Watch Mr. Wizard

Watch Mr. Wizard
GenreScience education
StarringDon Herbert
Country of originUnited States
No. of episodes547
Production
Production locationsChicago, Illinois (1951–55)
New York City (1955–65)
Running time30 minutes
Original release
NetworkNBC
ReleaseMarch 3, 1951 (1951-03-03) –
June 27, 1965 (1965-06-27)
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Watch Mr. Wizard is an American children's television series that demonstrates the science behind ordinary things. The series' creator and on-air host was Don Herbert.[1] Author Marcel LaFollette says of the program, "It enjoyed consistent praise, awards, and high ratings throughout its history. At its peak, Watch Mr. Wizard drew audiences in the millions, but its impact was far wider. By 1956, it had prompted the establishment of more than five thousand Mr. Wizard science clubs, with an estimated membership greater than one hundred thousand."[2]

It was briefly revived in 1971, and a third version of the show ran during the 1980s on the children's cable television network Nickelodeon as Mr. Wizard's World.

  1. ^ Hyatt, Wesley (1997). The Encyclopedia of Daytime Television. Watson-Guptill Publications. pp. 456–457. ISBN 978-0823083152. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  2. ^ LaFollette, Marcel C. (September 2002). "A Survey of Science Content in U.S. Television Broadcasting, 1940s through 1950s: The Exploratory Years". Science Communication. 24 (1): 34–71. doi:10.1177/107554700202400103. S2CID 144331760.Subscription required.