RIP - Don Herbert AKA Mr. Wizard

[utvolpj]

Don Herbert, 89; TV's 'Mr. Wizard' taught science to young baby boomers - Los Angeles Times

Don Herbert, who explained the wonderful world of science to millions of young baby boomers on television in the 1950s and '60s as "Mr. Wizard" and did the same for another generation of youngsters on the Nickelodeon cable TV channel in the 1980s, died Tuesday. He was 89.

I spent many hours watching his show.

 

[rwemyss]

I did too. They're shortchanging his impact by saying it was for baby boomers... he taught a lot of Gen-Xers too.

 

[Svengali]

Watched him on Nick as a kid quite a bit. I think my favorite one was where he showed how to squeeze things into bottles, like model boats and whatnot. Good stuff. And at the risk of sounding old, kids these days could sure use more programs like that instead of the superficial garbage they are exposed to.

 

[USAF_Vol]

Sad news

 

[TennNC]

Bummer. I hadn't heard this. Such simple lessons that drew kids like magnets. Shows that if you teach subjects in the right way, kids will soak it up like sponges.

On a side note, did any of you use the term "Mr. Wizard" when sarcastically referring to a bonehead move by a friend? In the same way people say, "Nice move, Einstein." Or was that just me and my bonehead childhood friends?

 

[Hoosier_Vol]

Rip

 

[volinbham]

On a side note, did any of you use the term "Mr. Wizard" when sarcastically referring to a bonehead move by a friend? In the same way people say, "Nice move, Einstein." Or was that just me and my bonehead childhood friends?

I prefer "Smooth move, Ex-lax"