The Incredible Hulk
Opening title credits
Genre	Drama Science Fiction
Creator(s)	Kenneth Johnson
Starring	Bill Bixby Lou Ferrigno Jack Colvin
Country of origin	United States
Original channel	CBS
Original run	1977 – 1982
No. of episodes	82
IMDb profile
TV.com summary

The Incredible Hulk was an American television series loosely based on the comic book character of the same name. The show ran on CBS from 1977 to 1982, and starred Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. The concept was developed for television by Kenneth Johnson, who also developed the Alien Nation TV series. Image File history File links TIHcredits. ... Kenneth Johnson (born 26 October 1942) is an American screenwriter, producer and director best known as the creator of the series V. His creative efforts are almost entirely concentrated in the area of television science fiction. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Louis Jude Ferrigno (born November 9, 1951[1]) is an American bodybuilder and actor. ... Jack Colvin (born October 13, 1932, Lyndon, Kansas; died December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theater, film and TV, best known for the role of the snoopy tabloid reporter Jack McGee on the TV series The Incredible Hulk from 1977 through 1982, and a TV-movie sequel. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... CBS is derived from an abbreviation of Columbia Broadcasting System, the former legal name of a company Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired in 1995. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ... A comic book is a magazine or book containing the art form of comics. ... The Hulk (Dr. Robert Bruce Banner), sometimes referred to as The Incredible Hulk, is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in the Marvel Comics Universe. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Louis Jude Ferrigno (born November 9, 1951[1]) is an American bodybuilder and actor. ... Kenneth Johnson (born 26 October 1942) is an American screenwriter, producer and director best known as the creator of the series V. His creative efforts are almost entirely concentrated in the area of television science fiction. ... Alien Nation was a science fiction television series, based on the movie of the same name. ...

Development

In early 1977, Frank Price, head of Universal Television, offered producer and writer Kenneth Johnson a deal to develop a TV show based on any character in the Marvel Comics library. Johnson turned down the offer at first, but then, while reading the Victor Hugo novel, Les Miserables, he became inspired and began working to develop the Hulk comic into a TV show. Johnson first changed the name of Dr. Bruce Banner to Dr. David Banner, because the network felt that Bruce had gay connotations to it. {In the opening scenes of the series when Banner looks on his own gravestone it reads "David Bruce Banner"}. Moreover, he dropped the major supporting characters from the comic. And, rather than being exposed to gamma rays from an atomic explosion, this version of the character was involved in a more mundane laboratory accident for the sake of realism. Another significant modification to the character was changing him from a nuclear physicist to an actual medical doctor/researcher. Finally, despite it's Marvel Superheroes roots, fantasy and science fiction elements were kept at a bare minimum in the series. The majority of episodes had absolutely none except for the Hulk himself. Universal Television (a. ... Marvel Comics is an American comic book line published by Marvel Entertainment, Inc. ... Victor-Marie Hugo (pronounced in French) (26 February 1802 — May 1885) was a French poet, novelist, playwright, essayist, visual artist, statesman and human rights campaigner, perhaps the most influential exponent of the Romantic movement in France. ... Les Misérables is an 1862 novel by the famous French novelist Victor Hugo, set in the Parisian underworld. ... This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ...

Casting

For the role of Dr. David Banner, Johnson cast veteran television actor Bill Bixby. At first, Bixby hadn't wanted to do the series; but after reading the script, he quickly signed on. Next, character actor Jack Colvin was cast as Jack McGee. Modeled after the character of Javert in Les Miserables, McGee was a tabloid reporter who relentlessly pursued the Hulk. The most daunting task, however, was finding someone to play the Hulk. Arnold Schwarzenegger had auditioned for the role, yet was turned down due to his inadequate size and height. ^{[citation needed]} Bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno auditioned and got the part almost at once. Actor Richard Kiel was initially offered the role; however, while filming, Johnson's own son pointed out that Kiel's physique did not resemble the look and build of the comic-book Hulk. The Hulk had to be believable, strong, and scary. Soon, Kiel was dropped and Ferrigno got the part, though a very brief shot of Kiel as the character remained in the series' pilot film. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Jack Colvin (born October 13, 1932, Lyndon, Kansas; died December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theater, film and TV, best known for the role of the snoopy tabloid reporter Jack McGee on the TV series The Incredible Hulk from 1977 through 1982, and a TV-movie sequel. ... Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German pronunciation (IPA): ) (born on July 30, 1947, in Graz, Austria) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor and an American politician, currently serving as the 38th Governor of California. ... Louis Jude Ferrigno (born November 9, 1951[1]) is an American bodybuilder and actor. ... Richard Kiel as Jaws from two James Bond movies, showing the characters eponymous metal teeth. ...

