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World of Magic IVThe fourth special — live on NBC, December 14, 1978

The fourth special, themed “A Magical Journey Through Time” — a live camel, then three ages of magic in China, medieval England and Egypt, with Brooke Shields and Tom Bosley along for the ride. Enough went wrong on air that it became the last of the specials broadcast live. These stills come from a complete off-air recording of the WDIV Detroit broadcast, commercials and all; the act notes below are folded in from the fan wiki.

88 stills, in broadcast order. Stills from the complete broadcast preserved by The Museum of Classic Chicago Television. Their watermark is left intact. The act descriptions were typed from memory by a wiki contributor watching the original 1978 broadcast, before home video — so they record the show as remembered.

Introduction

Still from “Introduction” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Introduction” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Setting the scene

The hour opens cold with the production of a live camel, before Henning lays out the framing device: a journey back through time to three ages of magic — China, medieval England and ancient Egypt.

Still from “Setting the scene” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Setting the scene” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Stop 1: Ancient China

The Oriental routine: Chinese fans and floating butterflies, a girl produced on an oriental bridge and then vanished from the top of a rolling glass table.

Still from “Stop 1: Ancient China” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 1: Ancient China” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 1: Ancient China” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 1: Ancient China” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Stop 2: Medieval England

The Medieval routine opens with a torn-and-restored thread and Martin Lewis’s “Sidewalk Shuffle” with oversized cards.

Still from “Stop 2: Medieval England” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 2: Medieval England” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 2: Medieval England” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 2: Medieval England” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Stop 3: Ancient Egypt

The Egyptian finale begins with the Disappearing Sand, then the Pyramid Transposition: two small pyramids sit on transparent platforms balanced like a giant set of scales. Brooke Shields climbs into the left one; the platforms are pulled away and it sinks under her weight — until Henning gestures, the balance reverses, and she is revealed inside the far pyramid instead.

Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Stop 3: Ancient Egypt” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Timex commercial break

Still from “Timex commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Timex commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Return to the journey

Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Return to the journey” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Chinese legend illusion

The set piece is the Henning-to-Shields transposition — Doug puts on a Chinese robe and mask, and when they are pulled away it is actress Brooke Shields standing there instead. He strikes a Chinese gong and it wilts.

Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Chinese legend illusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Commercial break

Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Medieval fair magic

Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Medieval fair magic” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Troubadour illusions

The Card Sword: a chosen card is lost back in the deck, the deck is dropped into a drinking glass, and as the cards fountain up into the air Henning stabs his sword through the one card the spectator picked.

Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Troubadour illusions” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Miniature magician act

Comedic actor Tom Bosley of Happy Days appears on a tiny stage as a pint-sized figure — his own head, but Henning’s arms and hands doing the sleights while Bosley works the little dancing legs. The “little man” runs billiard-ball passes, the classic thumb-removal gag and the Human Hen, producing egg after egg from Bosley’s mouth.

Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Miniature magician act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Commercial break

Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Egyptian final act

The closer is the Tiger Escape: Henning is sealed inside a clear cylinder and lowered into a cage of live tigers perched on a narrow pedestal. He vanishes — and a moment later the ancient Egyptian statue that has stood at the side of the stage all along raises its arms, removes its own helmet and mask, and is Doug Henning.

Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Egyptian final act” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Commercial break

Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Commercial break” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

Conclusion

Still from “Conclusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “Conclusion” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV

News update and closing

Still from “News update and closing” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV
Still from “News update and closing” — Doug Henning’s World of Magic IV