears to be impossible, he said in an interview with The Times. He is credited with reviving the magic show as a form of mass 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. Star Newspapers Limited and/or its licensors. He is credited with reviving the magic show as a form of mass entertainment in the 1970s and popularizing it on television. Real magic uses laws that havent yet been discovered.. He died in Los Angeles on Feb. 7, 2000, from liver cancer. His long-suffering wife is always willing to do everything he asks of her. But the boy was more interested in sports and then began premed studies and earned a psychology degree at Canadas McMaster University. WebMini Bio (1) Doug Henning was born on May 3, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada. Some of these tell-alls have existed for generations. This page was last modified on 15 February 2021, at 11:24. 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. In the Close-Up Gallery, Tom Craven peppers his card, rope, and metal-ring tricks with a stream of old-world patter. is 5'5"(1.67m) . This was after a show they did at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, Texas, outside the stage door. People Weekly. Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites. It was supposed to last six months; Steinmeyer kept the gig seven years before moving on to Disney Imagineering. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Thats really what this is. 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. He was also the first to re-attempt Harry Houdinis dangerous 1912 Water Torture Cell, in which the magician, restrained at the feet, escaped after being lowered into a glass tank of water. In that Ahmanson show, for example, he turned a woman into a black panther, sawed two women in half and reassembled them on each others legs, walked through a mirror, suspended his wife in midair before making her vanish and reappear in a box hanging over the stage, escaped from a chained trunk like Houdini and conjured up the Bengal tiger. Its also, The date was October 9th, 1985. Well, if the town of Appleton, Wisconsin means anything to, Today I thought Id feature a four minute vintage clip of Doug and Debby on the classic 1980s program Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Whats cool about it is that it gives us a glimpse not only into Dougs home, but his famed workshop where many of his illusions were developed. We have estimated 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. So I press: But theres no room for her to., He smiles and shrugs as if to say, What more do you expect? WebThe ever-magical Doug Henning My wife refused to let me bring this poster home. "Dougy was supposed to speak that night and do some magic, and I was supposed to tell him when to go on stage." Theres no substitute for that, Steinmeyer says. He returned often to visit family and to do the occasional performance. It was a box-office success during its two-week run at the Royal Alexandra Theatre in 1973. But what Steinmeyer intends to unpack for me is uncertain. Every magician thats out there working today owes Doug Henning a great debt.. Once settled, I make an opening gambit: I ask Steinmeyer about the state of magic today. Davis' Death of a Salesman co-star Wendell Pierce hosted a screening and talkback for the new film. Thats what this has become, he says, lifting Albert into his lap. His wife is Debby Douillard (6 December 1981 - 7 February 2000) ( his death), Barbara De Angelis (20 December 1977 - 1981) ( divorced) Doug You want that thing to be very clear.. When he watches performances, he tunes in not just to the magic but the way people respond to it. In the 80s Henning also created illusions for others, including Michael Jackson, Earth, Wind & Fire and the Toronto rock band Lighthouse. I remember thinking that was a really good idea, but I had no use for it at the time, Steinmeyer says. The cause was liver cancer, according to The Associated Press. The sack was put in a chest and padlocked. Debby was born Deborah Ann Douillard to Roger and Ann Douillard, who ran a contracting firm in a New York suburb. Tony-Nominated Magician Doug Henning is Dead at 52, Magician Doug Henning, who popularized magic and illusion on Broadway in such shows as, Glenn Davis and Chris Perfetti Star in Rajiv Joseph's, 2023 Tony Awards Nominations Announced May 2, Olivia Valli and Celia Hottenstein Are New Leads in National Tour of, Joy Woods Returns to Skid Row as Audrey May 2 in Off-Broadway's, Broadway Eatery Glass House Tavern Targeted With Negative Reviews Following Dispute With Pedicab Drivers. WebDoug Henningwas first married to Barbara De Angelis. | He never lost interest in the magic world, says Nancy. Though one critic hailed him, 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. 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. "Those magic tricks you buy in stores are junk. Actor: The Magic Show. People call out to performers, laugh, slap shoulders, and scream with surprise and wonder. I know it's weird to say, but somehow magic is immune from technology, he says. By He starred on Broadway, toured with a large stage show, and popularized magic in his own television specials. Gone were the black capes and magic wands; Mr. Henning wore jeans, flashy jumpsuits, and tie-dye T-shirts onstage. It was a trick Houdini needed 20 seconds to perform; Mr. Henning did it in less than 10. In the mid-1980's, Mr. Henning retired from the stage and became increasingly interested in transcendental meditation. Nobody else is working at this level. A native of Winnipeg, Canada, Mr. Henning made his American debut in ''The Magic Show,'' a rock musical that opened on Broadway in May 1974 and subsequently ran for more than four years. Hennings own sense of wonder fueled his professional success and personal appeal. In 1973, he borrowed $5,000 from his mother and, with a friend, launched a rock musical-cum-magic show called Spellbound in Toronto. ", "After the show," she continued, "he came over and tapped me on the shoulder and asked if we could talk later. He was 52. | WebWho Is Doug Henning's Wife? Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. Doug is unique in that he didnt copy anyone before or after him, he says. 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 illusions, died on Monday in Los Angeles. Mr. Henning stood atop the chest and counted to three. Seven Doug Hennings World of Magic TV specials aired throughout the late 70s and early 80s, helping to make Henning a household name. It was that performance with that guy. In a sense, Dougy forced me to overcome my natural shyness.". I decide this is where Im going to make my stand and try to extract a secret. Thats why we press for answers. A native of Fort Garry, Manitoba, he moved to the United States and became an international star. In 1975, Mr. Henning broke through to an even larger audience when he performed Houdini's ''Water Torture Escape'' on a live television special. His job is to think of something completely impossible, then figure out a way to apparently accomplish itand that process can be messy. He is a member of famous Writer with the age 53 years old group. ", Debby agreed, "It was like I blossomed right on the spot. 