Premise

The origins of the Hulk in the TV series differ greatly from the original comic book. David Banner is a physician/scientist who has been traumatized by the loss of his wife in a fatal car accident, and his guilt over his inability to save her from the burning wreckage. He begins to conduct research into strange phenomena in which human beings temporarily display superhuman levels of strength, trying to understand why others faced with a similar traumatic experience to his own were able to save themselves or their loved ones while under abnormally high emotional distress, whereas he was not. He concludes that high levels of gamma radiation from sunspots are the cause, and to prove the theory, he bombards his body with gamma radiation to see if he can endow himself with superhuman strength. This article is about electromagnetic radiation. ... A sunspot is a region on the Suns surface (photosphere) that is marked by a lower temperature than its surroundings and intense magnetic activity, which inhibits convection, forming areas of low surface temperature. ...

Unbeknownst to Banner, however, the equipment has been upgraded, causing him to administer a far higher dose than he'd intended. He initially thinks that the experiment has failed, but later that evening he experiences a flat tire during a rainstorm and injures himself with a lug wrench while trying to change it. The resulting pain and anger trigger his first transformation (which begins with Banner's eyes turning a whitish-green color) into the Hulk. The Hulk proceeds to destroy Banner's car, then wanders all night through the woods before coming across a man camping with his young daughter. A tire or tyre (see spelling differences and etymological origins) is a device covering the circumference of a wheel. ...

While trying to reverse the process, the interferences of a nosy reporter named Jack McGee (Jack Colvin) result in the destruction of the research laboratory and the death of a fellow scientist. Banner, now presumed dead, is forced to go on the run while trying to find a "cure" for his condition. In a manner vaguely similar to the popular series The Fugitive, this forms the basis of the TV series, as Banner endlessly drifts from place to place assuming different identities. At the same time he uses the powers of the Hulk to deal with the problems of the people that he encounters much like the character of Caine in the television series Kung Fu. Jack Colvin (born October 13, 1932, Lyndon, Kansas; died December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theater, film and TV, best known for the role of the snoopy tabloid reporter Jack McGee on the TV series The Incredible Hulk from 1977 through 1982, and a TV-movie sequel. ... The Fugitive was an American television series that aired on ABC from 1963-1967. ... Master Po (left) and Kwai Chang Caine (right) in a flashback from the episode Dark Angel, written by Herman Miller Kung Fu (1972-1975) was an award-winning American television series which starred David Carradine. ...

To make things worse, McGee is still pursuing the story of the mysterious monster whom he is convinced is a deadly threat to the public. As a result, he often personally investigates the sightings of the monster, forcing Banner to flee before the reporter can learn too much. While McGee has occasionally gone further and personally hunted the creature, he also learns several facts about it—such as it's actually a human at least part of the time.

Opening Narration

The opening narration to the show was done by Ted Cassidy. Each week it went like this: Dr. David Banner: physician; scientist. Searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs. The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter. (Bixby: "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. David Banner is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him. Theodore Crawford Ted Cassidy (born July 31, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - January 16, 1979 in Los Angeles, California) was an American actor who played Lurch (in which role he was able to demonstrate his genuine skill on the harpsichord) and Thing on The Addams Family. ...

The original narration for the second pilot episode was the same but the following was then added after the "don't make me angry."

