There is no question that Doug Henning changed the game of magic. I was a 12-year-old kid who had been doing magic for just six years when Doug burst upon the scene starring in his very first live television special for NBC. When those 60 minutes came to an end, the art of magic had changed in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, magic was cool, and this goofy, long-haired and buck-toothed hippy was its messiah.
At the MAGIC Live convention in Las Vegas this past August, attendees were all privileged to experience the largest collection of Doug Henning memorabilia on loan from magician Chip Romero’s private acquisitions, allowing all attendees to travel backwards in time to relive their formative, inspirational years and pay tribute to the man who made such an impact on our art form. The collection is exhaustive, and includes items of interest from Doug’s early, determinative years, his successful run on Broadway, and through all of his blockbuster TV specials and life beyond the fame. Viewing Chip’s collection not only filled me with nostalgia for those days gone by, but being one of the convention attendees lucky enough to have access to The Magic Castle and the club’s history, I couldn’t help but reminisce about how The Castle played such an important role in Doug’s overall success.