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I wanted to share this article which I wrote several years ago for Shadowland Magazine. It examines Lou Ferrigno's much underrated (IMO) acting abilities in his performance as the Hulk. Hope you enjoy it.
Lou Ferrigno: The Incredible Actor
Let’s be realistic. When you hear the name Lou Ferrigno, one thing comes to mind…muscles. The Incredible Hulk and bodybuilding. Bodybuilding and the Incredible Hulk. The two are inseparable, yet the one thing nobody ever seems to comment on is Lou Ferrigno’s acting ability. Yes, acting ability. If one looks beyond the surface of Ferrigno’s famous role as the monstrous alter ego of Dr. David Banner, one finds a very complex, layered performance, perhaps one of the best ever on television, and in the process discovers that Lou Ferrigno is much more than a mountain of muscle. He’s an actor, and a darn good one at that.
On November 4th, 1977 “The Incredible Hulk” pilot debuted and was a ratings smash. Writer-director Kenneth Johnson wisely took the best elements of the comic book character, namely the Frakenstein-ish misunderstood monster suffering from Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, and ditched the rest. Gone were the bizarre super-villains of the comics, and Bruce Banner, nuclear physicist and creator of the Gamma Bomb became the much more sympathetic and compassionate Dr. David Banner, physician and scientist. Johnson focused the series on the dramatic elements and situations surrounding the Hulk, and it worked. It worked so well that the series ran until 1982, somewhat of a milestone for comic book fare at the time.
Kenneth Johnson quickly reined in Bill Bixby to play Banner, but who would play the Hulk? Initially, Richard Kiel, better known as “Jaws” to James Bond fans, was cast as the creature, but it quickly became apparent he lacked the bulk required of the role. Casting came down to two choices- Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Being taller by two inches landed Ferrigno the role, and I believe as they say…everything happens for a reason. For while Schwarzenegger went on to star in action blockbusters and became the more famous actor of the two, Ferrigno was simply born to play the Hulk, and does a far better job than I believe Schwarzenegger ever could have.
A Disability Turned Advantage
As most everyone knows, an ear infection when he was a child left Lou Ferrigno severely hearing impaired. As a result, he suffered through bullying in school that many of us can relate to. This eventually led him to developing his body as a means of coping. Ferrigno himself has often stated he was a fan of the Hulk as a child, and that he could relate to the character’s anger, frustration, and inability to communicate. The Hulk was hounded and misunderstood, much as Ferrigno was by his classmates. This instinctive understanding of the Hulk’s persona gave Ferrigno an insight into the character’s portrayal that I feel would have been lost on other actors. There’s a lot more to playing the Hulk than stomping around and growling at the camera. The Hulk does not simply rage, he is also capable of great tenderness. Some of Ferrigno’s greatest moments on “The Incredible Hulk” happen not when he’s smashing through a brick wall, but when he’s interacting with children, or animals, or displaying the buried love and emotions of Banner. It is in these scenes that Ferrigno truly shines, and displays a range far greater than his more famous rival.
Since the Hulk is mute, (unlike his comic book counterpart who uses broken speech) his entire performance relies on facial expression and body language. It’s really no different from the silent performances of characters such as Lon Chaney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame or Phantom of the Opera. This is a difficult task even for today’s seasoned veteran actors, but Ferrigno pulls it off with ease. There are striking similarities between Ferrigno’s Hulk and Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Frankenstein monster. Both men are able to tap into the soul of their monsters and make them much more than one- dimensional boogeymen. Both created characters capable of great rage and equal tenderness, depending upon how they’re treated. But, where Karloff’s monster is indeed a killer, the Hulk’s anger is kept in check by the subconscious mind of the gentle Banner. Though the Hulk’s rampages could be truly terrifying at times, Ferrigno does an amazing job of convincing us that the Hulk is indeed an extension of Banner’s personality…that it’s still the heart and mind of a kind and gentle doctor inside this massive angry monster. I’ll be taking a look at some standout moments of key episodes from various seasons which display Ferrigno’s acting at its best.
