The Magician (Bill Bixby) Opening Montage

[hulkster46a]

I remember watching this show when I was 9 or so, I loved his car, a Camero with Spirit on it. Still, after this show ended, I watched him on The Incredible Hulk and was hooked eversince.

[0004pedro]

I did not see too many episodes of this but I remember clearly, thursday nights on TV in Port-Harcourt, Nigeria 1977-78. That music just stayed stuck in my head.

[Firelogger]

Very 70's

[jazzy6307]

I loved his doorbell, the little puppet.

[Willowmelangel]

I swear to God I have spent 30 years, haphazardly asking sundry people I work with etc, "Do you remember 'The Magician'" Not one person remembered! I get on You Tube and its a complete lovefest. Awsome!

[themagiciandvd]

Great links about the show as well as DVDs, digital downloads and commemorative "The Magician" playing cards at TheMagicianDVD web site

[ladybluluv]

I always loved him. Was such a talent and nice guy. I knew he was a real magician (Ray Walston was too), I didn't know he was in a show called 'The Magician' too. I'm happy I got to see Bill in person once at a celebrity/police golf tournament in around 1990(?) in CA. He was riding around in a golf cart and the driver honked at the few of us to pass, I looked back, saw the sign on front that said 'Bill BIxby, looked up and saw him. I was thrilled! MFM was my favorite show.

[californiamagician]

@ladybluluv I have the pleasure of hanging out with someone who used to work for the magic coordinator for the show THE MAGICIAN, who would leave his assistant, my friend Larry behind to work with Bix one on one all week learning magic in preparation for his scenes on the show... Larry also played Bill Bixbys magic assistant on the show THE MAGICIAN, while in reality he was the one who worked and taught Bill, thanks to his boss magician Mark Wilson.

youtube.com/watch?v=chHhlNxwU_­E

[o82774]

The horn instrumental in this show opening is so awesome. Only if someone has no pulse can they nt feel this. Each episode of this series was so bautifull crafted. The energy and soul of these shows cannot be matched by today's over-produced under-inspired efforts. Even the GOOD shows of today lack the soul of these shows. This stuff is fine art by comparison. And yes Bill Bixby should be canonized.

[LightenUpMcGraw]

I guess the one trick he couldn't pull off was keeping the show from being cancelled. I still remember the show as a kid in the 70's, like many improbable TV plots he was a magician that solved crimes. It’s like Murder She Wrote, she was a writer that solved crimes, or Hart to Hart, they were millionaires that solved crimes. Anyone remember “Alice”, the waitress that solved crimes? No just kidding she just solved diner dinner issues, but she could have solved crimes if she had wanted to.

[hankaaron1961]

@LightenUpMcGraw The woman who played Alice, also played a detective in the sitcom "Barney Miller". So maybe you're not so far off perhaps!

[LightenUpMcGraw]

@hankaaron1961 - I loved Barney Miller, I still remember an episode where one of the detectives girlfriend made pot brownies and everyone ate them and got stoned to the bejesus, an amazingly funny episode of a very funny show. Plus the theme song was one of the best of all time, for years bands in schools warmed up with that, well that and unfortunatly the theme from Mash, tootles!

[MrDigger1969]

takes me back to my childhood, great T.V.

[1Bandit455]

Cool show -one of my favorites -almost bought a New White Vette at the time but chose the 455 Trans Am instead .

[hulkster46a]

I remember bits and pieces of this show when I was a kid. Watching the bio of Bixby. The main reason it was cancelled was that Bixby wanted too include more magic and have more magicians on the show,ect. And the show would of been over budget. Pity. Most of the shows Bixby was on went on longer than five years. The exception was The Magician and Goodnight Beantown. He did Beantown about a season or so after The Incredible Hulk ended. I still have my autographed photo of Bixby too this day.

[Hotspace5170]

The show was very cool for the time. and theme music was very cool. Who did the theme music ? Anybody know ?

[RS1963]

Many years ago My mother didn't know it at the time but we had seen part of the filming of Bill Bixby driving on Las Vegas Blvd for the Magician. When the show aired we both realized what it was we had seen being filmed months before. The magician was one of the reasons I actually became a magician as well.

[Carycomic]

A truly (and shamefully) under-rated series. The technical advisor on this series was the legendary Mark Wilson. And, Joseph Sirola was a very versatile character actor. For my money, his version of Dr. Doom (for the 1966 H-B adaptation of the Fantastic Four) has never been surpassed.

[imasaltydog]

I loved that he had his on airplane

[kgrueschowjr2009]

I remember Keene Curtis as General

Hammond on MASH.

[moonshinesally1]

The crush I used to have on Bill Bixy when I was 12 *sigh*

[californiamagician]

I think alot of guys looked up to Bill Bixby as a male role model back then... all the girls loved him, and the guys wanted to emulate his persona, a clean cut, likeable gentleman.

