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Chezaday Inner circle Naperville, IL 1673 Posts |
Just found out an interesting fact from author John Harrison about Doug Henning's final show. This of course was his full evening show w/ Debbie and a good number of illusions. The curtain came down one last time on June 21, 1987 at the Trump Plaza in Atlantic City. If you haven't read John's biography Spellbound, do yourself a favor and pick one up. It really puts the pieces of the puzzle together .. highly recommended.
The whole issue came up when I recently saw someone on eBay selling a ticket stub they claimed was from June 29, 1994. I had to write the seller and let them know the facts .. it has since been removed from the auction site. The face value of the ticket was only $20.00, a bargain at twice the price. Anyone happen to see Doug's last show? I remember seeing one of his last tours around April of 1986, I still have a backstage pass with the date on there. Still, one of the best shows I've ever seen .. Doug was in total control of his audience. Steve |
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Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
I saw that same tour, Steve. This would have been July of '86. I remember being amazed that he was playing one-nighters with huge illusions like Mousetrap, and that was also the first time I saw the pole levitation and the now-legendary Origami (which is such a great patter trick as conceived by Mr. Steinmeyer). The whole show was a great mixture of old illusions and new.
Doug was truly at the top of his game. He did two shows that night, and I saw both of them. He was always so generous to his audiences, and he really was one of my earliest inspirations to not only love magic, but to begin performing. I really owe a lot to him. |
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Bob1Dog Inner circle Wife: It's me or this houseful of 1159 Posts |
Unfortunately, the only Doug Henning Show I ever saw was his show on Broadway in the early 70s and that probably launched his career. I think it was called The Magic Show, but don't remember. But I do remember being mesmerized by him and his magic. At the opening of the show, he walked across the stage doing a finger to finger half dollar manipulation while takling to the audience about the wonder of magic, with such smooth dexterity...and it just got better from there. His closing act was Metamorphosis, with "One, Two, Three....It's me....." It was a great show. and began my interest in magic too. He still remains one of the immortals of the art and craft; and he left us too soon.
What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about?
My neighbor rang my doorbell at 2:30 a.m. this morning, can you believe that, 2:30 a.m.!? Lucky for him I was still up playing my drums. |
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Bob1Dog Inner circle Wife: It's me or this houseful of 1159 Posts |
Hey Frank, off topic, but where are you in SW Montana? I was stationed at Great Falls' Malmstrom Air Force Base from '69-71 and my wife is from the little town of Harlowton about 90 miles north of Billings. I have fond memories of fly fishing the Madison and Bighorn Rivers, the Missouri, Musselshell, Gallatin an Yellowstone. Y'all have the best trout waters in the world. I love the Big Sky. Haven't been back in the ten years since my mother-in-law passed away. One day soon....I'm itching for a Madison River float trip vrom the Varney Bridge to Ennis! Best, Bob
What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about?
My neighbor rang my doorbell at 2:30 a.m. this morning, can you believe that, 2:30 a.m.!? Lucky for him I was still up playing my drums. |
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Mike Maturen Inner circle Michigan's Beautiful Sunrise Side 2726 Posts |
Doug was a great and early inspiration for me, too. Because of his talking about the "wonder" of magic, I have named my company in his honor: World of Wonder Entertainment (used to be World of Wonder Magic).
I saw him in the late 70's or early 80's. I still have the autographed program, and will always remember the brief chat we had.
Mike Maturen
World of Wonder Entertainment The Magic and Mayhem of Mike Maturen 989-335-1661 mikematuren@gmail.com AUTHOR OF "A NEW DAWN--Weekly Wisdom From Everyday Life" member: International Magician's Society |
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Richard Sherry Veteran user Calgary, AB, Canada 313 Posts |
I used to sit beside Doug Henning at the local magic meetings when I was a kid.He was just on the cusp of stardom. He even gave me a print out of what I needed to do to become a magician. He was terrific to talk with. I was 13 and he was 25ish and had time for everyone.
I sat front row on opening night of Spellbound at the Royal Alexander theatre in Toronto and saw his last tour in 87. It's funny he was only around for 15 years or so but had such an amazing impact. His sister was a nurse in Calgary and in 1997 helped deliver my twin daughters. Crazy!!!! |
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R.E. Byrnes Inner circle 1206 Posts |
Good recall of The Magic Show. there's apparently no video of the full performance, but this summary (http://www.doughenningbook.com/Magic%20Show.htm), indicates that the Sub. Trunk was in fact the closer for the show within a show, while the production of a lion concluded the play, consistent with the theme that the co-lead aspires to be a "lion tamer." I saw it five or so times, and found the zig zag and gene anderson torn & restored particularly vivid.
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Artie Fufkin Special user 853 Posts |
The Magic Show was at the Cort Theater on Broadway when I saw it.
I was there a few years ago again to see Rent. Doug was definitely "in the house" the night I saw Rent........but then I was looking for him. |
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MagicalMotivator Veteran user 310 Posts |
Doug was about 12 years ahead of me - we were both Mac (McMaster University Grads Psych Majors) and many of my profs remembered him quite well - I had the opportunity to meet him a few times and he was quite "larger than life", and yet very approachable at the same time (we both shared an early magical mentor Ron Leonard) - I had the great pleasure of attending a few tapings of "The Magic Show" the movie when it was filmed in Toronto (and at that time it was quite amazing), and years later one of his main male dancer / assistants from that show (and an avid motorcycle rider:)) actually became our choreographer for some of our early illusions and a good friend. Doug was a "great entertainer" who really got people to believe in magic. One of my fondest treasure's is Doug's last business card (before he made it big) which has on it not Magician, but "Artist OF Illusion" which was quite different for the times.
