Don Black

January 30, 2013

Merlin

After one particularly painful rehearsal, a frustrated Don turned to Elmer Bernstein: 'You know, we've got to get that boy a bottle of Jack Daniel's, make him drink it and get something out of him!'

1983 Merlin

Popular American magician Doug Henning a mysterious illusionist seemed the logical star for a musical about Merlin. Teaming up with Elmer Bernstein and Colombo writers Richard Levinson and William Link, they had a dramatic subject with vast appeal… There was only one problem. ‘Doug Hennings’, sighs Don, ‘was an amazing magician, but he couldn’t sing, dance or act. He was a triple threat.’ The show ran for just 10 months.