T.V.'s "Mr. Wizard" dies at 89

[Philosoraptor]

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-ex-herbert12jun13,0,4867128.story?coll=la-home-center



Don Herbert, who explained the wonderful world of science to young baby boomers on television in the 1950s and '60s as "Mr Wizard" and did the same for a later generation of youngsters on the Nickelodeon cable TV channel in the 1980s, died today. He was 89.

Herbert died at his home in Bell Canyon after a long battle with multiple myeloma, said Tom Nikosey, Herbert's son-in-law.

A 1940 graduate of LaCrosse State Teachers College who served as an Army Air Forces pilot during World War II, Herbert worked as an actor and model before launching his weekly science show on NBC in 1951. Broadcast live from Chicago the first three years and then from New York, "Watch Mr. Wizard" ran for 14 years.
----------

I used to watch this guy all the time. Believe it or not, Jack LaLaine, the fitness guy is still alive and working on t.v.

[rinsd]

1. Damn.

He taught so many about science.

Rest in Peace Mr. Wizard.

[liberaldemocrat7]

27. Oh no. He can't die, at least not without doing one last experiment. LOL

I watched him during the late 1950's early 1960's and during the 1980's as well. I consider him one of my inspirations to enjoy mathematics and science. I enjoyed his television shows. I can imagine his voice right now. I used to watch him on TV in New York.

Do you suppose when they lower his coffin in the ground will they use a triple pulley system? :)

May he rest in peace.

As for Jack LaLane, I also watched his shows sometimes also. These days he sells a juicer.


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[pwb]

2. i watched Mr Wizard all the time.

RIP Mr Wizard

[jpgray]

3. Nooo! Mr Wizard was the best.

[TroglodyteScholar]

4. RIP friend

Mr. Wizard actually played a big role in keeping my young mind interested in science. Every experiment was a new wonder.

[bkcc]

5. Damn. That sucks.

Rest in peace, Mr. Wizard. I learned a lot from your shows.

[OzarkDem]

6. Link to his web site

where you can buy DVD's of his episodes. Appears he was still teaching science to young people.

http://www.mrwizardstudios.com/

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

7. Oh No! He Was The FIRST Person I Ever Wanted To Be. Gave Me My Love For Science And Learning.

Rest easy Don, you definitely made an impact on me.

[WinkyDink]

8. Oh, man! I LOVED Mr. Wizard! He was a Teacher Sans Pareil!!

Helpful, kind, learned---dang.

R.I.P., Mr. Wizard.

[onenote]

9. RIP -- nothing but good memories of Mr. Wizard

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

10. damn! i was just thinking about him

and his early 50s appearance as a chain smoking scientist who teaches you the value of a healthy heart in 'hemo the magnificient'

i figured he was getting up there in years. he was pretty old in his 1980s comeback show i grew up with. loved him back then and learned alot from the show.

[TlalocW]

11. In his honor

I just showed my officemate how to cut a hole in an 8.5 by 11 inch piece of paper large enough to walk through that I learned from watching him on Nickelodeon when I was a kid.

TlalocW

[shadowknows69]

14. Have they fired you yet?

:rofl: :spray:

[durrrty libby]

16. I think I remember that. Do you start in the middle and keep going

round and round in 1/4" intervals?
Sort of like peeling an apple

[TlalocW]

19. No

You fold it in half. From the fold on either end, cut with scissors towards the open ends but don't cut all the way. Stop about half an inch to an inch from it. Now you do the same thing over and over again between those two cuts, but you alternate which side you start on. So starting from one end, you have your cut starting from the fold going towards the opposite (open) end. So place a cut next to it but start from the open end going towards the fold, stopping half and inch to an inch from it. Go back and do the same from the folded end, etc.

When you've finished the alternating cuts, put the paper on a table so that it's flat again (it will try to tangle itself up). Looking at the folded side, cut through the fold in every instance where it's joined except for the ends. Open it up, and voila, big ol' hole.

TlalocW

[durrrty libby]

20. Thanks and RIP Mr Science

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

42. LOL I Remember That Too!

I hope his reruns endure and my kids in a few years will be able to enjoy him as I have.

[shadowknows69]

12. Aww fuck

science in this country is now completely doomed. Good Journey Mr. Wizard. Thanks for enlightening part of a generation anyway. Don't know what happened to the rest of them. Too much "Leave it to Beaver", not enough "Dobie Gillis" I suspect.

[Madspirit]

13. k&r...RIP...n/t

[high density]

15. I used to watch that all the time

RIP!

[El Supremo]

17. Now this one really hurt.

I watched his show all the time in the 50's. He made me want to learn science. And after trying to be an engineer and then not liking to wear pocket liners and calculators, I became a scientist.

