He also joined the cast of The Joey Bishop Show in 1962. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The actor was also a very private celebrity who, unfortunately, did not enjoy the smoothness in his personal matters as he did with his career. "Blossom" star Mayim. ''They are absolutely sure at this point'' that she committed suicide, Officer Jones said. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org. Bixby's career spanned more than three decades, including appearances on stage, in films, and on television series. Bill Paxton died of a stroke triggered by valve replacement surgery, documents posted by TMZ . In the series, inspired by a Marvel comic-book character, Mr. Bixby played David Banner, a research scientist whose body chemistry is altered by a freak laboratory accident. He then moved to Hollywood, California, where he had a string of odd jobs that included bellhop and lifeguard. The actor's first marriage crashed following the death of his only child, and he did not find happiness in his second marriage. The ABC comedy, which ran until 1972, featured him as the widowed father of a precocious 6-year-old, played by Brandon Cruz. | Source: Getty Images. [18] The success of the pilot (coupled with some theatrical releases of the film in Europe) convinced CBS to turn it into a weekly series, which began airing in the spring of 1978. Professional wrestler Jay Briscoe dies in car accident at 38, Ukraine's interior minister, other officials killed in helicopter crash near school, Sister Andre, world's oldest living person, dies at 118, Qantas flight lands safely after engine trouble prompts mayday call, Herschel Walker campaign staffer accuses Matt Schlapp of sexual battery. 2010 . While directing an episode of "Blossom," Bixby collapsed and was later pronounced dead at 59, following complications from prostate cancer. However, the couple only had a few weeks together before he died on November 21, 1993. The unexpected death of Days of Our Lives star Brenda Benets only son held tragic consequences in store for the once hated actress. Glen Varner said. Bill Bixby from "My Favorite Martian" had a straightforward career, leaping into fame following his determination and discipline. Bill Bixby's 1st Wife Divorced Him Months after His Only Son Passed - His 2nd Wife Left Him at His Weakest By Oyin Balogun Jun 05, 2022 03:30 A.M. Bill Bixby was always the man of the hour whenever he appeared on the big screens, thrilling fans with his quality acting. | Source: Getty Images. A statue of The Incredible Halk stands near the red carpet at the premiere of Universal Pictures' "The Incredible Hulk" held at the Universal City Walk on June 8, 2008 in Universal City, California. In 1976, he was honored with two Emmy Award nominations, one for Outstanding Lead Actor for a Single Appearance in Drama or Comedy for The Streets of San Francisco and the other for Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in Comedy or Drama Series for Rich Man, Poor Man. Bixby starred in the role of Dr. David Banner in the pilot movie, The Incredible Hulk, based on the Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Marvel characters. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. Rather than report to the United States Army, Bixby joined the United States Marine Corps Reserve. The information in this article is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. [23] They were married in 1971, and she gave birth to their son, Christopher, in September 1974. Bill Bixby, TV Actor, Dies at 59; Starred in 3 Long-Running Series, https://www.nytimes.com/1993/11/23/obituaries/bill-bixby-tv-actor-dies-at-59-starred-in-3-long-running-series.html. Brenda and Lanas children were both born in the same year, and they both had to mourn their loss with devastating consequences. In 1969, Bixby starred in his second high-profile television role, as Tom Corbett in The Courtship of Eddie's Father, a comedy drama on ABC. There was just something he conveyed that felt genuine; that he was someone you could actually hang out with. They were married on July 4, 1971. He had also appeared with Dawson on Cop-Out. The marriage ended in divorce in 1980 and, in the following year, Christopher, who was then just 6 years old, died while on a skiing vacation at Mammoth Lakes with his mother, suffering a heart. Funeral plans are pending. Banner while also bringing to the role an abundance of warmth, intelligence, humor, nobility, likability, and above all else, humanity. They married a year later in Hawaii. Marriage was a real crossroads for Bill in terms of deciding to follow the rules of adulthood, making a commitment and being a grownup, says Grove. In a retrospective on The Incredible Hulk, Glenn Greenberg declared Bixby's performance to be the series's "foremost" strength, elaborating that he "masterfully conveyed the profound loneliness and tragedy of Dr. I described him as a mysterious man, so you might think Bill was introverted. His mother, Jane (ne McFarland) Bixby, was a senior manager at I. Magnin & Co. In 1995, Cruz named his own son Lincoln Bixby Cruz. On April 7, 1982, she committed suicide by shooting herself in the head. He was working as a lifeguard when an advertising executive offered him a job as a model in car ads. Bixby was devastated by all of this, but nonetheless once again embraced work, which at that time was primarily the television series version of Marvel Comics' The Incredible Hulk. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. In March 1981, Bixby's 6-year-old son, Christopher, contracted a throat infection while on a ski vacation. Study now. Contrary to what his parents wanted, he only studied theater at City College, San Francisco. Maine teen breaks world record for building Lego World Map. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. As crazy as his private life might have been, publicly and professionally he was pretty much a goodie goodie., In that video interview with Entertainment Tonight mentioned by Grove,Bill himself commented on his own legacy, stating, I would hope that Ive left behind something that would lead to goodwill, and then my life would have been worth something.. Before taking up directing duties for the comedy "Blossom," he directed several episodes of the ABC mini-series "Rich Man, Poor Man" in the 1970's. His mother, actress Brenda Benet, was devastated. It might have been nearly three decades since Bill Bixby departed the earth, but memories of the man who played Hulk in "The Incredible Hulk" have stuck with lovers of his work owing to his fantastic acting. I think the reason he got married primarily was he wanted to have a child, and that decision was in large part due to the experience on The Courtship of Eddies Father. Also, when people have cancer, especially women, it brings out their natural features. "Then they gave me a (new). It was believed that this and her divorce from Bixby were the events which caused Brenda's life to spin out of control. Lets do it. Cruz maintained that he would have lived longer if it had not been for the deaths of his two beloved family members. His first tv role was on the 1961 tv series, The Joey Bishop Show. Detroit teenager wins $613,000 jackpot with ticket gifted from friend. ", Bill Bixby on "Love and the Legal Agreement. He is survived by Kliban-Bixby. For over 30 years, he was in great demand and his big roles and directing credits have been a personal testimony to his fans. He was only 59. | Source: Getty Images. They divorced in 1980. He was 59. While there, Christopher was injured and when doctors inserted a breathing tube, he went into cardiac arrest as a result of acute epiglottitis, and died. The actor/director was diagnosed with prostate cancer in spring 1991. | Source: Wikimedia Commons. In the CBS comedy "My Favorite Martian," which ran from 1963 to 1966, Mr. Bixby played a newspaper reporter who was the comic foil to a mischievous extraterrestrial played by Ray Walston. Bill Bixby had an amazing body of work, not only Courtship of Eddie's Father, but My Favorite Martian, The Magician, The Incredible Hulk, and so many other things, as an actor, as a director and he never got an Emmy. Bixby directed one episode of the series, "Bring Me the Head of the Hulk", in 1980 (original airdate: January 9, 1981). "[14], In a 2011 interview with Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith about how Bill Bixby's fame was supposed to posthumously honor him for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Cruz said, "When I found out they were putting this out, I thought, 'It's about time.' She was graduated from South Gate High School, attended Los Angeles City College and later studied at the University of California at Los Angeles, majoring in languages. Brendas earlier acting career showed a different side to her talent. [citation needed]. The series was cancelled after the following season, but leftover episodes aired as late as the next June. In a related story, Lana Wood, the Diamonds Are Forever Bond girl and sister of the iconic actress Natalie Wood, also had a tumultuous life. They got married in 1971 and then, in September 1974, she gave birth to their son Christopher Sean. He was so wonderful. See the article in its original context from. Banner overcome his "problem", and falls in love with him in the process. With the loss of his son, Bixby felt intense anger, much of which he directed at Benet. We collect and tell stories of people from all around the world. is for general information purposes only. Bixby took the role of young reporter Tim O'Hara in the 1963 CBS sitcom, My Favorite Martian, in which he co-starred with Ray Walston. Despite the tragedies in his first marriage, the actor remained optimistic and was open to falling in love a second time. Michigan man's memory lapse leads to twin lottery jackpots. In 1973, Bixby starred in The Magician. Bill Bixby died on Sunday November 21, 1993 at his home in Century City. He was also the host of the public television series "Once Upon a Classic" in the late 1970's. He was also a panelist on the 1974 revival of Masquerade Party, which was hosted by Richard Dawson. And I really thought I was going to die that night," Mr. Bixby told the syndicated show "Entertainment Tonight. "There was one night, I'd been in terrible pain, and really a tremendous amount of pain. He said she had shot herself in the head