The Invisible Man (1975 TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Invisible Man, the second television series with this title
, debuted in 1975 on NBC
and starred David McCallum
as scientist
Daniel Westin, and Melinda Fee as his wife, Dr. Kate Westin. The series was created by legendary producer Harve Bennett
.
INVISIBLE... KLAE CORPORATION WILL FINANCE
RECOVERY EFFORT... WESTIN WILL RENDER
SERVICES AS SECRET AGENT.
HIS CODE NAME: KLAE RESOURCE.
by H.G. Wells, the pilot film depicts Westin working for a company called Klae Corporation, which is doing experiments in molecular disintegration. He discovers the side effect of his work is the ability to turn objects invisible and tries to find medical applications for his invention. He discovers that objects that are made invisible reappear after a few hours, and on living test animals the collars they wear re-appear before the living cells themselves. Obsessed by his invention, Daniel decides to become invisible himself, in part to prove that a human can survive the process, and also to test a serum he has developed to reverse the invisibility.
He reveals the process to his boss (Jackie Cooper
), who is initially unimpressed by what he sees as millions spent on a nuclear disintegrator, but he becomes more interested when he realises that the pen Daniel disintegrated is actually still there ("Do you know what you've got here?" "An invisible pen..." "Cute. No, invisible armies..."). He wants to back the project for military purposes, and in the course of the argument it is revealed that the Pentagon has provided the funding for Daniel's research; in effect the military already own the process. Daniel tries to destroy his invention by sneaking into the lab after hours and deleting his research. In order to make his escape he becomes invisible for a second time, before triggering an overload and destroying the apparatus. But it appears that after all the process is unstable, and he becomes only briefly visible before turning permenantly invisible; he can't return to his visible state anymore, and the serum is ineffective. He goes to his friend Dr. Nick Maggio (Henry Darrow
) a skilled plastic surgeon, who creates a disguise for him, a face mask and a pair of gloves using a special material called Dermaplex, that has the same properties as human skin. This enables Daniel to appear in public (and the actor to appear on-screen). The Dermaplex side effect is that Daniel has to remove the mask from time to time because, as Dr. Maggio states, "The beard will be your enemy, and the itch drive you crazy."
By the conclusion of the pilot, the process' lack of stability renders it effectively useless for commercial or military applications, and the Klae Corporation is persuaded to re-employ him in his research capacity despite his condition, and thus the series begins from this point. Daniel seeks to perfect his work and at the same time find a cure.
receiver rising unsupported off its hook, or a Jeep
driving itself) and ignoring the tragic side of Westin's predicament. Indeed the character's invisibility was utilised as the Klae Resource of the show's introduction; an invisible man can go places and do things that the visible cannot accomplish.
will release The Invisible Man- The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 and on Blu-Ray in Region A for the very first time. In the US, the release will be distributed by Millennium Entertainment
.
The Invisible Man (TV series)
The Invisible Man may refer to the following TV series:*The Invisible Man , a 1958 UK series*The Invisible Man , a 1975 NBC series starring David McCallum...
, debuted in 1975 on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
and starred David McCallum
David McCallum
David Keith McCallum, Jr. is a Scottish actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent, in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel, and Dr...
as scientist
Scientist
A scientist in a broad sense is one engaging in a systematic activity to acquire knowledge. In a more restricted sense, a scientist is an individual who uses the scientific method. The person may be an expert in one or more areas of science. This article focuses on the more restricted use of the word...
Daniel Westin, and Melinda Fee as his wife, Dr. Kate Westin. The series was created by legendary producer Harve Bennett
Harve Bennett
Harve Bennett is an American television and film producer and screenwriter.-Early years:...
.
Cast
- David McCallumDavid McCallumDavid Keith McCallum, Jr. is a Scottish actor and musician. He is best known for his roles as Illya Kuryakin, a Russian-born secret agent, in the 1960s television series The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as interdimensional operative Steel in Sapphire & Steel, and Dr...
as Dr. Daniel Westin - Melinda O. FeeMelinda O. FeeMelinda O. Fee is an American actress who has starred in films and on television. Her first starring role was in the 1950s TV series Love of Life....
as Kate Westin - Jackie CooperJackie CooperJackie Cooper was an American actor, television director, producer and executive. He was a child actor who managed to make the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first child actor to receive an Academy Award nomination...
as Walter Carlson (pilot episode only) - Craig StevensCraig Stevens (actor)Craig Stevens was an American motion picture and television actor.-Early and personal life:Born Gail Shikles, Jr., in Liberty, Missouri, his father was a high school teacher....
as Walter Carlson - Henry DarrowHenry DarrowHenry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
as Dr. Nick Maggio (pilot episode only)
Opening credits
MACHINE MALFUNCTION... WESTIN PERMANENTLYINVISIBLE... KLAE CORPORATION WILL FINANCE
RECOVERY EFFORT... WESTIN WILL RENDER
SERVICES AS SECRET AGENT.