Dr. David Banner: physician; scientist. Searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation interacts with his unique body chemistry. And now when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs. The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter. (Bixby: "Mr. McGee, don't make me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry.") An accidental explosion took the life of a fellow scientist and supposedly David Banner as well. The reporter thinks the creature was responsible. (McGee: "I gave a description to all the law enforcement agencies. They got a warrant for murder on him.") A murder which David Banner can never prove he or the creature didn't commit. So he must let the world go on thinking that he, too, is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.

Music

One of the distinctive elements of this series that set it apart was the musical score used. In particular, the most famous music is a wistful piano piece called "The Lonely Man". It is typically used at the closing credits that typically show Banner on the road hitchhiking to the next town, burdened as ever with the destructive curse. This kind of quiet motif is unique in superhero television series, which usually end with fast-tempoed and brassy theme music. Joseph Harnell was the music composer of the series. A film score is the music in a film, generally written for the film and often used to heighten emotions provoked by the imagery on the screen or by the dialogue. ... A grand piano, with the lid up. ... Closing credits of Sesame Street. ...

The ending was parodied by Stewie Griffin in an episode of Family Guy. In that same episode, Peter Griffin flawlessly performs "The Lonely Man" while drunk. Stewart Stewie Gilligan Griffin is a fictional character in the animated television series Family Guy. ... Family Guy is an American animated television series about a nuclear family in the suburb of Quahog (IPA or ), Rhode Island. ... Peter Lowenbrau Griffin is a fictional character in the American animated television series Family Guy. ...

"The Lonely Man" is also a running motif on the Opie and Anthony show on XM Satellite Radio. The hosts play the music when a guest tells a story that is either sad in nature, unfunny, or has gone wrong. Opie (Gregg Hughes, b. ... XM redirects here. ...

Notable episodes

Season One (1977-78)

• Pilot Episode
• "Death in the Family" (functions as a quasi-sequel to the pilot, also known as "Return of The Incredible Hulk") in which Banner learns that an heiress is being poisoned by her step-mother and doctor.
• "Final Round" First regular series episode that has Banner trying to stop a boxer from being corrupted by a crooked fight promoter.
• "Of Guilt, Models & Murder" Banner attempts to solve another murder for which the Hulk has been accused. Notable because it breaks the template of the series by beginning with Banner changing back from the Hulk, rather than having the Hulk first appear at the bottom half of the hour and then again at the episode's climax.
• "747" The Hulk and a young boy must try to land an airplane. Reunites Bill Bixby and Brandon Cruz.
• "The Hulk Breaks Las Vegas" McGee starts to see the Hulk change back into Banner.
• "Life And Death" Banner must help a pregnant woman not give her baby up for adoption.
• "Earthquakes Happen"(Original Title: "Nuclear Cave-In") Banner is caught in an earthquake while trying to get to some gamma ray equipment.

This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ...

Season Two (1978-79)

• "Married" David Banner gets married to a terminally ill fellow scientist, originally titled "Bride of the Incredible Hulk". For her work in this episode, Mariette Hartley won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. It is the only time that a superhero series has won an Emmy in an acting category.
• "A Child in Need" David Banner/the Hulk intervenes on the behalf of a child being severely abused by his father.
• "Another Path" A blind Chinese philosopher teaches Banner ways to control the creature while trying to reclaim what he lost while traveling.
• "Mystery Man" Jack McGee discovers a man changes into the Hulk.
• "The Disciple" In a follow-up episode from "Another Path," a troubled cop must cope with the death of his father and what he must do next.
• "No Escape" Banner meets a man who thinks he is Ernest Hemingway.
• "Kindred Spirits"(Original Title:Legacy) Banner learns of a pre-historic Hulk.
• "The Confession" A man tells The National Register that he is the Hulk.

Marietta Hartley Marietta Hartley (born June 21, 1940 in Weston, Connecticut) is an American actress, best known for her work in television. ... An Emmy Award. ...

