Bulletin Board Archive

Topic: Mr. Wizard dies.

1. Jun 13, 2007 01:05pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
   [quote:7fc3e228e2]Don Herbert, ‘Mr. Wizard’ to Science Buffs, Dies at 89 Sign In to E-Mail or Save This Print Reprints Share DiggFacebookNewsvinePermalink By RICHARD GOLDSTEIN Published: June 13, 2007 Don Herbert, who unlocked the wonders of science for youngsters of the 1950s and ’60s as television’s Mr. Wizard, died yesterday at his home in the Bell Canyon section of Los Angeles. He was 89. Skip to next paragraph Don Herbert, around 1955. The cause was bone cancer, his son-in-law Tom Nikosey told The Associated Press in confirming the death. Mr. Herbert held no advanced degree in science, he used household items in his TV lab, and his assistants were boys and girls. But he became an influential showman-science teacher on his half-hour “Watch Mr. Wizard” programs, which ran on NBC from 1951 to 1965. Millions of youngsters may have been captivated by Howdy Doody and the Lone Ranger, but many were also conducting science experiments at home, emulating Mr. Wizard. “Watch Mr. Wizard,” which was aimed at youngsters between 8 and 13, received a Peabody Award in 1953 for young people’s programming. More than 100,000 children were enrolled in 5,000 Mr. Wizard Science Clubs by the mid-1950s. After his children’s program went off the air, Mr. Herbert remained a presence in TV science programming with general-audience shows like “How About” and “Exploration.” NBC revived “Watch Mr. Wizard” for one year in the early ’70s. In the 1980s Mr. Herbert reprised his children’s shows with “Mr. Wizard’s World” on the Nickelodeon cable network. He became something of a TV celebrity beyond his lab as a guest of Johnny Carson, David Letterman and Regis Philbin and a panelist on “Hollywood Squares.” Working in shirtsleeves on his TV laboratory set, Mr. Herbert aroused the curiosity of children in an informal way that turned sometimes arcane scientific conceptions into fun. “What was really remarkable about Mr. Wizard was that he talked to the kids as if they were real people,” said Frank Wilczek, a physicist at the Institute for Advanced Studies in Princeton, N.J., in a 1990 interview while recounting informal approaches to teaching science. During the 1960s and ’70s, about half the applicants to Rockefeller University in New York, where students work toward doctorates in science and medicine, cited Mr. Wizard when asked how they first became interested in science. Donald Jeffry Herbert was born in Waconia, Minn. He took part in dramatic productions at La Crosse State Teachers College of Wisconsin. After graduating in 1940 with a degree in English and general science, he acted opposite Nancy Davis, the future Nancy Reagan, in summer stock. After service as a bomber pilot in Europe during World War II, he worked as an actor, model and radio-show writer in Chicago, then developed “Watch Mr. Wizard,” which made its debut in 1951 on WMAQ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Chicago. The program later originated in New York and was eventually carried by more than 100 stations. Although Mr. Herbert had some scientific knowledge from his college studies, “everything on the show I learned by doing it,” he once said. He accumulated 18 file cabinets filled with notes. His hallmark was the use of common objects to illustrate scientific principles. He cut out sections of paper plates to illustrate an optical illusion, ran smoke through a soda straw to make air currents visible and shined a flashing light to represent the strength of radiation. “If you used scientific equipment that’s strange to the child, it’s not going to help him or her understand,” Mr. Herbert told the Voice of America’s “Our World” program in 2006. “So we used everyday equipment.” Mad magazine and the comedic pairing of Bob and Ray spoofed Mr. Herbert, to his delight. In fact, his experiments sometimes did go awry. “Once I was supposed to pour two colorless fluids into a glass, and by the count of five the fluid was supposed to turn black,” he once recalled. “It was a complicated experiment in which many factors, like temperature and acidity, had to be just right for the fluid to turn black. Well, I think I counted to 20 before it changed. But even when things went wrong, we would always explain why.” Mr. Herbert continued to spread knowledge of science in his final years, reprising his original shows on DVDs. He is survived by his wife, Norma, and six children and stepchildren. Mr. Herbert was complemented by the youngsters he recruited to help with the experiments. One of them, Rita McLaughlin, Mr. Herbert’s sidekick at age 14, became a soap-opera actress. “What really did it for us was the inclusion of a child,” Mr. Herbert told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2004. “When we started out, it was just me up there alone. That was too much like having a professor give a lecture. We cast a boy and a girl to come in and talk with me about science. That’s when it took off.” Mr. Herbert once said in an interview how “all the kids were just terrific, but they ideally had to be around 11 or 12. Once they got beyond 13, they became know-it-alls.” Asked why he didn’t use his own children on his programs, Mr. Herbert replied, “Because then I couldn’t fire them.”[/quote:7fc3e228e2] Very sad. I still do one of Mr. Wizard's tricks to this day...
2. Jun 13, 2007 01:07pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
   In related news, Frankie (Blue Springs native) -- formerly featured on MTV's "The Real World" -- also passed yesterday.
3. Jun 13, 2007 09:20pm by JDFlow - [url=http://www.my.rawkus.com/profile/jdflow]JDFlow on Rawkus[/url] [url=http://www.myspace.com/jdflow]JDFlow on Myspace[/url] [url=http://ccedistribution.blogspot.com/]Distribution & Marketing[/url] Location: Seattle
   [quote:660f960b37="Reach."]In related news, Frankie (Blue Springs native) -- formerly featured on MTV's "The Real World" -- also passed yesterday.[/quote:660f960b37] What happened to her? She was one of my step sisters best friends.
