Doug Henning & Ann Jillian
performing
Sawing a Woman in Half**

This episode of Doug Henning's World of Magic first aired in May of 1982. The show featured many acts with guests stars Bruce Jenner, and Billy Crystal.  Another guest, Ann Jillian, assisted Doug in "a remarkable exhibition of futuristic wonder."  With the help of Nanci Hammond, Doug and Ann showed that in the future, "a solid will actually pass through a solid."

The illusion begins with
Doug introducing the
illusion.

Doug gestures for
a large disc to be
lowered down that
passes through the
center of the table.

Doug taps the disc
showing that it is
completely solid.

Doug continues to
explain that in the
future it will be possible
for a solid to pass
directly through
another solid...

and to demonstrate
this, all that is needed
is an assistant.

Ann makes it clear
that she will not be
the one the disc
passes through.

Doug calls upon the
aid of one of his
assistants to help
Ann and him
demonstrate his
concept.

His assistant Nanci
hops up onto the
table.

As Doug helps
to remove Nanci's
shoes...

she removes her
gloves and gives 
them to him.

Nanci turns toward
the center of the
table and...

slides through the
opening in the center. 

Once lying down,
Ann tickles her feet.

Doug's other assistants
bring out two boxes...

and cover each
half of Nanci with
them.

Ann checks that
the boxes are
secured in place.

Ann and Doug
then set the table
in place...

with the front
facing the audience.

At Doug's request...

the disc is lowered.

The disc is lowered...

until it completely
passes

through the center
of the table, and
Nanci.

Doug and Ann turn
the table so that
both sides are
visible to the audience.

Doors on each
box are opened...

revealing Nanci
still inside.

The table is then
turned...

completely around...

showing all sides to
the audience.

Doug then removes
the disc from between
the table halves...

and shows both
sides of it to the
audience to prove
that it is solid.

Doug then asks Ann
if she would like to
play a game of
catch.

He proceeds to roll
the disc through
the center of the
table...

where Ann catches it
on the other side.

The disc is replaced
and the table is turned
with its side facing
the audience.

Ann and Doug then
decide to separate the
two halves of
the table (and Nanci).

They both proceed
to walk around back
and through the
split halves of
the table.
They wave to each
other once they reach
the front again.

Doug and Ann
push the two halves
of the table together
once again.

They close the doors
on the side of the
boxes covering
Nanci...

and turn the table
once again to so that
the front faces the
audience.

Doug removes the
disc...

and gives it to his
assistants.

The table is turned
and an assistant helps
Doug and Ann...

remove the boxes
that cover Nanci...

revealing that she
has been restored
to whole again.

Nanci slides back
through the table...

and turns to face
the audience showing
that she is no worse
for wear.

She hops off of the
table and joins
Doug and Ann.

They take a bow.

*Special thanks to Terrence Keenan for providing me the tape.