DOUG HENNINGS WORLD OF
MAGIC
Most people today perhaps would
cite
David Copperfield as their favorite Magician. Some might mention Lance
Burton or maybe David Blaine. These chaps may not even have been seen
on TV today had it not been for the incomparable and masterful Doug Henning. In the mid 1970's he alone
totally revolutionized the art of Magic by bringing it to LIVE
television.
None beside him had the foresight to show Magic "As it happens", to live studio audiences. Magic Shows today are TAPED before a studio audience, hence the reruns.
Doug Henning had the savvy insight to bring his amazing artistry to the appreciative world on Broadway, with Didi Conn, in the 1970's and then to television with at least ten episodes of the "World of Magic". The first one was produced about 1975. The hour long special was hosted by Bill Cosby, and featured amazing Japanese magic icon Shimada.
His routin began with a double-production of umbrellas, with lightning-quick endless appearances of silks, flames, streamers, fans, all beautifully executed. In total he produced no less than 11 umbrellas, with a three-tiered umbrella at the end. The accompanying Japanese music added the spice to this mystifying and most colorful routine.
Next came Doug Henning himself, with the clever and quite mysterious "Sands of Egypt", then a brilliant torn and restored newspaper act. Next came some musical entertainment, with the special guest singer Miss Lori Lieberman, playing her guitar and singing Doug Henning's favorite song, "Killing Me Softly". Most people associate this song with Roberta Flack, but it was written by Lori. More magic followed, as Doug Henning covered the seated Miss lieberman with a very large blue cloth.
Bill Cosby, along with the studio audience, witnessed a miracle as Doug then quickly whipped the cover away seconds later to reveal the chair----EMPTY!!! Thunderous applause and astonishment followed as Bill Cosby asked the inevitable question, "Where did she go?", "She vanished", Henning deftly retorted.
Then came "Things That Go Bump In The Night". It had nothing to do with clumsy cat-burglars- just 2 and a half minutes long. Doug had previously performed this on Broadway, with Didi Conn. It was now transferred to television.
The second live Doug Henning's World of magic was hosted by Michael landon, with guest Joey Heatherton, the original "Coppertone" model, and Magician card thrower Ricky Jay. The audience was treated to the opening vanish of an elephant from a large box, Joey Heatherton appearing from inside a large floating silver ball, Doug's linking ring routine with an audience member (Six Bands of Silver), and the fastest illusion in the world, "Houdini's Metamorphosis".
This mesmerizing piece consisted of a large wooden box in which the assistant is handcuffed, covered with a large cloth bag and securely locked inside the box. The lightning-quick change and transposition of Magician and assistant was viewed for the first time by the studio audience. No camera tricks were used in any of these miracles. The instantaneous change on the count of "three" had the audince mesmerized.
Magician Ricky Jay was a master who could throw a single playing card farther than any other human. He tossed cards into the audince, this along with a variety of other nice conjuring. He ended his magical routine with a card trick, a lmasterful variation of "McDonals,s Aces". Each of the four Queens were covered with three face-down cards. Through some clever manipulation the four Queens disappeared, only to re-appear in a totally different area, thus producing a show -stopping effect. The production of a large elephant closed this hour of mystery.
The third entry of the Doug Henning's World of Magic live broadcast was hosted by singer Glen Campbell and guest - starred the cute Sandy Duncan. it opened with a startling trick involving the vanishing and re-appearance of a motorcycle. Then came a series of beautifully-performed "close-up" tricks done with two volunteers from the audience. Doug Henning's slogan was "the difficult must become habit, the habit easy, and the easy beautiful", and was his trademark, as he created these smaller miracles. The smallest trick in magic, the torn and restored cigarette paper, was followed by a cut and restored red hanky.
More clever manipulation of cards, sleight-of-hand, coins, rings had the audience delighted and mystified. Guest host and singer Glen Campbell received a lesson in Magic when Doug showed him a most dazzling silk trick, putting a green silk in your hand, and having it emerge purple, vanishing and re-appearing. The color changing silks, as Doug Henning performed it, is a classic that should be learned by every Magician.
Sandy Duncan danced and performed with Doug, including a very sharp illusion: being levitated on swords!!! Doug asked her later how she like being on a Magic Show and her reply: "I really like it a lot. I have been taken apart, put back together, expanded, shrunk, flooded, frozen, and stuck in the back. You're a heck of a date, Doug".
The show ended with Doug Henning producing bouquets of beautiful flowers from an empty silver cylinder. The flowers were then distributed among the audience members, as they applauded for what they had just seen. At least ten Doug Henning's World of Magic specials were produced in the 1970' and 1980's and were sponsored by kodak, Inc.
Mr. Doug Henning was small in stature, but huge in talent, with long, wavy dark hair and moustache. he opened the Magical door for other Magicians to enter, as he was the originator of live Magic on television. These shows are available only at the IBM, (International Brotherhood of Magicians) libraries.
karponai@hotmail.com
None beside him had the foresight to show Magic "As it happens", to live studio audiences. Magic Shows today are TAPED before a studio audience, hence the reruns.