Season Three (1979-80)

• "Metamorphosis" Both Banner and the Hulk hallucinate that one is after the other and shows the creatures rage against his ego much like in the comic.
• "Blind Rage" The TV Hulk fights off a tank (taking after the comic book Hulk).
• My Favorite Magician"(Original Title: The Magician) Ray Walston plays an aging magician who must stop his former assistant from marrying a con man and mend his relationship with his estranged daughter. (NOTE: The title is a tribute to both My Favorite Martian, a TV series that starred both Walston and Bixby, and Bixby's earlier series The Magician.)
• "Homecoming" Banner reunites with his sister and his estranged father days before Thanksgiving to save his family farm from a ruthless land developer.
• "The Snare" Banner matches wits with a hunter who wants to hunt the Hulk.
• "Broken Image" Bill Bixby has dual roles playing a gangster who looks just like Banner.
• "Proof Positive"(Original Title: Nightmare) The new publisher of the National Register wants McGee to drop the Hulk and hit more "real" news stories.
• "The Psychic" A woman who can see the future foresees danger for McGee (co-starring Brenda Benet, Bixby's real-life wife at the time; sadly, she would later kill herself following her divorce from Bixby and the death of their son).
• "Deathmask" Chilling story in which Banner is accused of being a serial killer in a college town, while the real killer is still out there.
• "Double Exposure"(UNFILMED) A camera that Banner was using could have the evidence to who killed a fashon model.

My Favorite Martian was an American television sitcom aired on CBS from September 29, 1963 to September 4, 1966 for 107 episodes (75 in black and white 1963-1965, 32 color 1965-1966). ... The Magician was an American television series that ran during the 1973–1974 season. ...

Season Four (1980-81)

• "Prometheus" Radiation from a meteorite causes the Hulk to revert back to Banner abnormally, and the Hulk is temporarily captured by the U.S. Government.
• "Dark Side" In an attempt to find a cure, Banner injects himself with a drug that brings out his primal and evil instincts, making him dangerous and even more so as the Hulk.
• "Deep Shock" Banner gets an electrical shock that gives him psychic powers to stop himself from becoming the hulk.
• "Bring Me the Head of the Hulk" A mercenary sets a trap for the Hulk.
• "King of the Beach" Semi-biographical episode in which Lou Ferrigno plays an inspiring restaurant owner.
• "The First" David Banner encounters another man who is capable of becoming a "Hulk" - a man who has killed in the past and will do so again.
• "The Harder They Fall" A crippled Banner must become the Hulk to walk again.
• "Interview With The Hulk" A reporter from the National Register gets a story from David Banner himself.

Season Five (1981-82)

• "Two Godmothers" Banner is taken hostage by three escaped women convicts, one of whom is pregnant.
• "Veteran" Banner must stop a disgruntled Vietnam veteran from killing a corrupt politician.
• "A Minor Problem" Banner goes to a deserted town where a chemical leak has been discovered. (Final episode of the series)
• "Trial Of Jack McGee"(UNFILMED) McGee is arrested for the murder of a hotel worker who refused to tell him about the Hulk.
• "David Banner R.I.P."(UNFILMED) David finds himself literally buried when a secretary claims that she is in grave danger.
• "The Survivors"(UNFILMED) A doctor tries to make contact with her brother who is leader of an eccentric gang.

Cancellation

In 1981, while filming episodes for the show's 5th season, CBS cancelled the show due to a slight change in the ratings and budget. Rumors were going around at the time that Bill Bixby's contract was up, and that he wanted to move on. Bixby had wanted to see his character being cured from being the Hulk. Also, both Kenneth Johnson and Nick Corea had gone to Harvey Shepard, who was president of CBS entertainment at the time, to have them film 9 unfilmed episodes for the series to give the show a mid-season run. Nonetheless, CBS aired the several episodes made and put in other episodes from past seasons. Nine unfilmed episodes included, "Los Indios," Parts 1-2 (Season 3), "Double Exposure," (Season 3), "The Trial of Jack McGee," (Season 5), "David Banner, RIP," (Season 5), "The Steel Mill," (Season 5), "The Survivors," (Season 5), "Killer on Board," (Season 5), and "Eyes of the Beholder," (Season 5). Also, Johnson and Corea had wanted to do a two-hour series finale in which Banner is caught and is found out to be alive, goes on trial for the death of Elaina Marks, resolves things with McGee, and gets cured from his hulk-outs.

