Bill Bixby
Bill Bixby (born January 22, 1934 in San Francisco, California - November 21, 1993), was an American actor, director, and producer. He is known for the role of David Banner in the TV series The Incredible Hulk.
Bill Bixby | |
|---|---|
 Bixby in 1973 | |
| Born | Wilfred Bailey Everett "Bill" Bixby III January 22, 1934 San Francisco, California, United States |
| Died | November 21, 1993 Century City, California |
| Cause of death | Prostate cancer |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actor, director, producer |
| Years active | 1961 – 1993 |
Bixby died from complications of prostate cancer in Los Angeles on November 21, 1993. He was 59 years old.
Career
Bill Bixby made the most of his career in television. His credits on the big screen include: Irma la Douce (1963), with Jack Lemmon, and directed by Billy Wilder; Ride Beyond Vengeance (1966), western starring Chuck Connors; and two movies starring Elvis Presley, Clambake (1967) and Speedway (1968). His first television series was My Favorite Martian, playing the role of Tim O'Hara, and co-starring Ray Walston. The show aired on CBS from 1963 to 1966. Bixby continued to have success on television as the star of the ABC sitcom The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969–1972), where he played a widower who cares for his young son played by Brandon Cruz. He also played in The Magician (1973–1974), as a famous magician Anthony Blake, who is also a detective. The biggest hit of his career would come in the late 1970s, playing the role of David Banner in CBS TV series The Incredible Hulk with Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. The show is based on the character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. After the success of the series, there were three movies filmed for television: The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988), directed by Nicholas Corea; The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989); and The Death of the Incredible Hulk, directed by Bixby.
Bill Bixby was nominated for three Emmy Awards for his work in The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969), The Streets of San Francisco (1972), and Rich Man, Poor Man (1976).
Filmography
| Year | Títle | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Lonely Are the Brave | Airman in Helicopter | Uncredited |
| 1963 | Irma la Douce | Tattooed sailor | |
| 1963 | Under the Yum Yum Tree | Track team coach | |
| 1963–66 | My Favorite Martian | Tim O'Hara | TV series |
| 1966 | Ride Beyond Vengeance | Johnsy Boy Hood | |
| 1967 | Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding! | Dick Bender | |
| 1967 | Clambake | James J. Jamison III | |
| 1968 | Speedway | Kenny Donford | |
| 1969–73 | The Courtship of Eddie's Father | Tom Corbett | TV series |
| 1971 | Big Fish, Little Fish | Ronnie | TV movie |
| 1972 | The Couple Takes a Wife | Jeff Hamilton | TV movie |
| 1973 | Steambath | Tandy | TV movie |
| 1973 | Shirts/Skins | Teddy Bush | TV movie |
| 1973–74 | The Magician | Anthony Blake | TV series |
| 1974 | Rex Harrison Presents Stories of Love | William | TV movie |
| 1975 | The Apple Dumpling Gang | Russel Donavan | |
| 1976 | Rich Man, Poor Man | Willie Abbott | TV mini-series |
| 1976 | The Invasion of Johnson County | Sam Lowell | TV movie |
| 1976 | The Great Houdini | Rev. Arthur Ford | TV movie |
| 1977 | Black Market Baby | Herbert Freemont | TV movie |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk | Dr. David Banner | TV movie |
| 1977 | The Incredible Hulk: Death in the Family | Dr. Bruce Banner | TV movie |
| 1978–82 | The Incredible Hulk | Dr. Bruce Banner | TV series |
| 1982 | Murder Is Easy | Luke Williams | TV movie |
| 1982 | I've Had It Up to Here | TV movie | |
| 1983–84 | Goodnight, Beantown | Matt Cassidy | TV series |
| 1985 | International Airport | Harvey Jameson | TV movie |
| 1986 | Sin of Innocence | David McGary | TV movie |
| 1986 | True Confessions | TV series | |
| 1988 | The Incredible Hulk Returns | Dr. Bruce Banner | TV movie |
| 1989 | The Trial of the Incredible Hulk | Dr. Bruce Banner | TV movie |
| 1990 | The Death of the Incredible Hulk | Dr. Bruce Banner | TV movie |
Bill Bixby Media
Bixby as Tim O'Hara in My Favorite Martian, when an accident turns Uncle Martin back into a baby (season 2, episode 28)
With The Courtship of Eddie's Father co-stars, Brandon Cruz and Miyoshi Umeki
Bixby as Dr. David Banner in the 1977 pilot for the Incredible Hulk television series.
References
- Cult TV: the essential critical guide, by Jon E. Lewis, Penny Stempel
- Encyclopedia of Television Series, Pilots and Specials: 1974-1984, by Vincent Terrace]
Other websites
- Bill Bixby on IMDb. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
- Bill Bixby at Allmovie. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
- Bill Bixby at the TCM Movie Database. Retrieved March 10, 2010