doug henning wife

Counting both sides of a page, thats 4,800 pages dating back to 1980 or 81. United Archives via Getty Images / Getty Images Doug Henning is often credited with resurrecting magic as a theatrical art in the 1970s. 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. , money, salary, income, and assets. He felt he had achieved his goals in performing and he wanted to move along to other challenges, says Nancy. Discover Doug Henning's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Theyve just saw the world together again and seem comfortable in their relationship. Why is Frank McCourt really pushing it? The parks is linked to Indian spiritual leader Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of Transcendental Meditation. Once settled, I make an opening gambit: I ask Steinmeyer about the state of magic today. Natural Law Party. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, 17 SoCal hiking trails that are blooming with wildflowers (but probably not for long! Two other Steinmeyer illusions soon made a Henning TV special, and Henning eventually offered him a job helping launch Merlin on Broadway. He never lost interest in the magic world, says Nancy. According to new reports, Mr. Henning was diagnosed with liver cancer in 1999. Steinmeyer keeps his secrets out of reach as hours of conversation unfold. As one of the first illusionists to incorporate elaborate sets, Henning changed the way magic was presented. Solid metal, right?before doing another. He wears a khaki vest over a tie and pinstriped Oxford, a look that combined with his affable demeanor conjures him as a boy haunting Chicago-area magic shops in the 1950s, hobnobbing with performers, probing for tips. When he watches performances, he tunes in not just to the magic but the way people respond to it. 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. | Henning went to India for a time to work with the maharishi, telling The Times by telephone in 1988: It was the fulfillment of my career to do this. 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. Its also, The date was October 9th, 1985. Andrew Gans Ive spent my time learning new card tricks and entertaining all the kids in the mountains. As well, Debby starred in several summer theater musicals (including Fiddler on the Roof and Applause) and studied mime, jazz dance and singing. It earned monster ratings, and NBC made the Emmy-winning special an annual event. Dougy almost fell off his chair. "I will not have that in our house," she said. Doug Henning was born on May 3, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada as Douglas James Henning. Hes not even sure what to call the act. Will the greatest illusion designer in the world tell us his secrets? The space is shrine to the history and craft of stage magic. Seven Doug Hennings World of Magic TV specials aired throughout the late 70s and early 80s, helping to make Henning a household name. Share the best GIFs now >>> 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. I nod. December 20, 1982, pages 70-72. This couple stayed married until Hennings death. In fact, theres just enough room for the woman to drop her knees to one side and avoid the blades. Mr. Henning was one of the supporters of a $1 billion theme park, Veda Land, proposed for the Niagara Falls area. If you know of a past magician not listed in MagicPedia, start a New Biography for them or Email us your suggestion. So he traveled with two tractor-trailer loads of 15 sets, equipment for 30 illusions and a menagerie. Education 03 of 10. To take the stage, Kyle passes through a giant fan with spinning bladesthe very trick Id spotted in one of Steinmeyers notebooks. Republication or distribution of this content is If you do not yet have a Torstar account, you can create one now (it is free), Copyright owned or licensed by Toronto Star Newspapers Limited. Taking its name from basketball star LeBron James, the work comes to New York after runs at Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Center Theatre Group. In a world of deepfakes and identity theft and warfare by invisible computer viruses, real-life deception has consequences. You want that thing to be very clear.. Newspapers Limited, 8 Spadina Avenue, 10th Floor, Toronto, ON M5V 0S8. Rebecca Taylor Henning / AP. In 1975, Mr. Henning broke through to an even larger audience when he performed Houdini's ''Water Torture Escape'' on a live television special. See the article in its original context from. WebHe was living with his second wife, Debby Douillard, and he had no children. He is survived by his wife of nearly 20 years, Debby. (December 6, 1981 - February 7, 2000) (his death), View agent, publicist, legal and company contact details on IMDbPro. So, how much is Doug Henning worth at the age of 53 years old? Spellbound: The Wonder-Filled Life of Doug Henning A native of Fort Garry, Manitoba, he moved to the United States and became an international star. Was nominated for Broadway's 1975 Tony Award as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for "The Magic Show.". 