Made for TV movies

Three episodes of the series appeared first as stand-alone movies, but were later split into one-hour length for syndication. Two were produced as pilots before the series officially began in 1978. Telefilm redirects here. ... In the television industry (as in radio), syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast programs to multiple stations, without going through a broadcast network. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ...

• The Incredible Hulk (pilot) - 1977
• The Return of the Incredible Hulk - 1977 (retitled Death in the Family for syndication)
• In addition, "Married", the two-hour premiere episode of the second season in 1978, has been shown as a movie with the title Bride of the Incredible Hulk.

A few years after the cancellation of the television series in 1982, three television movies were produced with Bixby and Ferrigno reprising their roles. All of these aired on NBC. For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Telefilm redirects here. ... NBC (an abbreviation for National Broadcasting Company, its former corporate name) is an American television network headquartered in the GE Building in New York Citys Rockefeller Center. ...

• The Incredible Hulk Returns - 1988 David Banner meets a former student (played by Steve Levitt), who has a magical hammer that summons Thor (played by Eric Allan Kramer), a Viking warrior prevented from entering Valhalla. Set up as a back-door pilot for a live-action television series starring Thor. One should note that the Thor character in The Incredible Hulk Returns bears little resemblance to the Marvel Comic book hero named Thor.

• The Trial of the Incredible Hulk - 1989 David Banner meets the blind lawyer named Matt Murdock and his masked alter ego: Daredevil. The Incredible Hulk and the Daredevil battle the Kingpin of Crime. Daredevil was played by Rex Smith, while John Rhys Davies played the Kingpin. This was also set up as back-door pilot for a live-action television series starring Daredevil. The Daredevil presented in Trial of... is much more true to his Marvel Comic book roots than Thor had been. Stan Lee had a cameo appearance as one of the jury members sitting on Banner's trial.

• The Death of the Incredible Hulk - 1990 David Banner falls in love with an Eastern European spy (played by Elizabeth Gracen) and saves two kidnapped scientists. The film ends with The Hulk taking a fatal fall from an airplane.

Despite the apparent death of the Hulk in the 1990 film, more Incredible Hulk television movies were planned to help launch a pilot for She-Hulk and Iron Man. There was also talk about doing a television movie with the cast from the 1977-1979 live action Spider-Man television series in the mid-80s. However, all such projects were cancelled when Bill Bixby died of cancer in November 1993. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Steve Levitt is an American actor who has starred in films and on television. ... Thor (often called The Mighty Thor) is a fictional character and a superhero appearing in the Marvel Universe. ... Eric Allan Kramer played Ator in Quest for the Mighty Sword. ... The term Viking commonly denotes the ship-borne explorers, traders, and warriors of the Norsemen (literally, men from the north) who originated in Scandinavia and raided the coasts of the British Isles, France and other parts of Europe as far east as the Volga River in Russia from the late... In this illustration from a 17th century Icelandic manuscript, Heimdall is shown guarding the gate of Valhalla. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Marvel Comics, sometimes called by the nickname House of Ideas, is an American comic book company. ... The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk is the 1989 TV movie about Bruce Banner, played by Bill Bixby, who has been framed for a murder he did not commit and is now faced with standing trial, where his condition could jeapordize lives if he is angrily provoked. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the Marvel Comics superhero. ... The Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) is a fictional character, a Marvel Comics villain who has battled many Marvel crime-fighters, most often The Punisher, Spider-Man, and Daredevil. ... Image:RexSmith. ... John Rhys-Davies (born May 5, 1944) is a Welsh actor. ... This article or section may contain original research or unverified claims. ... Marvel Comics, sometimes called by the nickname House of Ideas, is an American comic book company. ... Stan Lee at the 1973 San Diego comic con Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, New York, New York) is an American writer, editor, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics, and memoirist, who — with several artist co-creators, especially Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko — introduced complex, naturalistic... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... On the cover of Playboy, May 1992 Elizabeth Ward Gracen is an American actress known almost as much for her off-screen activities as for her movie and television roles. ... She-Hulk (Jennifer Walters-Jameson) is a Marvel Comics superheroine. ... It has been suggested that Iron Maniac be merged into this article or section. ... The Amazing Spider-Man is the first live-action TV series made to the popular comic strip The Amazing Spider-Man and was shown in the U.S. between 1978-1979. ...

