1972-1973 Television Season: The Magician

It's the 1972-1973 television season, and we're looking back fifty years ago to learn more about what television series were on the air... all the successes, the not so successful, and everything in between.

Bill Bixby had become that rare television talent and leading man who had two successful television series under his belt at a young age. He had co-starred in the CBS mid-1960s hit comedy My Favorite Martian, and then spent some time away from television and in feature films (including an Elvis Presley film). By 1969, he was beginning his television comeback with the ABC series The Courtship of Eddie's Father. Another fan favorite and hit show, that series ran for three seasons.

By spring 1972, Television Networks wanted to be in the 'Bill Bixby business', and understandably so. During the final season of Courtship, he also starred in the hit TV-movie for ABC 'Congratulations, It's a Boy.' Bill had become a very hot commodity on television, and when pilot season rolled around, Bixby quickly found his next potential series - The Magician, this time for NBC.

The series pilot premiered fifty years ago last month, on March 17, 1973. The background for the story was quite compelling - Bixby played Anthony Blake, a top magician working in Hollywood who works on the side to help people in distress, often looking to solve unsolved mysteries and/or to escape their own life situations.

The show had the extra charm in that Bill Bixby was a novice magician in real life, and all of the magic tricks and illusions performed on the show by Anthony Blake were done by Bill himself. In addition, Anthony Blake drove one of the coolest cars on television at the time - a white 1972 (maybe '71 or '70?)) Chevrolet Corvette.

The pilot performed very well that March, and the pilot was green-lighted by NBC that Upfront in May, and into production. The series' first episode debuted that October in the fall of 1973. We'll have more to talk about and reflect upon in October, but for now, here's the opening credits to that pilot episode.

We highly recommend (check Amazon for a copy for your collection!) the DVD set for the series. Early 1970's television mystery drama at its best. A cool series and charismatic star.

This video clip is presented here on YouTube for the entertainment and informational value of the viewer, and no copyright infringement is intended.

Enjoy.

Видео 1972-1973 Television Season: The Magician канала TelevisionVanguard