Life and Death
Death, and how it affects us emotionally, is a theme that plays a key role in the origins of the TV Hulk. In the pilot episode, David Banner is consumed with guilt at his inability to save his wife Laura from a burning vehicle. This guilt leads to an obsession with finding the source of untapped human strength. Banner finds himself faced with mounting anger and frustration as he repeatedly tries to unlock the secret and fails. We all know what happens next. Banner discovers gamma rays are the key, exposes himself to an overdose of the deadly radiation, and unleashes far more strength than he bargained for. Unfortunately for him, he realizes too late that the discovery itself doesn’t erase the underlying emotions. The guilt, anger, frustration…the rage, is still there. Only now it has a physical manifestation as The Incredible Hulk. The first transformation in the series’ pilot episode takes place when Banner is changing a flat tire during a thunderstorm. It’s a frightening scene which still holds up well today. After pounding his car into a heap of wreckage the Hulk wanders off into the night. The next morning finds the creature in the nearby woods where he encounters a little girl and her father camping. A great scene and homage to Frankenstein has the Hulk smiling as he tries to befriend the little girl. Terrified by his appearance, she tries to escape but ends up falling into the lake. The Hulk shows genuine concern for the girl and tries to rescue her, but the girl’s father misinterprets the actions as an attack and shoots him.
The pilot’s second transformation is truly terrifying, and remains one of the most frightening scenes of the entire series. Still unsure of what has happened to him, Banner enlists the aid of fellow scientist Elaina Marks to try and measure his newfound strength inside a hyperbaric chamber at a remote, isolated lab. After trying for several hours without success to trigger his hidden strength, an angry, defeated Banner goes to sleep inside the chamber. Elaina Marks continues to monitor him while he sleeps, and ultimately, a nightmare about the death of his wife causes him to transform once more. It is in this scene that Ferrigno shines. He exhibits a rage that I have yet to see equaled on screen. He is an angry caged animal, and he wants OUT. Every obstacle which keeps him from this goal, from electrical panels, to steam pipes, to steel doors only serves to fuel his rage. I’ve seen a lot of actors play angry, but Ferrigno is downright scary. You genuinely fear for what will happen to Elaina Marks once the Hulk escapes his prison. Yet, the strangest thing happens…once he’s out he immediately begins to calm down, like a child throwing a tantrum until he’s out of his playpen. Then he exhibits a childlike curiosity towards Elaina, her soothing voice calming him until he reverts back to Banner.
At the end of the pilot is one of Ferrigno’s best scenes of the entire series.
Following the explosion which supposedly kills Banner, (and which is later blamed on the Hulk) the Hulk carries the wounded Elaina Marks off into the nearby woods. As she lay dying in his arms, Elaina professes her love to her “Poor David”. He tenderly holds her hand even though the Hulk’s primitive mind doesn’t understand what she is saying.
Then she quietly passes away in his arms, her hand slipping from his grasp. He clearly becomes agitated, looking helplessly back and forth in confusion, tears in his eyes as he begins panting heavily like a dog grieving over its dead master. He tries lifting and dropping her limp hand as if expecting her to respond. Then, instinctively, he seems to realize she is gone, and lets loose a pitiful roar that echoes across the quiet valley. It is a very powerful and touching scene that shows the Hulk is much, much more than a monster.
The amount of pathos Ferrigno brings to this scene is astounding. He is able to communicate to the viewer the intense emotions of this mute character…the Hulk’s confusion and inability to understand and cope with Elaina’s death, through a masterful combination of facial expression and body language. I especially find the dog-like panting a fascinating and inspired touch. Whether conceived on it’s own by Ferrigno or under the direction of Kenneth Johnson, it beautifully conveys the primitive, animalistic nature of the Hulk and contributes greatly to the scene. When all is said and done, the Hulk exhibits a tremendous range of emotions in the pilot, from innocent curiosity and friendliness, to rage, to tender love and extreme grief. It’s a fantastically underrated performance that deserves much praise.
