Doug Henning facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doug Henning
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Henning in 1976
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| Born |
Douglas James Henning
May 3, 1947 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
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| Died | February 7, 2000 (aged 52) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Magician, illusionist, escape artist, politician |
| Spouse(s) |
Barbara De Angelis
(m. 1977; div. 1981)Debby Douillard
(m. 1981) |
Douglas James Henning (born May 3, 1947 – died February 7, 2000) was a famous Canadian magician and escape artist. He was also an illusionist and even a politician. Doug Henning was known for bringing a sense of wonder and joy back to magic.
Contents
Doug Henning's Early Life
Doug Henning was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. He started practicing magic when he was very young. He went to Oakenwald School in Fort Garry. Later, his family moved to Oakville, Ontario.
Doug became interested in magic after seeing a magician named Richiardi Jr on TV. He learned many tricks and performed for his family. He even called himself "The Astounding Hendoo" and advertised in local newspapers!
After high school, Doug stopped doing magic for a while. He felt there were only two types of magicians: those for kids or those for nightclubs. He didn't want to be either.
So, he went to McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. He studied psychology because he wanted to become a doctor. At university, he met Ivan Reitman, who later became a famous movie director. Doug even acted in a play Reitman directed.
To earn money, Doug worked at the Toronto International Airport. He loaded and unloaded heavy boxes. This work was too hard, so he started performing magic again. He formed a partnership called "Henning and Mars" and performed in local clubs.
In 1967, Doug's father, who was an Air Canada pilot, died in a training flight accident.
Doug Henning's Amazing Magic Career
After finishing university with good grades, Doug decided to focus on magic for a few years. He and his partner performed all over Canada.
Doug soon realized he needed more training in theater and magic. He applied for a special grant from the Canada Council for the Arts. He proposed that "magic plus theater equals art." He received $4,000 to study magic for a year.
With the grant, he studied mime and dance. He also read many magic books to learn everything he could about illusions.
He visited the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California. This is a special club for magicians. There, he met a famous magician named Dai Vernon, also known as "The Professor." Doug later studied with Vernon and another great magician, Slydini. Slydini became his main magic teacher.
Doug wanted to bring magic back to its "glory days." He worked hard to improve his skills. He got money to create a live show called Spellbound. His college friend, Ivan Reitman, directed it. The show combined a dramatic story with his magic.
Doug borrowed money and spent $5,000 to build his illusions. The show opened in Toronto and broke box-office records! Producers from New York saw it and brought it to Broadway. It was renamed The Magic Show and featured songs by Stephen Schwartz. The show ran for over four years and earned Doug a Tony Award nomination.
After his Broadway success, Doug suggested a TV special to NBC. He promised to perform Harry Houdini's famous and dangerous water-torture escape live. This had not been done since Houdini himself. NBC executives agreed!
Doug spent eight months getting his stage act ready for TV. More than 50 million people watched Doug Henning's World of Magic in December 1975. Bill Cosby hosted the show.
In 1977, Doug co-wrote a book about Houdini. He also created illusions for music groups like Earth, Wind & Fire and for two of Michael Jackson's concerts, including his 1984 Victory Tour.
In 1983, Doug produced and starred in the Broadway musical Merlin. In 1984, he had his own solo show on Broadway called Doug Henning and His World of Magic.
In 1985, a line of plush toys called "Doug & Debby Henning's: Wonder Whims" was created. Each toy came with an animal friend, a story, and a magic kaleidoscope.
In the mid-1980s, Doug decided to stop performing magic. He sold his magic props and moved to India. He wanted to spend his time studying Transcendental Meditation.
Doug Henning's World of Magic TV Specials
Doug Henning's first World of Magic special aired on NBC on December 26, 1975. He successfully performed the water torture illusion. The show was live in the eastern United States and had no commercials. This was the first of seven yearly TV specials. Doug received seven Emmy Award nominations for these shows.
In December 1976, Doug Henning's World of Magic II aired. It was also live and had only two commercial breaks. The show's theme was "Fire, Water and Air." It included Doug making an elephant vanish!
On December 15, 1977, Doug Henning's World of Magic III aired live. The big illusion was "Walking Through a Brick Wall."
On December 14, 1978, Doug Henning's World of Magic IV aired. Its theme was "A Magical Journey Through Time." This was the last special broadcast live because of some problems during the show.
The fifth World of Magic special was taped in Las Vegas and aired on February 15, 1979.
Doug Henning's World of Magic VI was taped in Utah and aired on February 22, 1980. Bill Cosby appeared again as a special guest. The show ended with a big escape illusion.
Doug's last TV special was World of Magic VII in 1982. The theme was Doug's magical house. In the show's finale, Doug created the illusion of turning a black horse and a white horse into a zebra.
At the end of each World of Magic show, Doug would tell the audience: "Anything the mind can imagine is possible. Nothing is impossible. You just have to look inside yourself, and you can make your dreams come true. I wish each of you all of life's wonders and a joyful age of enlightenment."
Other TV Appearances
On December 13, 1977, Doug appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. He performed illusions and talked about his new book on Houdini.
In 1979, Doug was on The Crystal Gayle Special, a variety show with singer Crystal Gayle.
In 1980, Doug appeared on The Muppet Show. He performed several tricks, including making a Muppet monster split into pieces! He also did "The Metamorphosis," where he swapped places with an assistant locked in a trunk.
In December, Doug was on The Osmond Family Christmas Special with Donny and Marie Osmond.
On February 13, 1981, Doug made his seventh appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. This was the first time he was the very first guest on the show.
A version of The Magic Show was filmed in Toronto for CBC Television. Doug returned to the show that made him famous. Many changes were made for this new production. The film version was only shown once on Canadian TV, but it was later released on DVD.
In 1984, Doug was featured in TV commercials for the Plymouth Voyager minivan.
In 1993, he released a video for the Canada Natural Law Party. It showed parts of his World of Magic specials and explained his ideas about how meditation could solve the world's problems.
Transcendental Meditation and Later Life
In the mid-1980s, Doug Henning retired from magic to focus on Transcendental Meditation. He earned a Ph.D. in the Science of Creative Intelligence from the Maharishi University in Switzerland.
In 1992, Doug and the founder of Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, planned a huge project. It was called "Maharishi Veda Land" and was meant to be near Niagara Falls, Ontario. It would combine amazing visual effects, 3D images, and high-tech entertainment with his best magic illusions. Plans included a building floating above water and a journey into the heart of a rose. However, the project was not finished by the time Doug passed away.
Doug Henning's Political Career
In 1992, Doug Henning became a candidate for the Natural Law Party in the United Kingdom's general election. He ran in the Blackpool South area. Even though he was Canadian, he could run because British law allows candidates from Commonwealth nations. He finished fourth out of four candidates.
He was also a senior leader of the Natural Law Party of Canada ("NLPC"). He ran as a candidate for the party in the 1993 federal election in Toronto. He finished sixth out of ten candidates in that election.
Doug Henning's Personal Life
Doug Henning married Barbara De Angelis in 1977. They divorced in 1981. Later that year, Doug married Debby Douillard in Fairfield, Iowa.
Death and Legacy
Doug Henning died on February 7, 2000, at the age of 52. He passed away at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He had been diagnosed with liver cancer five months earlier. His ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean near Redondo Beach, California.
In 2010, it was announced that Doug Henning would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. One of his famous illusions, the "Zig Zag Girl", is kept at the American Museum of Magic.
A book about his life, called Spellbound: The Wonder-filled Life of Doug Henning, was released in 2009.
Images for kids
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A robot for kids.
See also
In Spanish: Doug Henning para niños