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. He erased an elephant from the center ring for Ringling Bros. '', As a student at McMaster College in Hamilton, Ontario, Mr. Henning studied psychology but planned all along to pursue magic as a career. 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 launches into a commentary about how people dont just receive entertainment anymorethey see it as a challenge. But what Steinmeyer intends to unpack for me is uncertain. Steinmeyer shows them to no one. Rene Clement wrote: I remeber years ago they did a dueling magicians parody supposedly Henning vs. Copperfield. In 1973, he borrowed $5,000 from his mother and, with a friend, launched a rock musical-cum-magic show called Spellbound in Toronto. Only when I press does he finally relent. Doug Henning was stiff as a board, and as he didn't sing, the musical numbers were never really landed in the show. Some of the more recent ones Steinmeyer wrote himself. Doug Henning had no children. Debby Henning - Magicpedia - Genii He was 52 years old when he died. Shut out of basketball by his size, Henning revived his interest in magic. "Dougy was supposed to speak that night and do some magic, and I was supposed to tell him when to go on stage." The energy ramps up once the doors open, the dressed-up crowd rolls in, and the performances start. Hed been polite, but wary. "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." This story has been shared 125,059 times. May-be. Steinmeyer sees Im not going to let the sawing-in-half trick go, and maybe against his better judgment, he relents. Doug Henning My last day hanging around with him, I ask Steinmeyer straight up: How does the sawing-in-half trick work? There are three scripts in a magic show, he explains. Doug Henning was previously married to Barbara DeAngelis, a self-help author. I remember thinking that was a really good idea, but I had no use for it at the time, Steinmeyer says. The people are so pure. He was He is engaged, insightful, and animated, and he speaks about his life and biography with depth, but he deflects other questions that remind me of the conversational rope-a-dope magicians use, suggesting one thingSee these rings? Coincidentally, Id seen that exact trick at the Magic Castle the night before. Ramon had never performed original tricks before, but in Steinmeyers studio he understood for the first time how they were birthed. The diminutive Doug Henning soon landed at Hollywoods Magic Castle, grant in pocket, for a three-month cram course. November 12, 1986, pages 6-7. In the studio with us are two of the trick tables. Harry taught Jim it was about more than propsyou had to engage the audience with a storyand between this tutelage and the television and Chicagos booming local magic scene, a fascination took hold. Join Facebook to connect with Doug Henning and others you may know. Actor: The Magic Show. When their mother was diagnosed with cancer, he spent several months caring for her in Toronto. Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Henning exploded onto the magic scene in the 70s, bringing a modern touch to classic magic routines. People Magazine Interview: Part One THE DOUG HENNING 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. Encouraged students of magic to make their own props and equipment, and not rely on ready-made magic kits. He was all over the newspapers, magazines, talk shows, and (had) yearly television specials. He vanished and gradually restored on stagefrom veins, to nervous system, to skinthe titular character of The Invisible Man. The result was The Magic Show, which lured mesmerized audiences to Broadway for 4 1/2 years and earned the young illusionist the first in a string of annual NBC television specials. I couldn't help myself. Henning spent his final years working with the Maharishi to build a meditation theme park in Niagara Falls, Ontario. In each show, his illusions became increasingly complex. People Magazine Interview: Part Two He later put an advertisement in a local newspaper reading: ''Magician: Have Rabbit, Will Travel. Henning had revived magic in a big way. TV magician and escape artist who brought Merlin to Broadway and became known for his groovy mustache and rainbow-colored clothes. True to form, Steinmeyer first gives a non-answer. Debby became Doug's assistant, appearing as a singer and dancer, as well as designing all of the costumes, for Merlin and on tour. His first wife, Barbara DeAngelis, was a TM instructor, and when Doug married his second wife, The act won a few local awards. He was the face of magic, McNally says. I cannot imagine why.Sideshow Gathering 2010 Its a mind-reading trick, but instead of the magician playing the part of the clairvoyant, its the third-party burglar. To order Dubbed Veda Land, it would be the first theme park concerned with spiritual enlightenment and would include a levitating building and a journey into the heart of a rose. Suddenly the assistant was standing in his place, and Mr. Henning was in the trunk, handcuffed. There are 24 notebooks, 100 pages each. Steinmeyer doesnt know how the safe illusion works. All Rights Reserved. At the time of my visit, Steinmeyer served as president (though his tenure has since ended), and we arrive about an hour before opening. 