Doug Henning had the savvy insight to bring his amazing artistry to the appreciative world on Broadway, with Didi Conn, in the 1970's and then to television with at least ten episodes of the "World of Magic". The first one was produced about 1975. The hour long special was hosted by Bill Cosby, and featured amazing Japanese magic icon Shimada.
His routin began with a double-production of umbrellas, with lightning-quick endless appearances of silks, flames, streamers, fans, all beautifully executed. In total he produced no less than 11 umbrellas, with a three-tiered umbrella at the end. The accompanying Japanese music added the spice to this mystifying and most colorful routine.
Next came Doug Henning himself, with the clever and quite mysterious "Sands of Egypt", then a brilliant torn and restored newspaper act. Next came some musical entertainment, with the special guest singer Miss Lori Lieberman, playing her guitar and singing Doug Henning's favorite song, "Killing Me Softly". Most people associate this song with Roberta Flack, but it was written by Lori. More magic followed, as Doug Henning covered the seated Miss lieberman with a very large blue cloth.
Bill Cosby, along with the studio audience, witnessed a miracle as Doug then quickly whipped the cover away seconds later to reveal the chair----EMPTY!!! Thunderous applause and astonishment followed as Bill Cosby asked the inevitable question, "Where did she go?", "She vanished", Henning deftly retorted.
Then came "Things That Go Bump In The Night". It had nothing to do with clumsy cat-burglars- just 2 and a half minutes long. Doug had previously performed this on Broadway, with Didi Conn. It was now transferred to television.
The second live Doug Henning's World of magic was hosted by Michael landon, with guest Joey Heatherton, the original "Coppertone" model, and Magician card thrower Ricky Jay. The audience was treated to the opening vanish of an elephant from a large box, Joey Heatherton appearing from inside a large floating silver ball, Doug's linking ring routine with an audience member (Six Bands of Silver), and the fastest illusion in the world, "Houdini's Metamorphosis".
This mesmerizing piece consisted of a large wooden box in which the assistant is handcuffed, covered with a large cloth bag and securely locked inside the box. The lightning-quick change and transposition of Magician and assistant was viewed for the first time by the studio audience. No camera tricks were used in any of these miracles. The instantaneous change on the count of "three" had the audince mesmerized.
Magician Ricky Jay was a master who could throw a single playing card farther than any other human. He tossed cards into the audince, this along with a variety of other nice conjuring. He ended his magical routine with a card trick, a lmasterful variation of "McDonals,s Aces". Each of the four Queens were covered with three face-down cards. Through some clever manipulation the four Queens disappeared, only to re-appear in a totally different area, thus producing a show -stopping effect. The production of a large elephant closed this hour of mystery.
The third entry of the Doug Henning's World of Magic live broadcast was hosted by singer Glen Campbell and guest - starred the cute Sandy Duncan. it opened with a startling trick involving the vanishing and re-appearance of a motorcycle. Then came a series of beautifully-performed "close-up" tricks done with two volunteers from the audience. Doug Henning's slogan was "the difficult must become habit, the habit easy, and the easy beautiful", and was his trademark, as he created these smaller miracles. The smallest trick in magic, the torn and restored cigarette paper, was followed by a cut and restored red hanky.
More clever manipulation of cards, sleight-of-hand, coins, rings had the audience delighted and mystified. Guest host and singer Glen Campbell received a lesson in Magic when Doug showed him a most dazzling silk trick, putting a green silk in your hand, and having it emerge purple, vanishing and re-appearing. The color changing silks, as Doug Henning performed it, is a classic that should be learned by every Magician.
Sandy Duncan danced and performed with Doug, including a very sharp illusion: being levitated on swords!!! Doug asked her later how she like being on a Magic Show and her reply: "I really like it a lot. I have been taken apart, put back together, expanded, shrunk, flooded, frozen, and stuck in the back. You're a heck of a date, Doug".
The show ended with Doug Henning producing bouquets of beautiful flowers from an empty silver cylinder. The flowers were then distributed among the audience members, as they applauded for what they had just seen. At least ten Doug Henning's World of Magic specials were produced in the 1970' and 1980's and were sponsored by kodak, Inc.
Mr. Doug Henning was small in stature, but huge in talent, with long, wavy dark hair and moustache. he opened the Magical door for other Magicians to enter, as he was the originator of live Magic on television. These shows are available only at the IBM, (International Brotherhood of Magicians) libraries.
karponai@hotmail.com
Is this the
"Worlds Greatest Magic Trick Ever"
I think so!
Hanz Moretti's "The Box"
has to be the single most dynamic illusion in the World of Magic today!.........More
"Worlds Greatest Magic Trick Ever"
I think so!
Hanz Moretti's "The Box"
has to be the single most dynamic illusion in the World of Magic today!.........More
Magician Doug Henning, Doug Hennings World of Magic, Master Magician Doug Henning, Doug Henning on Television specials, Doug Henning Magician of the 1980's, First Live Televised Magic Show featuring Doug Henning,