[voicemaster71]

@californiamagician I know I sure did. Bix was a role model to me on what a nice man is. I've always aspired to be that same nice guy. In my own opinion, I feel Bill Bixby should have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

[hulkster46a]

@voicemaster71 Agreed, he should have his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

[Tigerpaws9097826]

I used to love this show, back in my college days, and enjoyed Bill Bixby in almost any role he played as well. The story lines were improbable, but if you had an interest in magic this show added a sense of adventure and glamour to the art.

[blackwingy]

I loved this show. I grew up in L.A.-to see "The Magician's" house up on the hill above Franklin was a thrill, not to mention actually going into the Magic Castle for the 1st time. And what's cooler than a white 'vette with the license plate "SPIRIT"? Bixby was the man.

[Doug4422]

A little bit of irony here, the producer of this show, Alan A. Armer also co-produced a very popular show back in the early, to late 60's, the name of the show . . . The Fugitive

[californiamagician]

David Jansen's Mother was a customer of mine at the camera store for YEARS, she used to talk about her son David (the Fugitive) as if he were still alive!

[gtrfinger]

One of the first TV shows I remember, thanks a lot for posting.

[dagdogg]

Mark Wilson taught Bill in the magical arts.

[californiamagician]

While it is true that Mark Wilson was the Magic Consultant for the show, he was not able to confine himself to the Paramount lot every day and continue his own magic career, thus he left a very qualified magic assistant behind to work with Bill when he could not be there, which was about 80% of the time. Bill was then left to learn magic moves by a young man named Larry Anderson.

[gordorules]

Larry Anderson? Any relation to Harry?

[californiamagician]

Larry and Harry met once on the set of Harry's TV show "Night Court" (1984) and did card tricks together on the set in between takes, and they got along great. Larry played a court

lawyer on one show...

Other than that one chance meeting, they are not related, and have not seen or worked with each other since!

[gordorules]

Awesome! Thanks!! :)

[Astraldragon1]

I find it amazing Bill learned how to do magic tricks..she he could preform himself with out a stunt double doing it. That shows the hard work he put into the TV Shows he was invovled in.

[californiamagician]

Larry Anderson worked with Bill 1 on 1 on the set of The Magician, Larry worked for magician Mark Wilson who could not stay on the set every day... and so Mark left Larry behind to work it out with Bix. Larry is a personal friend and is a great human being. Bill did a great job in his role.

[Astraldragon1]

I loved this series, the opening and music was great. I saw a couple episodes over the years but never the complete series I hear that NBC Cancelled it and it wasn't on air very long maybe a season but I'm not sure ether way I would like for it to be on DVD...if it is not out yet it should be.

[54spiritedwill54]

the theme song is awesome.

[ejrigby]

..and also the incidental music, both by Patrick Williams.

[warrilad]

the 1970's was the best for tv shows and what great theme music they did back then..

[nwbearcub]

I was in grade school (3rd or 4th) when this great show premiered and it was a shame when NBC cancelled it. Listening to the theme music now reminds me a little bit of the "Knight Rider" theme.

[Pulsar205]

That opening takes me back. The man who could do magic tricks!

[djwash5]

Cool theme!!!!!

[Helivz]

Ditto. It was exactly 35 years ago, this very day / hour, when I got up, December 26, 1973, and this tune was in my head. I was in the seventh grade, and on Christmas break. My dad took my mom to work, and came home. The sun was rising, it was cold outside, and I looked thru my pile of Christmas gifts, one of which was a small, round blue radio. My dad and I arranged some fishing gear in our yard, with all the snow, and winds. What memories this show brings to me, of youth gone by!

[rottiesrule79]

RIP Bill Bixby.

[vkellman]

Brings back so many great memories.

[elizajohn5]

its a pity the magician disappeared off the tv.

[boland44]

I remember I loved this show when it was on but I wonder if it would seem that good if I saw it now.

[ErsatzWino]

One of the truly great little-known theme songs. Cool to finally see a little of the show!

[Ecofreak96]

Bill Bixby is Always the ladies man!

[dieselboy64]

Wow!! I thought I'd never see or hear this again! What a cool show and musical theme this was growing up.

[katylied47]

lets go back and why not the future aint lookin bright greedy bastards

[Pusllab1]

You're not alone in going backwards, unlikeanyotherhuman. 1970's television - nothing better!

[Pusllab1]

This was a great show. Bill Bixby was a hugely underrated actor who is sadly missed.

[californiamagician]

Chevrolet was a sponsor of the show, and when the show began in 73, they provided Paramount Studios a 1973 model to use for the show. I dont know if there is alot of difference with the 73 and 74 Corvette's, but Im guessing since the show started in 73, he probably got a 73 model, however who knows, they may have let Paramount use "Next years model" in 73, which would have been a 1974 car. The world may never know. But YES, it is a Corvette, and probably a 1973.

