The Incredible Hulk (1978 TV series)

"Dr. David Banner: physician, scientist; searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs... The creature is driven by rage and pursued by an investigative reporter. The creature is wanted for a murder he didn't commit. David Banner is believed to be dead, and he must let the world think that he is dead, until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him."

"Bill Bixby - Dr. David Banner"

"Lou Ferrigno - The Hulk"

"Jack Colvin - Jack McGee"

"The Hulk television show I thought was wonderful. It was created and done by Kenneth Johnson, who I think did a brilliant job, and I got quite friendly with him in the course of it. He was so smart. He took a character which in live action television, might have been unbearably foolish looking, with nonsensical stories, and he made it as palatable for grown-ups as for kids, maybe more so. Cause what he did, if you remember that series, it was an hour show, and in the course of the hour, you only actually saw the Hulk, for I don't know, five or six minutes, maybe not that much. The rest of the time, it was Bruce Banner, played by Bill Bixby as a very human, empathetic character that you cared about. So it was really an adult show about an interesting complex hero with a lot of personal problems. As far as the Hulk goes, in the comic books, I had him talking because a panel without any dialogue balloons – and I couldn't give him thought balloons cause he was too dumb – it can get a little uninteresting. When we started the television show, Ken said to me, "You know, Stan, I don't think the Hulk should talk." The minute he said it, I knew he was right, because I had in the beginning I had the Hulk talking like this, "Hulk crush" "Hulk get him" You know, I can get away with it in a comic, but that would've sounded so silly if he spoke that way in a television show. So by having him not talk at all, I think he made it more like a real monster and more frightening than that silly pigeon dialogue. And as I say, it was such a good show, Ken did everything right. When Banner turned into the Hulk, people who saw the show still remember there'd be a shot of his eyes which suddenly start changing colour, then you'd see the shirt starting to rip off his shoulder as the shoulder got bigger. For some reason, women have told me they love that shot, they "Oh, we can't wait to see where the shirt rips and the shoulder gets bigger." And um, yeah, the Hulk was very successful. It lasted - well I'll tell you a funny story about [...] I had a cameo in one of the Hulk shows, and it was the one called The Trial of the Hulk, where he was in a court, and there was a jury in the box. I was the foreman of the jury, sitting in the jury box. And in one scene, the Hulk gets angry, and he reaches down and he lifts up the whole jury box with all twelve jurors. I mean, he only lifts it about two feet, and they jump out of the box in fear. Now obviously, there's a hydraulic lift under that, I mean, Lou Ferrigno wasn't lifting it. However, I was in the jury box and having a great time with my little cameo, and then the Hulk started lifting it, and Bill said, "Cut!" And he said "Okay, Stan, you get out of there." I said, "What did I do wrong?" He said, "Nothing, we have to put a stunt man in there now cause you gotta jump out of the jury box." I said, "It's two feet. I could step out." He said, "No, that's considered a stunt, you've gotta get out, a stunt man's gotta do it." [laughs] I was so angry, my big chance, and I couldn't even jump two feet. But it was great. And I might add, Bill Bixby who played Bruce Banner who turned into the Hulk, one of the nicest guys I have ever known. So was Lou Ferrigno who played the Hulk. This big muscular guy is one of the sweetest, gentlest men you could ever meet. Everything about that show was good."