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.. Despite his enormous success in the US, Henning always considered Canada his home and was proud to tell people that he was Canadian, Nancy says. DOUG Henning the hippie magician who wowed the world with his amazing illusions on TV and on Broadway has died at the age of 52. ''He was a kind of Peter Pan,'' Mr. Willmarth told The Associated Press, ''who led magic away from the tuxedo approach.''. I asked one of his crew after the show if I might meet Doug and get his autograph. | Hes not going to let me flip over his mirrors or rifle through his drawers, and when I give him a straight-line question, he responds with misdirectionlabyrinthine tangents and looping alternate pathways. I realize Steinmeyer has been trying to lead me to this point all along. 03 of 10. The New York Times, in fact, labeled Steinmeyer theaters celebrated invisible man.. ", They were engaged within a week. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Contact Us. He sold off all his illusions props, sets and secrets at auction to devote his time to Transcendental Meditation. Logan Culwell-Block WebWife of. May 1, 2023, By My eyes flick across Steinmeyers studio, his array of artifacts and scale models. He had been ailing for five months. Magic was Dougs passion and his life., Anyone can read Conversations, but to contribute, you should be a registered Torstar account holder. Steinmeyer doesnt know how the safe illusion works. We've received your submission. He posed for photographs, signed autographs and then disappeared once again. Join Facebook to connect with Doug Henning and others you may know. I definitely owe a big chunk of my career to Jim, he says. Doug Henning was previously married to Barbara DeAngelis, a self-help author. Id be remiss in not mentioning that yesterday, March 24th, was Harry Houdinis 147th birthday. 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. Also learn how He earned most of Doug Henning networth? Only when Steinmeyer finishes speaking do I realize weve barely moved from my starting point. He erased an elephant from the center ring for Ringling Bros. Doug Hennings income source is mostly from being a successful Writer. When Doug opened that show on Broadway, that was the starting point of a huge boom in magic that has continued to this day, Las Vegas magician Lance Burton said Tuesday. This story has been shared 381,315 times. May 2, 2023, By They become cynical and jaded, especially in modern-day society. 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. December 20, 1982, pages 70-72. Toronto Star articles, please go to: www.TorontoStarReprints.com, Conversations are opinions of our readers and are subject to the, The Toronto Star and thestar.com, each property of Toronto Star As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. CREDITS. He never has, its possible he never will, and this doesnt bother him in the least. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Neil McNally and The Doug Henning Project with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. , money, salary, income, and assets. So we went somewhere and talked a long, long time, and I remember having this powerful feeling of recognition. Born May 3, 1947 Also sported long hair and a long bushy moustache. He was 52 and lived in Los Angeles. 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. He also created special effects for tours by his friend, Michael Jackson. May 2, 2023, By One shows an illustrated Harry Kellar, a sensation in the early twentieth century. 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. In college, he started pitching tricks to Doug Henning, arguably the worlds most famous illusionist during the 1970s. In 1973, he borrowed $5,000 from his mother and, with a friend, launched a rock musical-cum-magic show called Spellbound in Toronto. Moments later, a telegram arrives for Morritt. Doug Henning (Douglas James Henning) was born on 3 May, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada, is a Writer, Actor, Soundtrack. Secrecy is the coin of the realm here, and Steinmeyer is an open secret himself: Most people who see magic shows assume the performers invent their own tricks, but its illusion designers like Steinmeyer who conjure most of the magic offstage. "When I perform, I could love a million people, but I had trouble loving one person Debby's helped me overcome my fear of intimacy.". As one of the first illusionists to incorporate elaborate sets, Henning changed the way magic was presented. The space is shrine to the history and craft of stage magic. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Debby Henning was the wife, assistant, business partner and muse to illusionist Doug Henning. Then we cross their yard to his studio followed by Albert, their doddering but ebullient 13-year-old dachshund. We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. When I was working in Walt Disney World EPCOT ( good friend Bev Bergeron invited Wife and self to come to WDW)- in the 80'90's my Mgr. to colleagues, clients or customers, or inquire about True to form, Steinmeyer first gives a non-answer. The box incorporates design elements that make it appear narrower to the audience than it actually is. Two other Steinmeyer illusions soon made a Henning TV special, and Henning eventually offered him a job helping launch Merlin on Broadway. The interview is notable for two reasons. Doug Henning was stiff as a board, and as he didn't sing, the musical numbers were never really landed in the show. 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. A lot of people lose that. 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. Henning was also a disciple of transcendental meditation and its leader, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Winnipeg-born Henning fell in love with magic as a child. The legend reads: LevitationThe Greatest Illusion in the World.. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. 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. Dougy almost fell off his chair. Debby became Doug's assistant, appearing as a singer and dancer, as well as designing all of the costumes, for Merlin and on tour. Part of the challenge is that a trick has to tell a story, because magic above all is about storytelling. She was born and raised in Huntington Woods, Michigan, and is the daughter of Lorelei (Frygier), a nurse, and He is survived by his wife of nearly 20 years, Debby. Henning liked the way it spun off a trick called The Zig Zag Girl, in which the performer divides an assistant into thirds. There are 24 notebooks, 100 pages each. Which Celebrities Still Have Twitter Checkmarks? For years and years, I avoidedI just thought it was presumptuous to say, Heres how you create things, he says. from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and Science in New York where she majored in painting, graphics and video art. I cannot imagine why.Sideshow Gathering 2010 Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. He earned a Best Featured Actor (Musical) nomination for his work in the conceptual tuner, The Magic Show, in the 1974-75 season. I | If a magician cant conceal this secret, the trick is worthless.
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