1977 The Incredible Hulk TV Series

The 1977 production was the pilot movie that launched The Incredible Hulk live-action television series, which aired from 1978 to 1982. The show starred Bill Bixby as Dr. David Banner and professional bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno as the Hulk. The series was a dramatic, grounded adaptation of the Marvel Comics character, developed by Kenneth Johnson. It was loosely based on the source material, drawing inspiration from Les Misérables and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to tell the story of a tragic, misunderstood hero on the run. Dr. David Banner (Bill Bixby): A physician and scientist who, after an accidental overdose of gamma radiation in a lab experiment, finds himself cursed with transforming into a powerful green creature when angry or stressed. He travels the country under assumed names, searching for a cure for his condition and helping people he meets along the way. The Hulk (Lou Ferrigno): Banner's large, green, and incredibly strong alter ego. The Hulk did not speak, instead communicating through growls and roars. Jack McGee (Jack Colvin): An obsessive investigative newspaper reporter for the National Register who relentlessly pursues the Hulk, believing him to be a dangerous killer and hoping to capture the creature to become famous. Run: The series began with two made-for-TV movies in November 1977 and continued with regular episodes from March 10, 1978, to May 12, 1982, on the CBS network. It ran for five seasons, totaling 80 episodes, plus the initial pilots. Changes from the Comic: Creator Kenneth Johnson made several notable changes from the comic books to make the show more "grounded" in reality. These included changing the main character's name from "Bruce" Banner to "David" Banner, giving the Hulk limited intelligence and speech, and altering the origin story from a nuclear explosion to a lab mishap. The "Lonely Man" Theme: The show is famous for its melancholic, piano-driven closing theme, "The Lonely Man," composed by Joe Harnell, which played as David Banner hitchhiked to his next destination at the end of each episode. Legacy: The series became a cult classic, well-regarded for its emotional depth and Bill Bixby's performance. The success of the show led to three additional post-series TV movies that aired on NBC in the late 1980s, which also introduced other Marvel characters like Thor and Daredevil to a television audience. The final movie was titled The Death of the Incredible Hulk (1990).