Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby III (January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) was an American actor and television director. His career spanned more than three decades, including appearances on stage, in films, and on television series. He is best known for his starring roles in the CBS sitcom My Favorite Martian (1963–1966) as Tim O'Hara, the ABC sitcom The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969–1972) as Tom Corbett, the NBC crime drama The Magician (1973–1974) as Anthony Blake, and the CBS science-fiction drama The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982) as Dr. David Bruce Banner.
Early Life
Bixby was born on January 22, 1934, in San Francisco, California, a fifth-generation Californian of English-Scottish descent and an only child. His father, Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby II, was a store clerk, and his mother, Jane (née McFarland) Bixby, was a senior manager at I. Magnin & Co. He attended Lowell High School, where he honed his oratory and dramatic skills as a member of the Lowell Forensic Society. After graduating in 1952, he majored in drama at City College of San Francisco against his parents' wishes.
During the Korean War, Bixby was drafted shortly after his 18th birthday and joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve, serving primarily in personnel management with Marine Attack Squadron 141 at Naval Air Station Oakland. He attained the rank of private first class before his discharge in 1956. He later attended the University of California, Berkeley, but left just a few credits short of earning a degree, choosing instead to pursue acting.
Career
Early Work
Bixby broke into motion pictures by working in industrial films produced in Chicago. He made his television debut in 1961 on an episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and went on to guest-star in numerous series, including Ben Casey, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, and Dr. Kildare. He joined the cast of The Joey Bishop Show in 1962, which he later described as his "first big break." In 1963, he appeared as a tattooed sailor in the film Irma La Douce, directed by Billy Wilder.
My Favorite Martian (1963–1966)
Bixby took the role of young reporter Tim O'Hara in the CBS sitcom My Favorite Martian, co-starring with Ray Walston. The series was a major success, rating in the top 10 network programs during its first season. It ran for 107 episodes over three seasons.
The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1969–1972)
Bixby starred as Tom Corbett, a widowed father raising a young son, in this ABC comedy-drama. He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 1971. Bixby also made his directorial debut on this series, directing eight episodes.
The Incredible Hulk (1977–1982)
Bixby portrayed Dr. David Bruce Banner in the pilot movie The Incredible Hulk, based on the Marvel Comics characters. Creator Kenneth Johnson stated that Bixby was his only choice for the role. The pilot's success led to a weekly CBS series that aired from 1978 to 1982. Bixby later executive-produced and reprised the role in three television movies: The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988), The Trial of the Incredible Hulk (1989), and The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990), the last two of which he also directed.
Later Work
Bixby co-starred in the short-lived sitcom Goodnight, Beantown (1983–1984) and directed numerous television episodes, including 30 episodes of the NBC sitcom Blossom (1992–1994). He also hosted the documentary series Against the Odds for Nickelodeon (1982–1984) and two specials about Elvis Presley: The Elvis Files (1991) and The Elvis Conspiracy (1992).
Personal Life and Death
Bixby was married three times: to actress Brenda Benet (1971–1980), Laura Michaels (1990–1991), and Judith Kliban (1993). He had one son, Christopher, born in 1974. In March 1981, Christopher died at age six from acute epiglottitis while on a skiing vacation. Benet committed suicide the following year. The two deaths profoundly affected Bixby.
In early 1991, Bixby was diagnosed with prostate cancer. He underwent treatment and went public with his illness in 1993, making appearances on programs such as Entertainment Tonight and Good Morning America and counseling other cancer patients. He died of complications from prostate cancer on November 21, 1993, in Century City, Los Angeles, at age 59, six days after completing his final directing assignment on Blossom.