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. Into a notebook it went, and years later he excavated it for the play. WebDoug Henning. Stay tuned to Playbill as Broadway gets ready to reveal its top honors. He died on 7 February 2000 in Los Angeles, California, USA. 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. May 1, 2023, By The lock-picking bandit looks at the closed safe with a pair of field glasses and disappears. This page was last modified on 15 February 2021, at 11:24. Copyright 1991-2023 Playbill Inc. All Rights Reserved. May 1, 2023. Debby Douillard (6 December1981 - 7 February2000)( his death), Barbara De Angelis (20 December1977 - 1981)( divorced). The legend reads: LevitationThe Greatest Illusion in the World.. Nobody else is working at this level. Lloyds of London would soon insure his hands for $3 million, or $300,000 per finger. Magic renews that wonder.. When he offered to help launch the solo career of Alex Ramona former magician for the Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey Circushe asked Ramon to write down his favorite tricks, architectural styles, pieces of art, color schemes, and so on to garner a sense of his aesthetic and his way of thinking. Debby Henning was the wife, assistant, business partner and muse to illusionist Doug Henning. Doug is unique in that he didnt copy anyone before or after him, he says. Superstar magician Doug Henning led a wild life | The Star Major General Dany Fortin, military officer acquitted of sexual assault, sues government, PM for $6M Given the nature of his business, he said, he had to be proprietary about sharing the way magic is accomplished. My brain fizzes with unsated curiosity. 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 People who have been sawn in half - IMDb For years and years, I avoidedI just thought it was presumptuous to say, Heres how you create things, he says. 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. Doves became rabbits in Mr. Henning's hands, and horses took wing. Magician Henning Dies - People 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. He conquered Broadway with his smash rock musical, The Magic Show, which ran for more than four years at the Cort Theater. I didnt have that engineering mind. Today, he has a trick in which his blond assistant materializes in an empty chair covered by a cloth. His net worth has been growing significantly in 2022-2023. These positions had their rewards, he says, but he struggled with the compromises that come with corporate productions. Please consider supporting us bywhitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.Thank you! Henning sees no one at any. Had he lived, Henning would have surely become an elder statesman of magic, McNally says, one who would have consulted for other performers, possibly work on effects for movies and TV shows (or) lectured., Like the world of illusion, Hennings life had been full of possibility. The truth of how magic works is that most of us dont know because we dont wantto know. 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. Wonder, Henning always said, is necessary in life, and magic can reawaken the wonder that occurs naturally in children but is lost to cynicism as people grow up. You need to know the mechanisms of these tricks to avoid being taken in. Steinmeyer holds that feeling himself. He admires a trick well done. But after some back and forth, he had agreed to let me inside his world under an ill-defined agreement to stick to the basic principles of building magic tricks. Today, running his own business requires an astonishingly disparate set of skills. ", They were engaged within a week. He made a firm impact on audiences of the time, and because of this, he is a permanent part of magics DNA.. Magic, he says, is an opportunity to experience a deception without actually being threatened.. Doug Henning, a Superstar Of Illusion, Is Dead at 52, https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/09/arts/doug-henning-a-superstar-of-illusion-is-dead-at-52.html. 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. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? Survivors include his wife, Debbie. 