Family Matters
Another interesting aspect of the Hulk is how easily children and animals seem to respond to his childlike nature. Much like Frankenstein’s monster, it’s usually the adults who are terrified of his appearance, while most children simply see him as a new playmate. Boris Karloff spoke of similar experiences while playing Frankenstein’s monster. Children seemed to instinctively recognize the character’s innocence and gravitate towards him, just as they do towards the Hulk.
There are two touching scenes in the first season episode “The Beast Within” which illustrate this very phenomena. David Banner finds work at a zoo and encounters smugglers using dead animals to transport the stolen goods. The first of these scenes involves the Hulk encountering a little girl with a bag of peanuts. His curiosity towards her is fascinating to watch. She offers him some of the peanuts, which he greedily consumes, shells and all, as the girl scolds him for not eating them properly. It’s a wonderful, humorous moment until the girls mother shows up. Her hysteria frightens the Hulk away, and he is obviously just as scared of her as she is of him. The disappointed little girl says goodbye to her new friend as he runs off. Zoo officials hunt throughout the park for the Hulk into the night, where we discover him inside the tiger enclosure, gently petting a sleeping cub as it lay in his lap. Some monster indeed.
One of the best later episodes in the series is “Homecoming” where a lonely Dr. Banner, tiring of life on the run after three years, decides to return home for Thanksgiving and is reunited with his sister and estranged father. We learn that David’s mother passed away when he was just a boy, and that he blames his father for failing to get her medical attention in time and has never forgiven him. We also learn this is the primary reason David seeks out a career in medicine. During the Hulk scenes in this episode, it is clear that the creature is enraged at his father, yet cannot bring himself to harm him. This is the first time we really see the Hulk struggling against his own violent nature. He wants to lash out, but isn’t sure why, or why he can’t. The creature sheds tears of anger in a couple of truly touching scenes. It’s another tour de force by Ferrigno, who acts as the catalyst for healing his family’s deep emotional wounds. The elder Banner finally understands his son’s pain and the two make amends. It’s a great episode that focuses on family, forgiveness, and the consequences of unresolved anger and guilt.
Another standout episode is “Dark Side”, a fantastic season four story in which David Banner attempts to suppress his animal side using an experimental serum and instead releases it unrestrained. This new Banner is downright evil, and delights in the prospect of unleashing the Hulk’s fury on the unsuspecting public. This is where it gets really interesting. For Bill Bixby, it was fairly simple to play “bad” Dr. Banner vs. “good” Dr. Banner, but what about the Hulk? How do you make a character who is already enraged all the time come across as different? Much to my surprise, Ferrigno pulls it off yet again. Through subtle differences in body language, including an amazing use of his face and eyes, it’s clear that this is not the usual angry Hulk. This Hulk is a killer. The eyes especially, have a vicious look never seen before, and Ferrigno’s face actually trembles with rage. Just as effective are the scenes where the Hulk’s good nature resurfaces. Ferrigno does a great job playing the confused creature at war with two personalities within himself.
The last episode I want to examine is another great one from season four, “The Harder They Fall”. In the story’s opening sequence, David Banner is hit by a car while crossing the street and wakes up in the hospital a paraplegic. This is a standout episode for Bill Bixby as Banner tries to cope with both the physical and psychological impact of his injury and come to terms with the prospect of life in a wheelchair. The fantastic Hulk scene in this episode is during the first transformation. Banner and his wheelchair are accidentally thrown down a flight of stairs during a barfight, and after transforming, the Hulk finds he cannot stand. He makes several attempts to get up but keeps falling down, becoming angrier by the minute. Unable to understand why he cannot walk, he takes out his frustrations by pounding on his own legs, as if doing so will make them work. This is another really great scene that shows the Hulk’s primitive intelligence and how he responds emotionally by lashing out, this time at his own body for failing him. Eventually his mutated regenerative powers allow him to stumble away.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at what I feel are some of the best moments in the Incredible Hulk series that truly showcase Lou Ferrigno’s exceptional acting ability. There are many more, but I couldn’t possibly list them all. I just wanted to shed some light on what I feel is one of the great underrated performances in television history. I urge you to take another look at the series for yourself, and when you do…look beyond the muscles, greasepaint, and fright wig. I think you’ll be surprised to find a truly great and unforgettable character performance. Ferrigno’s Hulk sets a standard by which all other Hulks will always be measured.