with a handgun. Bill Bixby was always the man of the hour whenever he appeared on the big screens, thrilling fans with his quality acting. According to Kenneth Johnson, the creator of Marvel's TV version of "The Incredible Hulk": "My personal impression of Bix was that he was a very professional, friendly, accessible guy that never changed. | Source: Getty Images. Emmy-winning actor reportedly died due to complications from surgery. BILL BIXBY'S DEMISE AND THE LEGACY HE FOUND, Actor Bill Bixby and Laura Michael at Television Academy Hall of Fame Awards Gala on September 23, 1991 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. Christopher was born Sept. 25, 1974 and attended school in Los Angeles. Bill Bixby was born Wilfred Bailey Bixby on January 22, 1934 in San Francisco, California. However, through the accounts from co-workers and friends, like Brandon Cruz, it is easier to believe that Bixby never wished death on anyone. By the late '70s, however, they were divorced.Brenda retired from the business in the mid-'70s to raise a family, and in late 1974 she gave birth to a boy, Christopher Sean Bixby. He added that an investigation was being conducted and that an autopsy would be performed. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Bill Bixby, whose long career in television included starring roles in three popular series, died on Sunday at his home in Century City. Which, of course, puts a pretty negative spin on Bill in terms of how he treated her. Born in San Francisco in 1934, Bixby landed his first role in a stanza of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis, and made appearances on The Danny Thomas Show ,The Andy Griffith Show and J.J. The series, which was cancelled after only two seasons, consists of short biographies of famous people throughout history. Bixby died days later on Nov. 21, 1993, at age 59. To Bixby, talking meant he was releasing information to people, which was helpful. Directing Blossom didnt accomplish anything in terms of his legacy. An accomplished amateur magician himself, he hosted several TV specials in the mid-1970s which featured other amateur magicians, and was a respected member of the Hollywood magic community, belonging to The Magic Castle, an exclusive club for magicians. It was believed that this and her divorce from Bixby were the events which caused Brenda's life to spin out of control. In 1946, his mother encouraged him to take ballroom dance lessons and from there he started dancing all around the city. | Source: Getty Images. The pilot also starred Susan Sullivan as Dr. Elaina Marks, who tries to help the conflicted and widowed Dr. He was helming an episode of the NBC series Blossom as recently as last week. The son of a sales clerk and a department store owner, Bill Bixby was the sixth-generation Californian born as Wilfred Bailey Bixby, on January 22, 1934, in San Francisco, California. On April 7, 1982, she committed suicide by shooting herself in the head. The series concerned a widowed father raising a young son, managing a major syndicated magazine, and at the same time trying to re-enter the dating scene. Check out our deep dive into the ups and downs of Bixbys Life: For more of these throwback videos, check out our YouTube Channel! She spent her childhood and early teenage years feeling awkward and self-conscious because her complexion was darker than those of her siblings. 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Mr. Bixby, the show's director, was on the job . But he did not live long enough to enjoy his newfound love. From 1986 to 1987, he hosted the syndicated weekday anthology series True Confessions. Indeed, the actor was so impressive in delivering his lines and roles that even his colleagues and other producers admired him. There are people who have stars that, not to be blunt, but I wouldn't bother spitting on their stars. A native of San Francisco, Mr. Bixby attended San Francisco City College and studied speech and philosophy at the University of California at Berkeley. If you were to watch virtually any performance given by the late Bill Bixby, youd feel an instant connection with him. If you want to talk to me afterward once we wrap, then we can talk. Kenneth Johnson, the creator and executive producer of the series which featured Bixby as Dr. David Banner and Lou Ferrigno as his alter ego, the Hulk reflects, I was with Bill through most of his most difficult and traumatic experiences, including his very bitter divorce and the sudden, startling death of his son, Christopher. All Rights Reserved. "[19], During the series' run, Bixby invited two of his longtime friends, Ray Walston and Brandon Cruz, to guest-star with him in different episodes of the series. Brandon Cruz, who played his son on The Courtship of Eddies Father, recalls that if Bixby was happy, then everybody was, due to the fact that he was the easiest person you could imagine working with (And he was happy most of the time). With Blossom being his last job before he died, I dont think most of us would hope that our lives would end that way. He appeared on Broadway in "Under the Yum Yum Tree" in 1964 and "The Paisley Convertible" in 1967. That was all bad enough, but the personal lives of Benet and Bixby were decimated when, in March 1981, Christopher accompanied his mother to Mammoth Lakes for a skiing vacation. 