[Pithlet]

18. Aw. I watched the series he did in the 80's when I was a kid.

I loved that show. :cry:

[edbermac]

21. I love that line in Buckaroo Banzai...

When Perfect Tommy confuses Dr Lizardo with Mr Wizard:

Perfect Tommy: Emilio Lizardo. Wasn't he on TV once?
Buckaroo Banzai: You're thinking of Mr. Wizard.
Reno: Emilio Lizardo is a top scientist, dummkopf.
Perfect Tommy: So was Mr. Wizard.

[Stinky The Clown]

22. Oh man! He was an inspirational hero of my youth.

Thanks, Mr. Wizard, for making me more and more curious.

[ThomWV]

23. He did a good thing, educated children. Bless him for it.

He will be remembered well.

[DemReadingDU]

24. I loved Mr. Wizard's show too

[Bjornsdotter]

25. Now I'm bummed

I loved Mr Wizard.

Mr Bjornsdotter remembers him fondly also.

Cheers

[Matsubara]

26. That's sad. He was great.

I wish he or Bill Nye could explain to me why we come into this world, come into contact with all of these beautiful people, only to slip away into the ether again.

:cry:

[Dudley_DUright]

28. Thanks Mr. Wizard

I remember seeing his show when I was very young and thinking how cool it would be to be a scientist (I still think it is cool to be a scientist :-) ). I had no idea he graduated from UW-LaCrosse (then a teachers college). I graduated from UW-River Falls, not too far from LaCrosse. RIP Don. :cry:

[AX10]

29. I watched him all the time when I was young.

Sorry to see him go.

[kskiska]

30. I loved Mr. Wizard and Jon Gnagy

Science with Mr. Wizard and art with Jon Gnagy. TV used to be educational without being boring.

My dad was a Mr. Wizard of sorts. Whenever he "helped" me with a science project like a telegraph sender or a pinhole camera, it ended up looking awfully professional, but the teacher was impressed enough to give me a good grade. Re: the telegraph sender, instead of the recommended rinky-dink household objects like thread spools, and two big batteries, mine was a thick base of plywood, a section of bent hacksaw blade with rubber button as a key, and two large screws, powered by a transformer.

He later built a 3/4 scale German Fokker in his basement. He also ground glass lenses and built a 12-inch reflecting telescope.

[Philosoraptor]

31. ...........

[annabanana]

32. It was Mr. Wizard for us.... Bill Nye, Science Guy for the kids..

Who's on the air NOW to show kids how much plain old FUN science can be?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

33. I loved that show!

RIP, Mr. Wizard.

[RiDuvessa]

34. I loved his show!!

I am saddened to hear this. He made science interesting.

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

35. RIP Mr. Wizard...

He was the coolest thing...I remember watching his show on Nickelodeon back in the early 80's, and just being amazed at what you could do with what was around your house. Another good one has left us. :(

[Vidar]

36. RIP Mr. Herbert.

[rasputin1952]

37. Mr. Wizard....What a wonderful show. Don Herbert brought

science to kids like me in the '50s. He always had some weird gadget or experiment that could be done with only some household objects. He was always sure to that he made a point of checking w/your parents first, (very wise advice indeed, as went unheeded by me when I made something go "boom" in the basement and scared the hell out of everyone, including myself...:blush: ).

Not just "Boomers" were watching him either, I recall my parents watching him do some pretty cool stuff. He transcended age, and certainly all other barriers, race, religion, sex...everyone was included in the experiments, especially toward the late 50's/60's.

Growing up in NY was just a little bit better because of Mr. Wizard...never condescending, never short on explanations, always opening new and inquiring minds to the wonders of science. Certainly, a class act all the way.

So, Don, while this is a world that has become a little lesser of a place; your intellect, your grace and your dignity live on in those of us who were privileged to get to know you on that little B&W screen so long ago. Without you sir, many of us would have missed out on the joys and wonders of science. You did well, and gave us so much.

RIP, in the wonders of the universe.

[Jack Rabbit]

38. Aw, shucks

I watched his show as a boy, and then I watched it with my sons when I was a young father.

Funny how I didn't outgrow Mr. Wizard.

[burrowowl]

39. RIP Mr. Wizard!

I remeber watching his show. There should be more shows like his or even rerun them!
Oops! They are in Black and White, but what the hell!

[Liberal In Texas]

40. RIP Mr. Wizard... I grew up watching him. He got a lot of kids interested in science.

We are better for having had him in our lives.

[Philosoraptor]

41. ..........

[eppur_se_muova]

43. RIP, Mr. Wizard. QED.

:patriot::cry:

[Blue_Tires]

44. very sad...

i had great memories being awed by his experiments coming up in the 80s

[MikeH]

45. I fondly remember Mr. Wizard

I was very much interested in math and science when I was a kid, and Mr. Wizard was one of those TV shows I felt I always had to watch in the early 1960's.

I didn't realize that he had still been alive until just now. It is always interesting, and a little strange, to hear about somebody whom I liked and followed very closely when I was much younger, but have since almost forgotten about.

RIP Mr. Wizard.

[UTUSN]

46. & he *still* hasn't move to the Lounge?!!1 n/t