He was known as the "hippie magician" for his long hair and mustache, and during the '70s and '80s helped to revitalize prestidigitation as a popular entertainment. His signature stunt was a recreation of Harry Houdini's most famous trick, the "Water Torture Escape," where he was immersed upside down in a tank of water, trapped in a straightjacket and shackles. Henning, who died Monday following a five-month battle with liver cancer, created and starred in several magic musicals on Broadway and even had an annual special on NBC.
Passage: Doug Henning, 52
He was known as the "hippie magician" for his long hair and mustache, and during the '70s and '80s helped to revitalize prestidigitation as a popular entertainment. His signature stunt was a recreation of Harry Houdini's most famous trick, the "Water Torture Escape," where he was immersed upside down in a tank of water, trapped in a straightjacket and shackles. Henning, who died Monday following a five-month battle with liver cancer, created and starred in several magic musicals on Broadway and even had an annual special on NBC.
