Don Herbert, also known as television's science teacher Mr.Wizard, died at his home Tuesday of bone cancer. He was 89.Mr. Wizard's target audience was kids (baby boomers: you may already know this) and his lessons taught youngsters to use the thinking skills of scientists through workshop experiments using simple household items. His 1950s series Watch Mr. Wizard was so good it won a Peabody Award in 1954, and Herbert was one of David Letterman' first guests when the show Late Night With David Letterman debuted in 1982. Herbert's show made it to Nickelodeon too and ran from 1983 to 1991. Reruns were shown until 2000. Nickelodeon's Mr. Wizard episodes are available here.
A native of Waconia, Minnesota, Herbert graduated from LaCrosse State Teachers College in 1940; served as a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot during World War II; and worked as an actor, model, and radio writer before reaching fame on Mr. Wizard in Chicago -- and then New York -- on NBC.
He is survived by six children and stepchildren and by his second wife, Norma.
1. Back in his day, he was huge on television. Yes, I dare say that most Boomers do remember watching him. It was such a fascinating show. None of the other science shows for kids over the past twenty years had the viewership or the impact as he had. Maybe it was that the virtual numbers of babies born between 1946 and 1964 was unprecedented in America? Either way, Rest In Peace Mr. Wizard!
Posted at 12:32PM on Jun 15th 2007 by Gregory D. Pawelski