# Whose was your favorite "science guy" growing up? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2014, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121 "2014-12-13T14:31:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/41 "2014-12-13T21:46:50Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > When I was in Junior High, there was a series of movies starring “Professor Research” (Dr. Frank Baxter). One of his assistants was Eddie “Green Acres” Albert, back when he had red hair. One title was “[Hemo the Magnificent](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUb7vJAj6bM).” Drawing a blank on the other titles. Entertaining and informative. I remember those! > **[Frank C. Baxter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_C._Baxter)** > > Francis Condie Baxter (May 4, 1896 – January 18, 1982) was an American scholar and television personality. An authority on Shakespeare with a doctorate in literature from Cambridge University, he was a highly popular professor of English Literature at the University of Southern California who brought literature, science, and the arts to millions in the United States via television and film. > Baxter hosted the Emmy Award-winning CBS series Shakespeare on TV beginning in 1954, as well as the ABC dr... > **[The Bell System Science Series](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bell_Laboratory_Science_Series)** > > The Bell System Science Series consists of nine television specials made for the AT&T Corporation that were originally broadcast in color between 1956 and 1964. Marcel LaFollette has described them as "specials that combined clever story lines, sophisticated animation, veteran character actors, films of natural phenomena, interviews with scientists, and precise explanation of scientific and technical concepts—all in the pursuit of better public understanding of science." Geoff Alexander and Ri > **[Frank Baxter | Actor, Writer](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0062731/)** > > Known for: Trapped, The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show, Our Mr. Sun ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/42 "2014-12-13T21:56:37Z")
Julius Sumner Miller, mad _scientist_. Jearl Walker, _mad_ scientist. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/43 "2014-12-13T22:21:37Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Mr. Wizard on Nickelodeon for me in the 80s. For whatever reason the time he showed how calories are in food by burning breakfast cereal always stands out in my memory. I very specifically remember that episode, with the bomb calorimeter. It was a giant thing, probably at least a foot tall, round, he opened it up and you could tell it had very thick walls and then he put a little tiny bit of cereal inside it and said the machine would burn it and we’d see how much energy (Calories) it would release. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/44 "2014-12-13T22:23:54Z")
For a generation of people growing up in UK it has to be Johnny Ball [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/gvN6OwqFMuU/hqdefault.jpg "Think Of A Number - Johnny Ball - S01E03 September 1979 - 70s UK Kids TV Science and Maths") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvN6OwqFMuU) ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/45 "2014-12-13T22:24:43Z")
[Johnny Ball.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6xEl_7t8TM) Man, he’s awesome. Edit: Holy simulpost, Batman! Changed link to different episode. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/46 "2014-12-13T22:35:16Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > For a generation of people growing up in UK it has to be Johnny Ball. This many posts and no one has mentioned Sir Patrick “The Sky at Night” Moore? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/47 "2014-12-13T22:36:58Z")
> [@pinkfreud](#): > > My second choice would’ve been Dr. Research (AKA Frank C. Baxter), of the Bell Laboratory Science Series. Dr. Baxter was not as good-looking as Mr. Wizard, but he seemed to be just as smart and kind. he was an excellent presenter and well known because of the extensive use of the Bell System movies. it is surprising that he was an English professor. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/48 "2014-12-13T23:09:46Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I think it was on local public television stations. Some of the tapes have a “Thirteen” logo, which I believe is New York’s public TV station. My eighth grade science teacher used to bring tapes to class for us to watch. Julius Sumner Miller was also “The Professor” on “Hilarious House of Frightenstein”, and basically did stragiht-up science experiments for kids. He was probably my ‘science guy’ as a kid growing up in the 1970’s, because Mr. Wizard and the others just weren’t on Canadian TV that I remember. In Canada we also had David Suzuki, but I’ve always disliked him for some reason. Too smarmy and self-important maybe. The only other ‘science guy’ I can remember on TV at that time was Carl Sagan - loved the original ‘Cosmos’. But mostly Sagan was famous for being a regular on “The Tonight Show”, where he brought skeptical thinking and his love of space to the masses. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/49 "2014-12-13T23:42:25Z")
Mr. Wizard. Nickelodeon version only, though my mom told me about the original run. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/50 "2014-12-13T23:47:22Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > 1983-1990: Mr. Wizard’s World on Nickelodeon. We didn’t have cable, but my grandparents did, and Grandpa would tape it for me to watch at home or when I was visiting them. That would explain it. We didn’t have cable either (actually, my parents still don’t.) The closest we got was getting one of those black-market descramblers for over-the-air pay TV (ON-TV and Sportsvision). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/51 "2014-12-14T00:56:34Z")
Don Herbert was THE MAN! ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/52 "2014-12-14T03:34:52Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Mr. Wizard on Nickelodeon for me in the 80s. For whatever reason the time he showed how calories are in food by burning breakfast cereal always stands out in my memory. The segment I remember is him creating Wind in a fish tank using a candle and ice on both ends. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/53 "2014-12-14T03:45:50Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > The segment I remember is him creating Wind in a fish tank using a candle and ice on both ends. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1w7NFkgMDI) ---
**Author:** ![Defensive\_Indifference](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/defensive_indifference/32/6502_2.png) [@Defensive\_Indifference](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Defensive_Indifference)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/54 "2014-12-14T03:50:35Z")
[quote=“terentii, post:31, topic:707121”] I always got a kick out of **this guy** , too: [/QUOTE] I loved Jack Horkheimer! Keep looking up! ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/55 "2014-12-14T03:56:05Z")
Americans probably only know him, if at all, as that crazy old guy from Thomas Dolby’s “She Blinded Me With Science” video, but [Magnus Pyke](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2QP8VdqzZk&list=PLCQ7hJspkf9D0jDeKN-uIsBhuxTRuQ2cm) was a legend. And his brother invented Pycrete. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/56 "2014-12-14T04:27:08Z")
I’m part of the \*Mr. Wizard \*generation. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/57 "2014-12-14T09:31:26Z")
Assuming Davids Attenborough and Suzuki and carl sagan don’t count as “Science Guys”(no lab coats), it’s have to be The Edison Twins, I’m afraid we didn’t get all these other shows in SA. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/58 "2014-12-14T13:54:40Z")
I am also part of the Mr. Wizard generation. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/59 "2014-12-14T15:01:39Z")
[quote=“WhyNot, post:53, topic:707121”] [/QUOTE] That was it, thanks! A heat lamp and not a candle though. Memory’s a funny thing. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121/60 "2014-12-14T15:19:28Z")
One of the Mr Wizard one’s I always get reminded about from time to time is where he was demonstrating the speed of sound. He and his helper stood somewhat far away (far enough that I think he drove a car to the other location). They both had walkie talkies. He shot a starter pistol into the walkie talkie and he started a stop watch when she heard it in the stop watch and stopped it when she heard it ‘ota’. I was reminded about that when my physics teacher was telling me about people bringing radios to baseball games to listen to the commentators and that they could hear the crack of the baseball bat over their radio before the one the ‘real’ one that was just a few hundred feet away from them. Keeping in mind, the one on the radio traveled through miles upon miles of copper wire and air waves. ETA, here it is [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdaMiM-dJFc) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whose-was-your-favorite-science-guy-growing-up/707121.md?page=4)