Born in 1934, this gifted actor and television director built a remarkable career that stretched across more than 30 years. He became forever linked to a character named David Banner in the late 1970s and early ’80s — and fans still remember the famous warning: you wouldn’t like him when he was angry. Yet behind the fame and success, his life was marked by heartbreak, and it ended far too soon in 1993.
For decades, American television benefited from his talent both in front of the camera and behind it. His warm, easygoing presence made him instantly likable. Co-star Ray Walston once explained his appeal simply:
“I believe that was the reason people liked him — instantly and completely.”
That man was Bill Bixby.
Born Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby III on January 22, 1934, in San Francisco, he grew up as an only child and discovered a passion for performance early on. After attending Lowell High School, City College of San Francisco, and UC Berkeley, he left academia to pursue acting. He supported himself through modeling and commercials before landing steady television work.
His breakthrough came in 1963 with My Favorite Martian, where he starred as reporter Tim O’Hara alongside Walston. The series ran for three seasons and turned Bixby into a household name. He later earned three Emmy nominations as widowed father Tom Corbett in The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and developed a cult following as illusionist Anthony Blake in The Magician.
To many, however, he will always be Dr. David Bruce Banner in The Incredible Hulk (1978–1982), a role he reprised in several TV movies — two of which he directed himself.
Away from the spotlight, Bixby endured devastating personal losses. His six-year-old son Christopher died suddenly in 1981, and a year later, his ex-wife Brenda Benet died by suicide. Despite his grief, Bixby kept working and gradually shifted toward directing, becoming a regular presence behind the camera on shows like Blossom.
In 1991, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Speaking openly about his illness, he hoped to encourage others to seek treatment, quietly admitting, “My prayer was that I would die in my sleep.”
He married Judith Kliban just weeks before his health rapidly declined. Surrounded by love, Bill Bixby passed away on November 21, 1993, at the age of 59 — leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with generations of fans.