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. Something bigger is happening, Steinmeyer says. Thats really what this is. Debby was born Deborah Ann Douillard to Roger and Ann Douillard, who ran a contracting firm in a New York suburb. 1981) Wife: Debby Douillard (m. Dec-1981) University: BS Psychology, McMaster University (1970) Transcendental Meditation Risk Factors: Doug Debby met Doug Henning at a charity benefit at the Transcendental He was a writer, known for The Magic Show (1983), World of Magic (1977) and Doug Henning's World of Magic (1976). The god-tier highlight of his career is arguably designing David Copperfields televised vanishing of the Statue of Liberty, but over more than three decades, Steinmeyer has engineered an entire pantheon of physics-defying, brain-exploding, how-is-that-even-possible feats. His long-suffering wife is always willing to do everything he asks of her. It still coaxes grasps from a crowd. Between 1975 and 1982, he created and starred in several television specials, aired on NBC and CBS, under the title of "Doug Henning's World of Magic." Doug Henning Kellars arms are elevated skyward, a woman floating above his hands. 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. ", Debby agreed, "It was like I blossomed right on the spot. He transformed the Beast into a prince at the end of the stage version of Beauty and the Beast. 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. Henning From Magicpedia, the free online encyclopedia for magicians by magicians. Biography - A Short Wiki. 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 ), Hennings television shows won him an Emmy and seven Emmy nominations. Margaret Hall Will Virtual Reality Ever Live Up to the Hype? Cause of death: cancer. Thats the point of my visitIm here to understand what Steinmeyer does and how he does it. Theres the script where you ostensibly say whats happening, which is often a lie. Over in the larger Parlor of Prestidigitation, Bill Abbott presents a mashup of puppetry and magic featuring a lustful monkey. Henning was approached by Broadway producers Edgar Lansbury and Joseph Beruh about bringing a version of the show to New York. '', 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.''. Debbie Henning THE DOUG HENNING PROJECT I I asked one of his crew after the show if I might meet Doug and get his autograph. 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. 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. He honed his skills touring North America with veteran magicians, and with a bit of luck, he opened a magic-music show in a Toronto theater. (www.travsd.com) is best known for his books "No Applause, Just Throw Money: The Book That Made Vaudeville Famous" (2005) and "Chain of Fools: Silent Comedy and Its Legacies from Nickelodeons to Youtube" (2013). His job is to think of something completely impossible, then figure out a way to apparently accomplish itand that process can be messy. So whats the trick? As we walk through his home, posters of great magicians past stand guard along the walls. The thing about the Magic Castle and places like it, when youre there in the right size theater, the intimacy is just completely amazing. His story about the burglar and the safe is as much about what he doesnt say as what he does. At one point derided as crazy and a has-been, Henning insisted to one Canadian political reporter in 1994: Im a visionary., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Hollywood writers strike over streaming pay after talks fail, Models and climate activists hit the streets to protest the star-studded 2023 Met Gala, Gordon Lightfoot, mournful Canadian singer-songwriter, dies at 84, Tim Bachman, founding guitarist of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, dies at 71. You want that thing where people go, Ohhh, theyre about to divide a person into three pieces, Steinmeyer says. I decide this is where Im going to make my stand and try to extract a secret. Id approached Steinmeyer with this intent a few weeks earlier. He was a writer and actor, known for The Magic Show (1983), World of Magic (1977) and Doug Henning's World of Magic (1976). 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 Rather than perform for a small circle of spectators, the tuxedoed Goebel stretched his act across the entire stage, employing costumed assistants in larger illusions like levitation and sawing someone in half. Blocking belongson the stage,not on websites. I ask where his ideas come from. With his magic shows, he rejected the traditional tuxedo and top hat costume and prefered bright multi coloured casual clothing and tights. The SIX: The Musical star originated the role of Chiffon in the current revival at the Westside Theatre. Doug Henning was born on May 3, 1947 in Fort Garry, Manitoba, Canada.

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