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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.

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, as Johnson did not really care for alliterative names. {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.

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. 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.

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.

Unbeknownst to him, 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. He proceeds to destroy his car. 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 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, while at the same time involuntarily using the powers of the Hulk to deal with the problems of the people that he encounters.

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.

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. Joe Harnell was the music composer of the series. 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.

"The Lonely Man" is also a running motif on the Opie and Anthony show on XM Satellite Radio. The hosts usually play the music when a guest or bit is unfunny or has gone wrong, and are told to "just walk away."

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
  • "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.
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 only the 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
Season 3(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 goes fights off a tank that takes 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.
  • "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 for sees danger for McGee
  • "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
Season 4(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 and 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-autobiography 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 5(1981-82)
  • "Two Godmothers" Banner is taken hostage by three woman one of whom is pregnant
  • "Veteran" Banner must stop a disgruntled Vietnam veteran from killing a politician.
  • "A Minor Problem" Banner goes to a deserted town where a chemical leak has been discovered.(Final episode of the series)

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.
  • The Incredible Hulk (pilot)-1977
  • Death in the Family (pilot)-1977
  • Bride of the Incredible Hulk (season 2 premiere "Married" parts 1 & 2) -1978

After the cancellation of the television series in 1982, three television movies were produced with Bill Bixby reprising his role as Dr. Banner, all of which aired on NBC.

  • The Death of the Incredible Hulk -1990 David Banner falls in love with an Eastern European spy and saves two kidnapped scientists. The film ends with The Hulk taking an apparently 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 Amazing Spider-Man television series in the mid-80s. However, all such projects were cancelled when Bill Bixby died of cancer in November 1993.

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 used green stockings for his feet during his hulk scenes.

  • 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. CBS did however put more money into the show for more and 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.

  • 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 2004. Ferrigno, who never spoke in the 1978-82 series, stated years later that the series would've excelled farther had the producers allowed the Hulk to speak, as he did in the comics.

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

  • It was rumored in the 4th Hulk movie that the creature would speak in the Rebirth movie

  • Actress Brigitte Nielsen and bodybuilder Cory Everson were also rumored to play the She-Hulk in the Rebirth movie

DVD releases

According to Kenneth Johnson, Universal TV will release the complete first season of the show on July 18, 2006.

External links

Hulk television series | Science fiction television series | 1970s TV shows in the United States | 1980s TV shows in the United States | CBS network shows | NBC Universal Television shows | L'Incroyable Hulk | L'incredibile Hulk (serie televisiva) | The Incredible Hulk | Hulken

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "The Incredible Hulk (1977 TV series)".

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