4. Jun 13, 2007 09:27pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
   [quote:448f50dee3="JDFlow"] What happened to her? She was one of my step sisters best friends.[/quote:448f50dee3] I'm not sure... They didn't have that information when I read the story.
5. Jun 13, 2007 09:29pm by AceFadal - [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]~means To learn by doing www.dipity.com/acefadal WE ARE, Kansas City is [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]! http://crushproofstudio.bandcamp.com/ Location: Downtown, Kansas City, Mo.
   Mr. Wizard was cool. R.I.P. Im gonna miss your zany experiments. This should get national coverage for a week!
6. Jun 14, 2007 02:46am by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own. Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
   Mr Wizard paved the way for people like the Mythbusters, R.I.P. Mr Wizard a man ahead of his time that will go down with PBS legends such as the one and only Bob Ross, R.I.P.
7. Jun 14, 2007 09:11am by PL - Adversity will make you either give up, or grow up. Location: Kansas City, Missouri
   Noooooooooooo! 🙁 He was the one that taught me how to torture younger relatives with static electricity. Aghhhhhhhhh! (Joined by wailing and nashing of teeth).
8. Jun 14, 2007 03:59pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
   Mr. Wizard definitely paved the way. There would've been no Bill Nye or Beakman without him...
9. Jun 14, 2007 04:57pm by AceFadal - [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]~means To learn by doing www.dipity.com/acefadal WE ARE, Kansas City is [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]! http://crushproofstudio.bandcamp.com/ Location: Downtown, Kansas City, Mo.
   Remember this cat? [img:de811e3836]http://www.slimgoodbody.com/Images/Performances/bodyology_yaybody.jpg[/img:de811e3836] He [u:de811e3836]still[/u:de811e3836] were that nasty tight az suit! [url]http://www.slimgoodbody.com/national_tour/[/url] And dont nobody know..... [img:de811e3836]http://www.tgscoaster.com/char/gnu/mfg4.jpg[/img:de811e3836][img:de811e3836]http://www.tgscoaster.com/char/go/go3.jpg[/img:de811e3836] Classic Clip [url]http://www.tgscoaster.com/char/gnu/gnuv1.wmv[/url] what about? [img:de811e3836]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/d/d3/TV_fraggle_rock_gorgs.jpg[/img:de811e3836] If thes shows came back on I would consider watching television again.
10. Jun 14, 2007 06:00pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
    See you done did it... "Fraggle Rock" was my junk!!! I had a serious argument almost turned fight on my last job about where that show aired originally.
11. Jun 14, 2007 06:57pm by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own. Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
    [quote:91932e6c25="Reach."]See you done did it... "Fraggle Rock" was my junk!!! I had a serious argument almost turned fight on my last job about where that show aired originally.[/quote:91932e6c25] That was a good show and the theme could make good material for a sample this (hint hint).
12. Jun 14, 2007 07:18pm by Reach. - Peace and oneness, www.emceereach.com www.myspace.com/reach www.twitter.com/emceereach www.youtube.com/reachtv www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic2 www.cdbaby.com/cd/reachmusic Location: Kansas City
    Blasphemy!!!
13. Jun 14, 2007 07:21pm by AceFadal - [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]~means To learn by doing www.dipity.com/acefadal WE ARE, Kansas City is [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]! http://crushproofstudio.bandcamp.com/ Location: Downtown, Kansas City, Mo.
    Lets Do it!!! [url]http://www.mmto.org/~malegria/My%20Music/Tv%20Theme%20-%20Fraggle%20Rock.mp3[/url] [img:7d6cbaab4e]http://www.toughpigs.com/images/myweekfraggle20.jpg[/img:7d6cbaab4e]
14. Jun 14, 2007 07:55pm by DR.T - nuts .. haha Location: KCMO
    [quote:baf8e0e158="AceFadal"]Lets Do it!!! [url]http://www.mmto.org/~malegria/My%20Music/Tv%20Theme%20-%20Fraggle%20Rock.mp3[/url] [img:baf8e0e158]http://www.toughpigs.com/images/myweekfraggle20.jpg[/img:baf8e0e158][/quote:baf8e0e158] NO!
15. Jun 14, 2007 08:15pm by AceFadal - [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]~means To learn by doing www.dipity.com/acefadal WE ARE, Kansas City is [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]! http://crushproofstudio.bandcamp.com/ Location: Downtown, Kansas City, Mo.
    Well Pick One Of these. Lets do it for Fun! Warning Your head is about to explode!........This was my secret for like a year, but I really cant touch any of these tracks. Too sacreligious. However most off these themes were what made me start remembering melody and Harmony structure as a when I was a youngster in fron of that Black and White Tube. anyway [url]http://www.mmto.org/~malegria/html/TV%20Themes.html[/url] Always Hummin some Airwolf
16. Jun 14, 2007 08:59pm by DR.T - nuts .. haha Location: KCMO
    Now thats a thought!
17. Jun 15, 2007 02:10am by Distorted_Mastermind - I reject your reality and substitute my own. Adam Savage Location: Olathe, KS
    No Macgyver?
18. Jun 15, 2007 02:17am by AceFadal - [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]~means To learn by doing www.dipity.com/acefadal WE ARE, Kansas City is [b:353f9d151d]k[/b:353f9d151d]inestheti[b:353f9d151d]C[/b:353f9d151d]! http://crushproofstudio.bandcamp.com/ Location: Downtown, Kansas City, Mo.
    Nor any CHiPs, Night Hawk, or Fall Guy. Oh man what I would'nt give for some good ole fashion redneck action packed stuntboy rowdyness. Can anyone find the Eliminator theme? Im gonna have all these joints yet. Next Party.....I'm Only Bumpin Television themes