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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bill_bixby_photo.jpeg]]
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3->''"I learn about acting by watching real people. If I’m trying to interpret a new character I’ll find someone who suits that character and I’ll watch him."''
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5Wilfred Bailey "Bill" Bixby (January 22, 1934 – November 21, 1993) was an American actor who was a mainstay on TV for decades.
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7He first appeared in ''Series/TheManyLovesOfDobieGillis'' and became a noted character actor in the 1960s. He soon got a lead role in ''My Favorite Martian'', which lasted for over 100 episodes before it was cancelled for budgetary reasons.
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9After a few years and more character appearances while turning down the male lead in ''Series/ThatGirl'', Bixby eventually got the lead in ''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'', which earned him an UsefulNotes/EmmyAward nomination. After that, he starred in the short-lived ''The Magician'' in 1973 before he got the role that would prove to be his greatest.
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11That, of course, was as Dr. David Banner in ''The Incredible Hulk''. Though initially reluctant to take a "comic book role", Bixby soon came around after reading the script. His performance made him a late '70s/early '80s pop culture icon who helped to define the tragedy and soul of the character ever since.
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13After that series ended, he later acted in the short-lived sitcom ''Goodnight Beantown,'' hosted the [[Creator/{{Nickelodeon}} Nickelodeon]] biography series ''Against the Odds,'' and directed episodes of ''Series/WizardsAndWarriors'' and ''Series/SledgeHammer'' before returning to the Hulk in three TV movies. There was to be a fourth TV movie but, sadly, it wasn't in the cards...
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15Bixby died of cancer in 1993 at age 59. He was director of ''Series/{{Blossom}}'' at the time and worked, often lying on a couch or bed on the set, up until a few days before his death.
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18!!TV Roles:
19* ''Series/MyFavoriteMartian'' (1963-1966): Tim O'Hara
20* ''Series/TheCourtshipOfEddiesFather'' (1969-1972): Tom Corbett
21* ''Series/TheMagician'' (1973-1974): Anthony Blake
22* ''[[Series/TheIncredibleHulk1977 The Incredible Hulk]]'' (1977-1982): [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Dr.]] [[AdaptationalNameChange David]] [[ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk Bruce Banner]]
23** ''The Incredible Hulk Returns'' (1988)
24** ''The Trial of the Incredible Hulk'' (1989)

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