The fourth in a series of seven annual prime-time television specials that aired between 1975 and 1982, starring famous magician Doug Henning; this time, Brooke Shields appears, and Tom Bosley, for some reason, plays heel.

Oh, Doug Henning. The 70s, really. Starting as The Astounding Hendoo in Winnipeg, he won a government grant with the idea that his work was “magic plus theatre equals art.” The live theatrical show that would result, Spellbound, was written by David Cronenberg, directed by Henning’s college friend Ivan Reitman and had music by Howard Shore. His career went beyond magic, as he created looks for the Jacksons Victory Tour, had his own line of stuffed animals called Wonder Whims, co-wrote a b0ok about Harry Houdini, married relationship consultant Barbara De Angelis (who was married five times and one time to Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus author John Gray), moved to India in order to devote his time to Transcendental Meditation, almost started a TM theme park named Maharishi Veda Land in Florida, was the senior vice president of the Natural Law Party of Canada and a Natural Law Party candidate in the United Kingdom’s general election. Sadly, he died of liver cancer at the age of 52. Nothed crumudgeon James Randi said that Henning “abandoned regular medical treatment for liver cancer, continued to pursue his diet of nuts and berries, and died of the disease.”

In his act, he always said the same thing: “Anything the mind can conceive is possible. Nothing is impossible. All you have to do is look within, and you can realize your fondest dreams. I would like to wish each one of you all of life’s wonders and a joyful age of enlightenment.”

He was everywhere in the 70s. It’s hard to overstate how much Doug Henning’s psychedelic, “rainbow-and-denim” aesthetic defined the 1970s. He managed to pivot magic away from the stuffy, tuxedo-clad Victorian era and into the age of Aquarius.

Director Walter C. Miller was the man when it came to making award shows and specials. Buz Kohan, who wrote this, worked on similar stuff. 

You can watch this on YouTube.