Trivia

• In the beginning, the full metamorphosis of Banner transforming into the Hulk would be shown until around the start of season 3. Due to production costs and Bill Bixby's refusal to wear green makeup during transformation, no full metamorphosis would be shown other than the triggering of Banner's transformation and the shirt tearing up as his body gains strength, with the Hulk appearing on the next scene.

• Actor Ted Cassidy was the opening narrator of the series. He also provided the vocal growls and roars of the creature in the opening credits.

• The show cost $500,000-$600,000 in 1978 dollars to produce...adjusted to today's dollars, it would cost anywhere from $1.5 million to $1.8 million.

• The "white eyes" were contact lenses that were of white-greenish color. Both Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno were not fans of these lenses and have said in past interviews that the lenses were very uncomfortable.

• To rip out shirts, pants, shoes, etc., Lou Ferrigno would wear clothes that were a size too small, and they were scored to help with the ripping.

• Lou Ferrigno sometimes wore green slippers for his feet during his Hulk scenes, particularly in scenes where the creature had to run on pavement. The slippers are especially notable in the episode Terror In Times Square; Ferrigno was understandably reluctant to run through the streets of New York barefoot.

• Filming was at the Universal backlot in California. Some location shots were stock footage.

• In a bit of method-acting, Bixby stated often in interviews that while the Hulk-out scenes were being filmed, he would leave the set, as he didn't want to know what the Hulk had done if his character wasn't supposed to know, either.

• Banner's original name was David Robert Banner in the first draft of the pilot episode.

• Executive producer Kenneth Johnson originally wanted the Hulk's skin color to be red, rather than the established green. Johnson believed red would better reflect the character's anger, but Stan Lee, the Hulk's co-creator, rejected this idea.

• Bill Bixby helped and taught Lou Ferrigno acting techniques, and also helped him get his own air-conditioned trailer to sit in between takes.

• In an interview with the Hulk comic magazine issue 20 April 1980, Johnson had said that they had finished filming a two-part episode called "Los Indios." However, Johnson has since said that those episodes were in pre-production but never made.

• During the summer of 1980 Universal was trying to cut costs from the show. The studio had wanted the creators of the show to have a mobile home with sets and a new character and only one Hulk-out per episode (this was the same basic plot that CBS employed for their recently-cancelled Saturday Morning series Shazam! where Billy Batson travelled from town to town with his 'Mentor' in a Winnebago and when trouble arose, would transform into Captain Marvel). Kenneth Johnson vocally opposed the move despite the threat of cancelling the series, but finally CBS put more money into the show for better quailty.

• The Hulk comic magazine that started out as the black and white comic magazine Jan 1977-Jun 1978 became The Hulk! that ran from Aug 1978-Jun 1981. It was Marvel's answer to the Hulk TV series having Banner tackle social issues.

• A comic strip that was written by Stan Lee and drawn by Larry Lieber used the characters from the series.

• Jack McGee was created for the TV show. However, in his 1995 novel, What Savage Beast, Hulk writer Peter David had McGee in the novel.

• Frank Orsatti was Bill Bixby's stuntman in the series. He directed some episodes of the series as well. Manuel Perry was Lou Ferrigno's stuntman.

• Bill Bixby did not appear in the season 3 episode, "Proof Positive." At the time, he was getting a divorce from his first wife, actress Brenda Benet. Stuntman Frank Orsatti was used for the shots before the Hulk-out scene, and Banner was shown only briefly and from a distance in these scenes.

• The three NBC made-for-TV movies reviving The Hulk were produced by Bill Bixby, who also directed one episode during the initial 1978-82 series. Bixby directed the latter two of the three movies, with Nicholas Corea directing the first one.

• Both Bixby and Ferrigno played dual roles in the episodes, "Broken Image" and "King of the Beach", respectively.

• The Incredible Hulk was the beginning series of the highly-rated Friday-night block on CBS, which was followed by The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas. The series lineup began as such in 1979 and remained that way until 1981, when the Hulk moved to a new night during the abbreviated fifth and final season.

