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_.

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|class="unsortable"|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||

## 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

- . Retrieved March 10, 2010.
- . Retrieved March 10, 2010.
- . Retrieved March 10, 2010

## Infobox (person)

- **name**: Bill Bixby
- **image**: Bill Bixby The Magician 1973.JPG
- **caption**: Bixby in 1973
- **birth name**: Wilfred Bailey Everett "Bill" Bixby III
- **birth place**: San Francisco, California, United States
- **death place**: Century City, California
- **death cause**: Prostate cancer
- **nationality**: United States, American
- **signature**: Bill Bixby signature.png
- **years active**: 1961 – 1993
- **occupation**: Actor, movie director, director, producer