MM |
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Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
@Artie- That's very cool, except that Rent played the Nederlander, not the Cort, which was in fact where The Magic Show played.
P.S. How are things over at Polymer Records? @Bob1Dog- I'm in The Bozeman area. Fishing and floating the Madison are just minutes from my doorstep! Let me know if you're ever in the area! |
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Artie Fufkin Special user 853 Posts |
You're dead right Frank........Cort for the Magic Show, and Nederlander for Rent.
I gotta get to New York more often, and learn my Broadway theaters better. |
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R.E. Byrnes Inner circle 1206 Posts |
I have a distinct memory of saturation ads in new York for Merlin in the spring of 1983, with the odd emphasis in Chita Rivera, as if she (I assume) would be the hook for non-magicians. The 10-month run suggests there wasn't quite the stampede that there was for The Magic Show. But maybe it was good? Did anyone here see Merlin?
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Bob1Dog Inner circle Wife: It's me or this houseful of 1159 Posts |
Frank, Will give a holler if I get to Bozeman.....my wife graduated from MSU in 71 with a BS Nursing. Spent a lot of time in Bozeman back then! Best, Bob
What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about?
My neighbor rang my doorbell at 2:30 a.m. this morning, can you believe that, 2:30 a.m.!? Lucky for him I was still up playing my drums. |
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Pete Biro 1933 - 2018 18558 Posts |
Saw Doug at the Cort, and also at a college in NYC, and hired him to do an hour at one of our IMB conventions (Long Beach, CA).
I also worked for him shooting photos during his live TV shows. Great magician, wonderful person, who really believed there was a unicorn in his garden.
STAY TOONED... @ www.pete-biro.com
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JVHarrison Regular user 105 Posts |
RE Byrnes: I s aw Merlin many times, and while the magic was cutting edge for the time (it would hold up quite well even now), the show, as a Broadway musical, had many faults. Even Doug, with his illusions and effervesence, couldn't overcome a bad book, an unmemorable score and unremarkable direction. There are a few copies of a very poor video tape of Merlin floating around somewhere, so you may actually get the chance to see it some day. For a complete synopsis of Merlin, and its illusions, you can go here http://www.doughenningbook.com/Merlin.htm . For the inside story on the making of Merlin, you can buy my book <wink>.
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Frank Simpson Special user SW Montana 883 Posts |
You can actually watch the opening number as it appeared on the 1983 TONY Awards® broadcast. (Interesting side note: the actor playing Old Merlin is George Lee Andrews, an original cast member in The Phantom of the Opera… and is still in that show! Watch "It's About Magic" here.
And this link is one of the TV commercials for the show. |
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Chezaday Inner circle Naperville, IL 1673 Posts |
Like I said before, do yourself a favor and buy Spellbound. There was a lot of mystery that surrounded Doug and his career. Back then there was no Internet or TMZ and we would rely on little snippets of news in the paper or magazines. Johns book stitches all these bits of information into a timeline. He fills in the gaps with first hand information. It's truly a labor of love and I'm very thankful he completed this project. We need to support his efforts and his contribution to the history of magic.
Doug was a superstar of his time and changed the way the public perceived magic ... it's just that simple. Steve |
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R.E. Byrnes Inner circle 1206 Posts |
He certainly was a pivotal influence for me. the first magic show I ever saw was in fact The Magic Show. I was aware that in his appearance and the energy he exuded he was breaking new ground. and as others have noted, that he was so obviously a sincere and decent person permeated his performances. it was a distinctive and openly emotive form of wonder -- perfect for its era -- as opposed to the cryptic and more foreboding aura of his top-hat-and-tails predecessors. thanks for the references to Spellbound and confirmation that Merlin was a first-rate show despite its short run. even as an 8 year-old I knew two magic-themed broadway shows in a ten-year span was extraordinary.
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makeupguy Inner circle 1411 Posts |
I can't begin to say how much Doug affected my life. I saw him in The Magic Show, I saw it again with Joe Abaldo, his replacement, and I saw him in two tours. I was 8-9 the first time I saw The Magic show and it changed my life.
I also go to see Merlin with my grandfather.. at the time it wasn't the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. I had a couple of correspondences with Doug.. both with handwritten additions from Doug himself! I think the world needs more performers with a similar attitude.. and honestly, I think that Criss Angel and his followers have done more damage to magic in the last few years than I ever thought was possible. Doug TRULY made it his goal to bring wonder back into people's lives, while the magic that the new "street magicians" do is all about them. Magic shouldn't be about YOU.. as Doug always said.. it should be about bringing wonder into peoples lives. My friend Walt Anthony has a whole book that's about this... and http://www.wack-o-magic.com is going to be releasing a hat tear routine (written by Walt) that really really sends this message home. It's the type of routine that will make adults cry and kids want to become magicians!! Which is exactly what Doug did for me. |
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Donal Chayce Inner circle 1770 Posts |
Quote:
On 2011-04-05 00:19, R.E. Byrnes wrote: I, too, saw Merlin, and let's just say that as a Broadway musical is was a terrific magic show. (And I do mean terrific.) For those who perhaps wanted more in the way of a Broadway musical, in addition to Chita Rivera there wsa also a relatively unknown (at the time) comedic actor named Nathan Lane in one of the major supporting roles. |
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