This 16mm Kinescope of episode No.166 of Don Herbert's popular science show was recorded in New York in the early 1960's. It is unfortunate that this reel has so much sprocket damage through the middle of the spool, but still worth watching. The date code on the Eastman film stock is 1964, but episode number 166 would put this episode in 1961, but I don't know when it was originally recorded. In true Kinescope style a film camera was placed in front of a high resolution CRT to make this recording and you see the signature contrast gradient, image distortion, and solarization that are characteristic of the 1950's era Iconoscopes. Here's to Mr. Wizard in his absolute prime!!!
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14 thoughts on “Watch mr wizard 1961”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Johnny Ragadoo says:

    You can make an interesting observation regarding the sugar water/fresh water boundary and the egg. Note that the egg sinks in fresh water but floats in sugar water.

    Now note that the egg is almost completely lifted out of the sugar water by the overlying fresh water.

    The egg will sink in fresh water, yet it will be mostly lifted out of sugar water by the fresh water it sinks in.

    The reason is that the egg is not completely supported by the sugar water when it's floating in it. It is only mostly supported by the sugar water it displaces. The rest of its weight is supported by the air it displaces.

    When you trade the egg's stronger buoyant force in water for its weak buoyant force in air, it floats much higher in the sugar water.

    If it seems hard to see how the fresh water is able to grab the convex surface of the egg and lift, think about how the egg still experiences a buoyant force in fresh water, so there is less weight for the sugar water to support.

    Gravity drives buoyancy.

    Precision scales have to account for air's buoyancy, which is not inconsequential. Air masses about 1.2 kg per cubic meter. If a fifty pound bag of dog food seems heavy, keep in mind the air in your living room weighs more (depending on the volume of your living room, of course).

    Sorry to ramble. Thanks for the flashback to my youth!

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars John Bellas says:

    I grew up watching the Mr Wizard shows and I wound up in life bound into science and technology like MrPhred below, but my specialty was electronics, Ham Radio and working for I.B.M. for 31 years!!

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars kd1s says:

    Yeah that was in syndication in the late 60's an early 70's. Interesting that it's in cc's and grams. Only took what, 40+ years for engine displacement to be measured in liters as opposed to cubic inches.

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Filthy Lucre says:

    1961 – popular childrens show: about science

    2021 – popular childrens show: about a screaming yellow sponge

    "We have met the enemy, and he is us"

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars TinkeringJohn says:

    It’s funny that you showed Mr Wizard. My wife likes to watch The Big Bang Theory and Young Sheldon. Sheldon likes to watch Professor Proton who is the equivalent of Mr Wizard. Last week, I showed her who Mr Wizard was on You tube. I just happened to pick the show where Mr Wizard had a boy peel a banana and the banana was already sliced into pieces despite the peeling was not cut. The funny thing about this episode was that the boy looks a lot like Sheldon’s brother Georgie in Young Sheldon.

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars FuquarProductions says:

    "…Herbert later joined the United States Army Air Forces, took pilot training, and became a B-24 bomber pilot who flew 56 combat missions from Italy with the 767th Bomb Squadron…"

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Eliot Brown says:

    Anyone remember the "Mr. Science Guy" part of the Pat Paulsen comedy show? Where "Bobby and Cathy" showed up? Turns out Bobby was none other than Bob "Super Dave" Einstein (also a writer on the Smothers Brothers Show as well as on this one– Paulsen got his break with the Smothers). Cathy was a rather pneumatic, tightly dressed science enthusiast.

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Markiss Boi says:

    1 kilo water = 1 liter easy
    au – glad we changed over from the old decimal way back in 70s . to metric lucky i was still at school when it happened
    1/8th 0.125" = 3mm 1/4 .250" = 6.3mm 7/16 .437" = 14mm 1/2" .500 = 13mm
    no more 2 sets of every drill or tap & dies all metric 1 set only less headaches 🙂

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Karl Harvy Marx says:

    Mr Wizard was off the air by the time I was a kid, but the Mr Wizard chemistry set I got one Christmas was the best one I ever had. Unlike modern chemistry sets, it actually contained potentially harmful chemicals so I wasn't allowed to use it without mom sitting with me to make sure I followed the directions. My favorite experiment, I think it involved spit to get it going, would cycle through pretty colors for several minutes. The funny thing is I was roughly 5 years old and had a vague idea that Mr Wizard actually was a wizard so his face on the box made me a little uneasy, but the fun made me want to be a wizard too as well as a chemist. I still feel a slight hint of fear looking at him.

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars hairycat says:

    takes me back to saturday mornings i was 7 yo when this program was on. younger people probably don't know about saturday morning tv back then. it was aimed at kids with cartoons and programs like this. back in those days we got 3 channels with an antenna, and tv stations shut down at night from about 12am to 6am.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars eddyaudio says:

    Excellent Transfer of Kine Film Fran I Guess the young Girl in the film would be in mid Seventies now Fran Top Marks for letting us see these excellent Film Regards Ian from Australia.

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Quantum Leap says:

    Perf damage on vintage films is such a shame. Needless, in many cases. Carelessness in threading projectors is the main cause. I was a huge fan of Mr. Wizard back in the day. It used to air on our local NBC tv channel on Sunday afternoons. Thanks for posting.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars C. Goad says:

    Hi Fran. In my experience, hands on learning was always the best method. It's a shame about the film feed though. Mind you it is 60 years old! Another great save. Thank you.

  14. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Rick Walton says:

    I used to love this show as a kid back in the '50s. I remember that at some point in the show he'd do a "commercial" about breakfast, and to this day I remember "fruit, ceral, milk, bread, and butter" as the elements for a good breakfast. I think the sponsor was the Dairy Counsel or some such.

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