• The set of the Incredible Hulk television program was visited for an episode of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, where Mr. Rogers showed the kids at home how the Hulk was not a monster, just an actor wearing makeup.

• After a ten-year hiatus, Lou Ferrigno got to play the Hulk once again in a TV commercial for the Canadian investment management company, AGF (2000).

• Lou Ferrigno is the only surviving cast member of the TV series (the other two, Bixby and Colvin, are now deceased). He also provided the voice of the Hulk in the '90s cartoon series and made a cameo appearance in the theatrical release of Hulk in 2003. Ferrigno stated years later that he wanted the creature to learn to speak in the series, as he did in the comics. Ferrigno did have a speaking part in the episode King of the Beach, where he played a bodybuilding restaurateur who (like Ferrigno) suffered from a hearing impediment.

• Some of the Hulk references on Family Guy specifically reference this particular series.

• In the Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law episode "Incredible Hippo", several references are made specifically to classic episodes from the series. Amongst the references are Peter Potimus initially transforming into a Hulk-like form when trying to open a small pack of mustard (in the near-exact way Banner tries to fix his car flat and injures his hand in the pilot), Phil Ken Sebben's daughter Judy tries to help Peter cope with his temper through tranquil exercises (From "Married"). Peter reacts to Judy being trapped under a table of doughnuts in the same way Banner did to Elana's trapped body in the "pilot". Phil's confrontation with Peter in a closet, a towel over Peter's face, is a direct homage to the confrontation between Banner and Jack Mcgee in the season three episode "Equinox". They also address Peter's "inner rhino" as "the creature", a name used to describe The Hulk, often by Banner or those who help or hinder him, the only person to call the creature "Hulk" in the series is Jack Mcgee and his press associates.

• It was rumored in the 4th television movie (allegedly titled "Rebirth") that The Hulk would have gained the ability to speak. Other than grunts and growls, the character was never able to fully talk, while as his comic counterpart has always been able to speak in some capacity. Actress Brigitte Nielsen and bodybuilder Cory Everson were also rumored to play the She-Hulk in the Rebirth movie.

• The episode Never Give A Trucker An Even Break is heavily influenced by Steven Spielberg's Duel. In fact, many scenes were taken directly from Duel and used for the episode. (Careful viewers can tell who'll be driving the small red car by the color of a character's clothes.) Reportedly, Spielberg was so unhappy with his work being used as stock footage, he had his susequent contracts ban such use.

• The episode Death in the Family references a drug called Myostatin. This chemical, however, was named in 1997-- many years after the episode aired. ^[1][2]

• The scene from the pilot of Banner and the flat tire was reused in a commercial for the AltaVista Internet search engine. As before, Banner begins to "Hulk-out" after wracking his knuckles with the tireiron...only to stop, take some deep breaths, and regain control. The spot ends with Banner back on the road-- quietly humming "The Lonely Man" theme--as the search box appears with what he had used it for: anger management techniques.

• There is a small debate on the reasons why Banner's first name was changed to David. In the Q & A documentary "Mutants. Monsters and Marvels" with Kevin Smith, Stan Lee claims that Universal TV executives thought the name 'Bruce' wasn't 'manly' enough (Bruce being a stereotypical first name for gay men). Many comics fans accept this as the truth. However, in the DVD commentary for the 'Incredible Hulk' pilot, Kenneth Johnson states the name change was due to honoring his late son David. Johnson does not address Stan Lee's claim, and Lee does not mention Johnson's reason.

• Despite being based on a Marvel superhero, throughout the entire run, there were only three stories to feature science-fiction/fantasy elements of any kind other than the Hulk himself. The First (the only such story in the regular run of the tv series), in which Banner encounters a man who could change into another Hulk-like creature, The Incredible Hulk Returns which introduced Thor and The Trial of the Incredible Hulk which introduced Daredevil. Daredevil's powers, while still incredible for a blind man, were given a more believable scientific premise. There were scattered episodes that referred to psychic or telekinetic powers and such but these issues were approached with the same skepticism found in the real world, as opposed to the Marvel Universe proper where psionics and related abilities are generally established as authentic (for example, the X-Men).

