January 22: Happy Birthday Bill Bixby

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Bill Bixby (1934-1993) was born in San Francisco. He studied at the University of California-Berkeley, but dropped out before finishing his degree. Moving to Hollywood, he worked a series of odd jobs and did regional theater, before he began landing TV guest roles.

In 1963, Bixby began starring on the sci-fi sitcom My Favorite Martian. He played Tim O’Hara, a reporter who one day acquired a very unusual “uncle.” The series ran for 3 seasons on CBS.



After My Favorite Martian’s run ended, Bixby made several supporting feature film appearances, including the Western Ride Beyond Vengeance, and two Elvis Presley films, Clambake and Speedway. He also made his Broadway debut in 1967, in the short-lived play The Paisley Convertible.

While his feature film and stage careers did not take off, Bixby became a television mainstay. In 1969, he began starring on ABC’s The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, which ran for three seasons and brought him his first Primetime Emmy nomination. He received additional nominations for a guest appearance on The Streets of San Francisco, and for the miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man.

Bixby starred on the single season of NBC’s The Magician, beginning in 1973. In 1977, he began starring on what may be his most-remembered TV role, as Dr. David Banner on CBS’s The Incredible Hulk. After the series ended, he returned to the role for several TV movies.

Bixby had two other major facets to his career. He was a popular guest on a number of game shows, notably Hollywood Squares. He also did a great deal of TV directing, beginning with several episodes of The Courtship of Eddie’s Father. His most durable directing gig was on Blossom; he directed 30 episodes during the show’s 3rd and 4th seasons.

Bixby was diagnosed with cancer in 1991. In late 1993, while working on an episode of Blossom, he collapsed on the set. He died less than a week later of cancer complications.