Watch Mr. Wizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Watch Mr. Wizard |
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| Genre | Science education |
| Starring | Don Herbert |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 547 |
| Production | |
| Production location(s) | Chicago, Illinois (1951–55) New York City (1955–65) |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Original release | March 3, 1951 – June 27, 1965 |
Watch Mr. Wizard was a popular American TV show for kids. It taught viewers about the science behind everyday things. The show's creator and host was Don Herbert, known as Mr. Wizard.
The program was highly praised and won many awards. Millions of people watched it. By 1956, the show inspired over 5,000 "Mr. Wizard science clubs." More than 100,000 kids joined these clubs. The show was brought back briefly in 1971. A third version, Mr. Wizard's World, aired on Nickelodeon in the 1980s.
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The Original Show: 1951–1965
Watch Mr. Wizard first aired on NBC on March 3, 1951. Don Herbert played the main character, Mr. Wizard. Each Saturday morning, a neighbor kid would visit Mr. Wizard. These children were played by young actors.
Mr. Wizard always had a science experiment happening. These experiments taught viewers about scientific ideas. Many experiments seemed impossible at first glance. However, they were usually simple enough for viewers to try at home.
The show became very successful. By 1954, 14 stations broadcast it live. Another 77 stations showed it using kinescope. Kinescope was a film made from the live TV broadcast. Mr. Wizard Science Clubs started all over North America. There were 5,000 clubs by 1955 and 50,000 by 1965.
The show moved from Chicago to New York City in September 1955. It produced 547 live episodes. The show ended on June 27, 1965. The National Science Foundation praised the show. They said it made more people interested in science. It also won a Peabody Award in 1953.
You can find 32 episodes of Watch Mr. Wizard on DVD. Don Herbert himself chose these episodes. They are available at [1].
A Short Comeback: 1971 Canadian Version
Mr. Wizard returned to NBC from September 1971 to September 1972. This version was based on 26 new episodes. They were filmed in color in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The series was considered Canadian content by law. This was true even though the show and host were American. CBC Television also showed these episodes in Canada.
Mr. Wizard's World: 1983–1990
| Mr. Wizard's World | |
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| Genre | Science education |
| Starring | Don Herbert |
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| No. of seasons | 5 |
| No. of episodes | 75 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Fern Field |
| Production location(s) | |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Release | |
| Original network | Nickelodeon (1983–90) |
| Original release | October 3, 1983 – July 21, 1989 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Watch Mr. Wizard |
Mr. Wizard's World was a faster-paced version of the show. Don Herbert developed it for Nickelodeon. Nickelodeon was a growing cable channel for kids. This revival was also made in Canada, this time in Calgary.
The show produced 75 episodes starting in 1983. It continued to air as reruns for many years. In 1983, it was Nickelodeon's third most popular show. It was famous for its "Ask Mr. Wizard" part. In this segment, Mr. Wizard answered questions from viewers. Some episodes were re-aired in 2005-2006 on The Science Channel.
Don Herbert once said that Mr. Wizard's World would "never die." The show was canceled in 1990. However, reruns continued on Nick at Nite until 1995. They also aired in early morning slots until August 2000. In 1994, Herbert created a new series. It was called Teacher to Teacher with Mr. Wizard. These short 15-minute shows highlighted elementary science teachers. The National Science Foundation sponsored the series. It was shown on Nickelodeon.
You can buy selected episodes of Mr. Wizard's World on DVD. They are available from Mr. Wizard Studios Inc. Each disk has four episodes. Gift box-sets are also sold. All five seasons, 75 episodes, are available to stream online. You can find them on services like Amazon and Vudu. ViacomCBS, which owns Nickelodeon, also added the series to its Pluto TV service.
Mr. Wizard in Pop Culture
- Radio comedians Bob and Ray made fun of the show. They had a character called "Mr. Science."
- On Saturday Night Live, Bill Hader played Mr. Wizard in a funny sketch. This was in the 36th season.
- In the TV show Beakman's World, two puppet penguins are named "Don" and "Herb." These names honor Don Herbert.
- The TV show The Big Bang Theory features a retired TV scientist. His name is Professor Proton, played by Bob Newhart. He is based on Mr. Wizard.
- In the book The Calculating Stars, the main character appears on Watch Mr. Wizard. She knew Don Herbert from their time in the military.
- In an episode of NCIS (Season 3, Episode 11), Gibbs and Abby talk about Bill Nye. Gibbs then asks if he is like "Mr. Wizard."
