29 Facts About Doug Henning

Douglas James Henning was a Canadian magician, illusionist, escape artist and politician.

Doug Henning became interested in magic after seeing the Peruvian magician Richiardi Jr.

Doug Henning subsequently learned a variety of tricks and performed for his relatives.

Doug Henning found the work to be too heavy and tiring; so, with the help of a female assistant, he formed the partnership of Henning and Mars, and performed at local bars and nightclubs.

Doug Henning soon realized that he needed more theatrical training as well as the principles of magic.

Doug Henning applied for a grant with the Canada Council Arts Bursary in the theater division with a proposal that used the equation that magic plus theater equals art.

Doug Henning was awarded a Canada Council for the Arts grant for $4,000.

Doug Henning sifted through magic literature in the hopes of developing an all-around magic education in manipulation and being an illusionist.

Doug Henning visited the Magic Castle in Hollywood, California, a private club for magicians.

Thereafter, Doug Henning traveled to Hollywood to study with Vernon, then with another magic great, Slydini, whom he considered to be his primary teacher of magic.

Doug Henning borrowed money for the project and spent $5,000 to build and design illusions.

Doug Henning reworked the show after catching the attention of New York producers and took it to Broadway as The Magic Show, with songs composed by Stephen Schwartz.

Doug Henning spent the next eight months reworking his stage act for TV and practicing the water-torture escape act.

In 1977, Doug Henning co-wrote a biography of Houdini, Houdini: His Legend and His Magic.

Doug Henning created illusions for an Earth, Wind and Fire tour in 1979, and for two of singer Michael Jackson's concerts, including his 1984 Victory Tour.

In 1983, Doug Henning was the producer and star of the Broadway musical Merlin.

Doug Henning successfully performed the water torture illusion, although he did not break Houdini's time record.

On December 13,1977, Doug Henning appeared as a guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

In 1980, Doug Henning appeared on The Muppet Show, where he performed several acts.

Doug Henning demonstrated chink-a-chink for Scooter, did a flying handkerchief trick for Kermit the Frog's nephew Robin, segmented a Muppet monster into four pieces, and performed The Metamorphosis: a bit where he swapped places with an assistant who was locked inside a trunk.

On February 13,1981, Doug Henning made his seventh appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Doug Henning came back to the show that had made him a star, and many changes were made for this new production.

Doug Henning was featured in television commercials during 1984 to promote the Plymouth Voyager minivan.

In 1992, Doug Henning was a Natural Law Party candidate in the United Kingdom's general election, contesting the Parliamentary constituency of Blackpool South in Lancashire.

Doug Henning finished fourth of four candidates, polling 173 votes.

Doug Henning was senior vice president of the Natural Law Party of Canada, and ran as the party's candidate for the former Toronto riding of Rosedale in the 1993 federal election, finishing sixth out of ten candidates.

Doug Henning died aged 52 on February 7,2000, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, five months after being diagnosed with liver cancer.

Doug Henning's ashes were scattered in the Pacific Ocean off Redondo Beach, California.

On June 8,2010, it was announced that Doug Henning would receive a star on Canada's Walk of Fame.