Mr. Terrific

I also remember this sitcom fondly. I remember the balding man who was the superhero's mentor. That was the man who invented the pill. Mr. Terrific pops a pill, then his face turns one color after another, then he gets super powers. I've always thought the pill was the reason this show got axed. It was a good show! But with all the pill-popping going on during the psychedelic sixties, I would imagine the network caught some blowback.

I have vague memories of this show, but I knew the opening credits by heart. . "The pill would turn a lamb into a lion/like an eagle he'd be flyin'..." I also remember Stephen Strimpell turning up on some game show one summer day when I happened to be home from school, and thinking, "Hey, that's Mr. Terrific!" Little did I know that when I was 18 I'd end up at HB Studio studying acting and that Mr. Terrific would be my first--and only worthwhile--acting teacher.

I learned today that Stephen died this past weekend.

His dedication, his rock bottom, practical approach to acting, free of any method clap trap and rooted firmly in the kind of nuts and bolts reality that almost all other teachers seemed to overlook, sustained and intrigued me as a kid and still does to this day. That a cold beverage should be handled differently from a hot beverage, that careful attention should be paid to one's environment, that no action on stage should ever be undertaken unless it flowed from a logical place within the context of a scene may not seem revelatory, but very few other people taught that way. Even when I'd see veteran actors at work I'd marvel at how even they would gloss over this kind of basic stage craft. And I'd think, "Wow, Stephen would NEVER let ME get away with that."

Also, there was an bonus when you studied with Stephen--he was one of the funniest people I ever knew. He was a sweet and compassionate man, but every once in a while the rapier came out, and the result was that you were still sputtering while the next two student actors were trying to set up their scene. Mostly, he was his own favorite target, along with members of his own family.

I pretty much worshiped him as a young actor. And now he's not here anymore.

To me, and who knows how many others, he really was Mr. Terrific.

McGiver was great and Gautier was a riot. I recall the humour to be sharper than the NICE show. I feel lucky to have been a kid during the F TROOP and CAMP RUNAMUCK era. Such, such were the joys.

In 1967 I was just shy of five years old... but I had a recollection of a TV show where a man's powers would always leave him in the middle of a fight - I think even once when he was flying. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere her but I think he had a watch with an alarm which would go off when his powers were about to expire - I remember on fight in a garage where he was rolling under cars to avoid the criminals in the scene after his powers had run out...

Even my parents couldn't remember this show - finally a friend who is about 5 years older than me remembered it and told me the name - ahh! Thank you people for letting me know I wasn't dreaming up things...

Now if someone would just find a way to get some old clips... don't know if they allow emails here - but if you find some, please send email to me at agpbasc@aol.com

I was studying acting with Stephen Strimpell at the HB Studio in New York City when he got the offer to fly to Hollywood to do MR. TERRIFIC. He was a wonderful instructor and told me, "you don't need to study anymore, really. You need to go out and ACT. That's the best way to become a good actor." I took his advice and struck out on my own. But, not before studying with William Hickey ("Prizzi's Honor" "Hat Full of Rain"). Mostly, he'd observe my classroom scenes and then start talking about HIMSELF! He was not in the same class as Strimpell.

Of course, since I knew Stephen, I watched MR. TERRIFIC religiously every week and thought it was cute, but a waste of good talent. Looking at Mr. Strimpell's film output surprised me. An actor THIS good, should have been used to better advantage by Hollywood.

As a result, I auditioned and got many parts on the New York stage. For that, I am eternally grateful to Stephen Strimpell. My experience on stage will live with me forever.