Doug Henning

Doug Henning ( May 3, 1947 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, † February 7, 2000 in Los Angeles ) was a Canadian magician and illusionist large.

Douglas James Henning began in the 1970s, revolutionizing the stage magic stylistically.

Henning mastered his craft from the manipulation with playing cards to large scale illusion. Hennings repertoire included most of today modern large-scale illusions. However, his trademark was his humorous, theater moderate and fresh style of presentation that broke with convention and his time was decades ahead.

Spellbound

As a psychology student Henning taught at the University of Sorcery, where he later film director Ivan Reitman ( Ghostbusters - Ghostbusters ) met. Together they produced in Toronto, the brightly colored hippie - magic show Spellbound in the style of a musical that was originally intended only as a stopgap for a failed theatrical production. The music drove the Lighthouse musician and film composer Howard Shore for later (The Lord of the Rings ). The rapid low-budget production broke all box office records.

The Magic Show

Henning was hired to Broadway, where he perfected the show with a higher budget and professional theater logistics and " The Magic Show" made ​​four years for sold-out halls. His story was a show -in- the - show, which was about a young magician who is not the insipid show style with glamor girls, etc wanted to organize. For the first time since the " golden era " stage magic was again presented with elaborate Illusions in theater moderate style.

Merlin

Also with Reitman realized Henning on Broadway, the musical Merlin, which was honored with the Tony Award. The young Merlin played the young Christian Slater. In this show, the first time a rotating around its longitudinal floating lady was presented, which Reitman also in his film Ghostbusters - Ghostbusters used with Sigourney Weaver. Because the show despite brilliant reviews and sold out houses were sold at high costs.

TV magician

Henning moved to Los Angeles. For a TV station he designed in 1975 the annual Christmas special with eight months of preparation, in which he, inter alia, conjured with predators and elephants. The Houdini Enthusiast emulated his idol, the legendary underwater Entfesslungsnummer, which was watched by 50 million TV viewers. Henning was a frequent guest on TV shows, including the Johnny Carson show, Sesame Street and the Muppet Show. Henning was also interested in magic in the esoteric sense and reached into his later shows spiritual and biblical topics.

Discussions

The Disney Corporation advised Henning at illusions in theme parks. He also contributed special effects for such artists as Earth, Wind and Fire and the Jacksons.

Exit and Transcendental Meditation

The most prominent TV magician of his time learned at the height of his career, the Transcendental Meditation ( TM), sold his props, including advisors to the young junior magician David Copperfield, and went to his guru in India. Copperfield realized for a TV show disappearance of the Statue of Liberty - a project that Henning had refused - and inherited Henning as a new TV magician. Henning also ran for the TM organization related Natural Law Party and advocated the yogic flying. He always hoped that one day in the lotus position actually to be able to float as he had shown it in his stage shows. For spiritual theme parks, he constructed nature-loving illusions that were not realized.

Return to the U.S.

End of the 90 returned Henning back to the U.S. and was planning a comeback as a magician. In 2000, he died of liver cancer.