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Surgeons diagnosed the boy's ailment as acute epiglotitis and performed a tracheotomy on him Sunday, but the child lapsed into a coma and cardiac arrest after the operation and died about 6 p.m., Halpern added. He had already been fighting cancer for a year. Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. But he was outwardly very gregarious, he says. They divorced in 1980. On November 21, 1993, seven days after his final assignment on Blossom, Bixby died of complications from prostate cancer in Century City, Los Angeles. Sadly, his personal life was far less intriguing compared to his career. The executive producer of Days of our Lives, Al Rabin described Brenda as a wonderful, warm and caring person. Her character, Lee Dumonde, got created to stir up some trouble in Doug and Julies marriage, Baker from NBC said and added, Brenda was voted the second most hated person in television.. How did Bill bixbys son die? William Bixby, actor: born San Francisco 22 January 1934; married Brenda Benet(died 1982; one son deceased), 1993 Judith Klivan; died Los Angeles 21 November 1993. But in 1991, after the "Incredible Hulk" star was diagnosed with prostate cancer and was receiving treatment, Michaels walked out of the marriage. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. -- The 6-year-old son of 'Incredible Hulk' television series star Bill Bixby died of a rare childhood illness during a weekend ski trip, a studio spokesman said Tuesday. When describing the actor, a close friend maintained that his energy was unmatched, adding that it "would have been impossible for any woman to have been married" to the actor for an extended period, as his energy was demanding. Bixby was away in Los Angeles while his family went on the trip. The pair developed a close rapport that translated to an off-camera friendship, as well. In April 1982, after police had to break down the bathroom door in her Los Angeles home, they found Brenda dead on the floor after she shot herself in the head with a .38-caliber revolver, Police Sgt. Please fill in your e-mail so we can share with you our top stories! Before undertaking any course of treatment please consult with your healthcare provider. He made his first debut in "The Many Loves of Dobie Girls," followed by "The Joey Bishop Show," where he became a semi-regular cast. The crew and cast members knew what he was going through and we gave him the space that he needed., Offers Grove, I had perceptions about the tragedies in Bills life that when Bill and Brenda got divorced, after their son died, that his anger toward Brenda was a dispositive factor in her committing suicide. Immediately after he checked into the facility, surgeons diagnosed him with severe epiglottitis, and a few hours later, he went under the knife. On April 7, 1982, Brenda went into the bathroom of her West Los Angeles home, lit and arranged some candles in a circle on the floor and lay down. [citation needed], After graduation from high school in 1952, against his parents' wishes, he majored in drama at City College of San Francisco. With the loss of his son, Bixby felt intense anger, much of which he directed at Benet. After the NBC series "The Magician" in the 1973-74 season, Mr. Bixby went on to star in "The Incredible Hulk," which ran from 1978 to 1982 on CBS. Bill Bixby, whose long career in television included starring roles in three popular series, died on Sunday at his home in Century City. The marriage ended later that year and, then, in late 1992 he was introduced to artist Judith Kliban, who he married in October 1993. Benet was devastated by her son's death and sank into a severe depression. Bixby was 59 years old. Miss Benet, 36 years old, was found Wednesday in the bathroom of her West Los Angeles house, said Officer Winston Jones. Is Bill Bixby alive? 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His father, Wilfred Bailey Everett Bixby II, was a store clerk. She had married Paul Peterson, who played Jeff Stone on The Donna Reed Show, in 1967, but divorced him two years later so she could be with Bixby. Mr. Bixby starred with Ray Walston in the 1963-66 CBS comedy "My Favorite Martian." Months before his demise, Bixby started dating Judith Kliban, whom he later wed, following his first wife, Brenda Benet. Bill Bixby, whose long career in television included starring roles in three popular series, died on Sunday at his home in Century City. Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A 13-year-old Maine boy broke a Guinness World Record by assembling the 11,695-piece Lego World Map in 9 hours, 14 minutes and 49 seconds. Bixby's ex-wife, actress Brenda Benet, killed herself less than a year. Miss Benet was married to the actor Bill Bixby, who played in the television series ''The Incredible Hulk.'' I think most of us would hope that we were with family or perhaps traveling. This series was in the vein of other 1960s and 1970s sitcoms that dealt with widowerhood, such as The Andy Griffith Show and My Three Sons.
