Bill Bixby – The Incredible Hulk

Bill Bixby, star of classic television series like My Favorite Martian, The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and The Incredible Hulk, died in 1993 from prostate cancer. His immense appeal continues to touch many of the people who grew up with his shows and those who discovered them later. Whether they viewed him as the wise and loving Tim O’Hara on My Favorite Martian or the mighty green giant known as the Hulk, his performances remain incredibly credible and powerful.

The story of the Hulk begins in a lab accident that turns Dr. David Banner into a huge green monster with awesome strength and a rage to match. Banner, who had recently married, tries to control the monster through his intellect but, whenever the tension mounts, it’s only a matter of time until the beast is unleashed. Banner lives a nomadic existence, always on the move and assuming different names. Despite his best efforts to remain unnoticed, Banner can’t help but be drawn into trouble wherever he goes and he usually winds up helping people in need. He’s also tracked by tabloid reporter Jack McGee, who witnessed the lab accident and believes the Hulk is responsible for a number of deaths.

While the Hulk is a raging, bestial creature, he does have moments of tenderness, often shown when he’s around children, women or close friends. His rage, however, doesn’t increase the way it does in the comics.

In addition to the Hulk, Bixby starred in such movies as Irma La Douce with Jack Lemmon and directed by Billy Wilder; Ride Beyond Vengeance with Chuck Connors; Clambake with Elvis Presley; and NBC’s Western series The Oregon Trail. He also guest-starred on many other television series, including The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, The Man from U.N.C.L., Dr. Kildare, Straightaway and Hennesey.

Throughout his career, Bixby was considered one of the most versatile actors on television. In fact, he was nominated for an Emmy Award twice for his roles in the television movies The Streets of San Francisco and Rich Man, Poor Man. He also co-starred with Susan Blakely on the 1977 CBS miniseries Spencer’s Pilots, and appeared in an episode of NBC’s anthology series Quinn Martin’s Tales of the Unexpected and a TV movie version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.

In the years leading up to his death, Bixby began to take a more active interest in his health. He was concerned that the aging process was taking its toll on his body and he wanted to live as long as possible. As a result, he quit smoking in 1977 and lost a lot of weight. He also worked on the campaign for a constitutional amendment to extend the life expectancy of Americans. He remained involved with this issue until his death in 1993. He was 59 years old.