Don Herbert
July 10, 1917 — Waconia, Minnesota
Don Herbert, beloved by generations of American children as "Mr. Wizard," was a television host and science communicator who spent more than four decades demonstrating the principles of chemistry, physics, and biology with household materials, making science approachable, exciting, and comprehensible for millions of young viewers who might otherwise never have encountered it.
Actor Turned Science Communicator
Born on July 10, 1917 in Waconia, Minnesota, Herbert graduated from La Crosse State Teachers College in Wisconsin with a degree in general science. He served as a bomber pilot during World War II, completing 56 combat missions, and returned from the war intent on a career in acting and broadcasting. A radio opportunity in Chicago led him to the newly expanding medium of television, and in 1951 he pitched and launched Watch Mr. Wizard on NBC. The format was simple and enduring: Herbert, in a home-workshop setting, would perform science experiments with a neighbourhood child as his assistant, explaining the underlying principles in clear, non-condescending language. The child's questions stood in for the viewer's own curiosity.
Watch Mr. Wizard and Mr. Wizard's World
Watch Mr. Wizard ran on NBC from 1951 to 1965, winning three Peabody Awards and becoming one of the most influential educational programmes in American television history. It is estimated that the show directly inspired hundreds of thousands of young people to pursue careers in science and engineering. The American Chemical Society named Herbert an Honorary Member in 1960, one of only a handful of non-chemists ever to receive the honour. After the original series ended, he continued science communication work and returned in 1983 with Mr. Wizard's World on the Nickelodeon cable network, introducing a new generation to his accessible style. Mr. Wizard's World ran until 1990, was seen in more than 25 countries, and holds the distinction of being one of the longest-running educational series on American cable television.
Did You Know?
Among the scientists and engineers who have publicly credited Mr. Wizard with inspiring their careers are astronauts, Nobel laureates, and some of the most prominent names in American science. Bill Nye — who later became "Bill Nye the Science Guy" — has repeatedly described Mr. Wizard as his direct model. When Herbert died in 2007, Nye said: "Mr. Wizard showed us all how to think." The Science Channel produced a tribute special in his memory. He was 89 years old.
Legacy in Science Education
Herbert was awarded the National Science Foundation's Distinguished Public Service Award and honorary doctorates from multiple universities. He continued working in science education and media consulting into his 80s, and shortly before his death was honoured by NASA for his decades of contributions to inspiring interest in science. He died on June 12, 2007, in Bell Canyon, California, at the age of 89. The Society for Amateur Scientists named an award in his honour. His influence on American science culture is impossible to fully quantify: an entire generation of engineers, doctors, physicists, and chemists watched him as children and credit the curious, hands-on spirit he modelled with having set them on their path.