Theodore Crawford Ted Cassidy (born July 31, 1932 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - January 16, 1979 in Los Angeles, California) was an American actor who played Lurch (in which role he was able to demonstrate his genuine skill on the harpsichord) and Thing on The Addams Family. ... Kenneth Johnson (born 26 October 1942) is an American screenwriter, producer and director best known as the creator of the series V. His creative efforts are almost entirely concentrated in the area of television science fiction. ... Stan Lee at the 1973 San Diego comic con Stan Lee (born Stanley Martin Lieber on December 28, 1922, New York, New York) is an American writer, editor, Chairman Emeritus of Marvel Comics, and memoirist, who — with several artist co-creators, especially Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko — introduced complex, naturalistic... Jackson Bostwick as Captain Marvel in the Shazam! television show. ... The Dukes of Hazzard is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network from 1979 to 1985. ... The Southfork Ranch, home of the Ewing family The original cast of Dallas. ... Mister Rogers Neighborhood was a childrens television show hosted by Fred Rogers which was produced by Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania public broadcaster WQED-TV and Fred Rogers not-for-profit production company Family Communications, Inc. ... Hulk (2003) is a movie based on the comic book series The Incredible Hulk published by Marvel Comics. ... Family Guy is an American animated television series about a nuclear family in the suburb of Quahog (IPA or ), Rhode Island. ... Brigitte Nielsen as Red Sonja (1985) Brigitte Nielsen (born July 15, 1963 in Rødovre, Denmark as Gitte Nielsen) is a Danish actress who became very popular in 1980s B-movies, most notably as the titular character in Red Sonja, due to her stature (she stands at 6 ft 1... Steven Allan Spielberg (born December 18, 1946) is a three-time Academy Award-winning American film director and producer. ... Duel is a 1971 television movie directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Richard Matheson. ... Myostatin (fomerly known as Growth and Differentiation Factor 8) is a growth factor that limits muscle tissue growth, i. ... Current AltaVista site logo. ... For other articles with similar names, see Gay (disambiguation). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Thors battle against the giants, by Mårten Eskil Winge, 1872 Thor (Old Norse: Þórr) is the red-haired and bearded god of thunder in Norse Mythology and more generally Germanic mythology (Old English: Þunor, Old Dutch and Old High German: Donar, from Proto-Germanic *Þunraz). ... The Trial Of The Incredible Hulk is the 1989 TV movie about Bruce Banner, played by Bill Bixby, who has been framed for a murder he did not commit and is now faced with standing trial, where his condition could jeapordize lives if he is angrily provoked. ... A psychic is a person who is able to experience extra-sensory perception, such as clairvoyance, psychometry, and precognition, or who has other paranormal abilities such as psychokinesis. ... It has been suggested that Earth-616 be merged into this article or section. ... Psionics is the practice of using a variety of psychic abilities. ... The X-Men are a group of comic book superheroes featured in Marvel Comics. ...

DVD releases

All three of the NBC TV movies (Returns, Trial of..., and Death of...) have been available on DVD for some time. A double-sided DVD entitled The Incredible Hulk - Original Television Premiere, which contained the original pilot and the "Married" episodes, was released by Universal DVD in 2003 to promote Ang Lee's Hulk motion picture. A six-disc set entitled The Incredible Hulk - The Television Series Ultimate Collection was released by Universal DVD later in 2003. This set includes several notable episodes including "Death in the Family," "The First," and "Prometheus". DVD (commonly Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is an optical disc storage media format that can be used for data storage, including movies with high video and sound quality. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Hulk (2003) is a movie based on the comic book series The Incredible Hulk published by Marvel Comics. ...

In mid-2006, Universal released The Incredible Hulk - Season One on DVD. This set contains the original pilot movies, the entire first season, and a "preview" episode ("Stop the Presses") from Season Two. For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

References

First title page, November 4, 1869 Nature is one of the oldest and most reputable scientific journals, first published on 4 November 1869. ...

External links

• The Incredible Hulk at the Internet Movie Database
• The Incredible Hulk at TV.com
• IncredibleHulkTVseries.com