HIS CODE NAME: KLAE RESOURCE.
-
-
- – Computer-style text, shown in opening title sequence
-
Pilot
Inspired by the original novelThe Invisible Man
The Invisible Man is a science fiction novella by H.G. Wells published in 1897. Wells' novel was originally serialised in Pearson's Weekly in 1897, and published as a novel the same year...
by H.G. Wells, the pilot film depicts Westin working for a company called Klae Corporation, which is doing experiments in molecular disintegration. He discovers the side effect of his work is the ability to turn objects invisible and tries to find medical applications for his invention. He discovers that objects that are made invisible reappear after a few hours, and on living test animals the collars they wear re-appear before the living cells themselves. Obsessed by his invention, Daniel decides to become invisible himself, in part to prove that a human can survive the process, and also to test a serum he has developed to reverse the invisibility.
He reveals the process to his boss (Jackie Cooper
Jackie Cooper
Jackie Cooper was an American actor, television director, producer and executive. He was a child actor who managed to make the transition to an adult career. Cooper was the first child actor to receive an Academy Award nomination...
), who is initially unimpressed by what he sees as millions spent on a nuclear disintegrator, but he becomes more interested when he realises that the pen Daniel disintegrated is actually still there ("Do you know what you've got here?" "An invisible pen..." "Cute. No, invisible armies..."). He wants to back the project for military purposes, and in the course of the argument it is revealed that the Pentagon has provided the funding for Daniel's research; in effect the military already own the process. Daniel tries to destroy his invention by sneaking into the lab after hours and deleting his research. In order to make his escape he becomes invisible for a second time, before triggering an overload and destroying the apparatus. But it appears that after all the process is unstable, and he becomes only briefly visible before turning permenantly invisible; he can't return to his visible state anymore, and the serum is ineffective. He goes to his friend Dr. Nick Maggio (Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow
Henry Darrow is a prolific Puerto Rican-American character actor of stage and film. Darrow is probably best remembered for his role as Big John Cannon's teasing brother-in-law, and Buck Cannon's favorite ranch hand, and best friend, Manolito Montoya, in the 1960s television series The High...
) a skilled plastic surgeon, who creates a disguise for him, a face mask and a pair of gloves using a special material called Dermaplex, that has the same properties as human skin. This enables Daniel to appear in public (and the actor to appear on-screen). The Dermaplex side effect is that Daniel has to remove the mask from time to time because, as Dr. Maggio states, "The beard will be your enemy, and the itch drive you crazy."
By the conclusion of the pilot, the process' lack of stability renders it effectively useless for commercial or military applications, and the Klae Corporation is persuaded to re-employ him in his research capacity despite his condition, and thus the series begins from this point. Daniel seeks to perfect his work and at the same time find a cure.
The series
There were subtle differences between the pilot and the series. The pilot depicts Westin as a tragic figure, the "victim" of the invisibility process; despite his continued efforts, he essentially remains invisible all the time and must use technology to "fake" being visible. (This is truer to the Wells novel, but makes this production stand out against all other adapted series wherein the hero can become visible at will or after a pre-determined time). The series was lighter and more humorous, featuring invisibility-related gags and scenarios (in the case of the latter, many of these were depicted in the opening titles – such a telephoneTelephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
receiver rising unsupported off its hook, or a Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
driving itself) and ignoring the tragic side of Westin's predicament. Indeed the character's invisibility was utilised as the Klae Resource of the show's introduction; an invisible man can go places and do things that the visible cannot accomplish.
Episodes
| # | Title | Directed by | Written by | Guest stars | Original air date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DVD release
On February 21, 2012, Visual EntertainmentVisual Entertainment
Visual Entertainment Inc. is a home video/television distribution company that is based in Toronto, Ontario Canada. It is an independent label but has managed to release quite a few well-known TV series on DVD.-Children:* The Big Adventure Series...
will release The Invisible Man- The Complete Series on DVD in Region 1 and on Blu-Ray in Region A for the very first time. In the US, the release will be distributed by Millennium Entertainment
Millennium Entertainment
Led by CEO Bill Lee, Millennium Entertainment is a leading independent supplier that acquires and distributes feature films, television series and specialty programming...
.