[sibphu]

i used to work for paramount pictures, so i did some digging to see what the hold-up is on releasing this show on dvd. turns out some company in texas holds the rights and they won't release it unless they receive an exorbitant amount from the public - which is ridiculous when i think of all the junk that's being released now. i mean really - is the public truly rushing the stores at midnite so they can get their hands on the latest volume of "just shoot me" or "according to jim"?

[californiamagician]

I know some people associated with the show,

that must be a rumor you heard, because as far as I know Paramount has never sold or released the 20 episodes, other than one time to the Sci Fi Channel for their one time marathon of all of the TM episodes back in 1999.

[sibphu]

sorry friend - not a rumor. i was directed to a particular dept. at paramount pics (once again, i WORKED there so access was no problem). the person i spoke to told me that a texas company owned the rights to the show. i called that company in texas and they confirmed ownership, saying they wouldn't release the show on dvd unless there was massive audience demand - which they say there wasn't (when i called a few years back).

[meangreen69Nova]

Is that a 1973 Corvette Bill is driving?

[magicianspirit]

Yep. In the 1974 season he drove the 1974 model (gotta keep up with the times! LOL)

[Kreaden]

this show reminds me of another show that dealt with a magician that fought crimes....it was from the 1980s but i can't remember the title of the show...all I can remember of is is that the Magician in the show is sitting in a a chair next to a hotel pool and instead of excepting the drink from the waitress he points at his nearly empy glass and it refills by magic...does anyone have an idea of what I am talking about....if it helps i remember one episode dealt with a fake ghost pirate ship.

[magicianspirit]

If it was an actual series instead of a one off it may have been Blacke's Magic, starring Hal Linden of Barney Miller and Col. Potter from M*A*S*H.

[Kreaden]

Dude I think that is the one, Hal Linden is the guy who's face i could see but couldn't remember his name. Thankyou very much.

[adamski010]

Hell!My mum used to love this!Happy Days...for her?

[warrilad]

tv themes were so great then,long live the 70's ,miss you...

[byromania]

Fantastic show! I remember sneaking out of bed past my bedtime to watch it. I thought it was also cool that he had his own 727. I wish I could find this show and The Courtship of Eddie's Father on dvd.

[Susannah2k]

I've probably seen The Magician only once since it was originally on the air, but I'd know that theme song anywhere. Thanks so much for posting it.

[californiamagician]

Yes, I remember it as well, your not alone!

There is a group on Yahoo (Yahoo Groups) called Bill Bixby Magic... Bill Bixby is no

longer with us, buy you can visit his SPIRIT

at myspace: myspace$com/billbixbyspirit

[Helivz]

Thirty fours years ago, this very day, December 26th 1973, I had this Montage reverberating thru my adolescent, 13-year-old mind. I was fascinated with Bill Bixbys program, "The Magician." Where have all the good shows gone to?

[cdtseng]

the theme song is awesome. i was told years ago that it was done by bill bixby's good friend, paul williams. can someone shed some light on this?

[barahoo]

Awesome theme song,he also had such a cool watch the 1st LCD watch I've seen.

[robermagic]

Awesome!

The good ol' days of Magic!

[californiamagician]

You should join the group on Yahoo called Bill Bixby Magic

you would would be an excellent member since you are familiar

with all the episodes.

[californiamagician]

Then you are obviously someone with good Taste in vintage Television programs from the past.

[bmac63]

Remember this show so well!

Good memories of when starting out in magic!!

Good fun!

[assignmentearth]

okay,....who was the trumpet player playing the challenging picollo trumpet part on this?

[er5678er]

That deck of cards looks like an iphone!!!...

[californiamagician]

Wow, your Right, it kinda DOES look like an Iphone!

I JUST noticed!

[er5678er]

I remember this was the first time I saw that white vette and fell in love with cars. They should remake these shows...with CGI they could be awesome...

[komuse]

Great!

[Yesquiet]

Ca.magician ,gd ,better if u make blurriness disappear

[fsuburt]

I fell in love with corvettes watcing this show. Bill Bixby was the best!

[Hemlock54]

BADASS.  There. I said it.

[WalkingCat2]

I was 12 when this short lived show aired. I had such a crush on Bill Bixby! Thanks to YouTube for bringing back a great memory.

[californiamagician]

Bill Bixby is no longer with us, but you can still visit Bill Bixbys Spirit on MyspaceDOTcom. just add a forward slash, followed by billbixbyspirit to find him there!

[granki17]

cool !where is the moment when he is in a corridor and the lava is under his feet!

[slowmovement]

Aw! You're right! That was astounding!

[us71]

Maybe it'll come out on DVD someday!.

[colong88]

Great! Rarely seen opening credits of a much under-rated show. We miss you, Bill!