Wilfred Bailey Everett "Bill" Bixby III

 Wilfred Bailey Everett "Bill" Bixby III (January 22, 1934 − November 21, 1993)

His career spanned more than three decades, including appearances on stage, in films and on television series. He is known for his roles as Tim O'Hara on sitcom My Favorite Martian, Tom Corbett on the comedy-drama series The Courtship of Eddie's Father, stage illusionist Anthony Blake in the drama series The Magician, but is perhaps best known for his role as scientist Dr. David Banner on the series The Incredible Hulk. In 1961, Bixby was in the musical The Boy Friend at the Detroit Civic Theater, returning to Hollywood to make his television debut on an episode of The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. He became a highly regarded character actor and guest-starred in many 1960s TV series including Ben Casey, The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, Dr. Kildare, Straightaway, and Hennesey. He also joined the cast of The Joey Bishop Show in 1962. In 1963 he played a sailor with a Napoleon tattoo in the movie Irma La Douce, a romantic comedy starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, directed by Billy Wilder based on the 1956 French musical. During the 1970s, he made guest-appearances on TV series such as Ironside, Insight, Barbary Coast, The Love Boat, Medical Center, four episodes of Love, American Style, Fantasy Island, and two episodes each of The Streets of San Francisco, and Rod Serling's Night Gallery. He also turned down the role as Marlo Thomas's boyfriend in the successful That Girl (though he later guested on the show) and starred in two failed pilots. In early 1991, Bixby was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent treatment. Unfortunately, his cancer returned two years later and ultimately ended Bixby's life at age 59. In another tragedy, his son Christopher died from cardiac arrest in 1981 at the age of 6, after being admitted to the hospital for a sudden illness. Bixby's first wife, and mother of Christopher, actress Brenda Benet, went into a deep depression after this and committed suicide in 1982.