The hidden illness that took this Hollywood legend’s life

Breaking Through on Television
The early 1960s were a turning point. After years of small roles and auditions, Bixby landed his breakthrough role in 1963 as Tim O’Hara on My Favorite Martian. Cast opposite Ray Walston, Bixby played a skeptical newspaper reporter forced to coexist with an alien roommate.

The show’s success surprised critics, but Bixby’s appeal was undeniable. He wasn’t flashy or exaggerated. He was grounded — the straight man who made the absurd believable.

Audiences responded instantly.

The series ran for three seasons and made Bill Bixby a household name. More importantly, it established his signature screen persona: the reasonable man navigating chaos with patience and empathy.

America’s Favorite TV Father

In the late 1960s, Bixby took on a role that would further cement his emotional connection with viewers. In The Courtship of Eddie’s Father, he played Tom Corbett, a widowed single father raising his young son.

The show resonated deeply with families across America. At a time when television fathers were often distant or authoritarian, Bixby’s Tom Corbett was gentle, communicative, and emotionally present.

The role earned him three Emmy nominations and solidified his reputation as one of television’s most likable leading men.

In hindsight, the role feels tragically prophetic.

Becoming David Banner
For many fans, Bill Bixby’s most iconic role came in 1978 with The Incredible Hulk. Cast as Dr. David Banner, Bixby portrayed a man haunted by trauma, anger, and the inability to control what lived inside him.

Unlike traditional superheroes, Banner was not triumphant. He was lonely, wandering, and burdened by guilt.

Bixby leaned into that sadness.

His portrayal turned what could have been a simple action series into a deeply emotional exploration of grief, repression, and isolation. Audiences didn’t just watch the Hulk — they mourned for the man who became him.

Bixby later reprised the role in three television films, directing two of them himself. By then, he was quietly transitioning into a respected behind-the-camera career.

The Tragedy That Changed Everything

In 1981, Bill Bixby’s life fractured in a way no role could prepare him for.

His six-year-old son, Christopher — whom he shared with his first wife, actress Brenda Benet — died suddenly from a rare throat infection.

The loss was catastrophic.