It is his legend and his legacy.
Lou Ferrigno: The Incredible Actor
Let’s be realistic. When you hear the name Lou Ferrigno, one thing comes to mind…muscles. The Incredible Hulk and bodybuilding. Bodybuilding and the Incredible Hulk. The two are inseparable, yet the one thing nobody ever seems to comment on is Lou Ferrigno’s acting ability. Yes, acting ability. If one looks beyond the surface of Ferrigno’s famous role as the monstrous alter ego of Dr. David Banner, one finds a very complex, layered performance, perhaps one of the best ever on television, and in the process discovers that Lou Ferrigno is much more than a mountain of muscle. He’s an actor, and a darn good one at that.
On November 4th, 1977 “The Incredible Hulk” pilot debuted and was a ratings smash. Writer-director Kenneth Johnson wisely took the best elements of the comic book character, namely the Frakenstein-ish misunderstood monster suffering from Jekyll and Hyde syndrome, and ditched the rest. Gone were the bizarre super-villains of the comics, and Bruce Banner, nuclear physicist and creator of the Gamma Bomb became the much more sympathetic and compassionate Dr. David Banner, physician and scientist. Johnson focused the series on the dramatic elements and situations surrounding the Hulk, and it worked. It worked so well that the series ran until 1982, somewhat of a milestone for comic book fare at the time.
Kenneth Johnson quickly reined in Bill Bixby to play Banner, but who would play the Hulk? Initially, Richard Kiel, better known as “Jaws” to James Bond fans, was cast as the creature, but it quickly became apparent he lacked the bulk required of the role. Casting came down to two choices- Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Being taller by two inches landed Ferrigno the role, and I believe as they say…everything happens for a reason. For while Schwarzenegger went on to star in action blockbusters and became the more famous actor of the two, Ferrigno was simply born to play the Hulk, and does a far better job than I believe Schwarzenegger ever could have.
A Disability Turned Advantage
As most everyone knows, an ear infection when he was a child left Lou Ferrigno severely hearing impaired. As a result, he suffered through bullying in school that many of us can relate to. This eventually led him to developing his body as a means of coping. Ferrigno himself has often stated he was a fan of the Hulk as a child, and that he could relate to the character’s anger, frustration, and inability to communicate. The Hulk was hounded and misunderstood, much as Ferrigno was by his classmates. This instinctive understanding of the Hulk’s persona gave Ferrigno an insight into the character’s portrayal that I feel would have been lost on other actors. There’s a lot more to playing the Hulk than stomping around and growling at the camera. The Hulk does not simply rage, he is also capable of great tenderness. Some of Ferrigno’s greatest moments on “The Incredible Hulk” happen not when he’s smashing through a brick wall, but when he’s interacting with children, or animals, or displaying the buried love and emotions of Banner. It is in these scenes that Ferrigno truly shines, and displays a range far greater than his more famous rival.
Since the Hulk is mute, (unlike his comic book counterpart who uses broken speech) his entire performance relies on facial expression and body language. It’s really no different from the silent performances of characters such as Lon Chaney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame or Phantom of the Opera. This is a difficult task even for today’s seasoned veteran actors, but Ferrigno pulls it off with ease. There are striking similarities between Ferrigno’s Hulk and Boris Karloff’s portrayal of the Frankenstein monster. Both men are able to tap into the soul of their monsters and make them much more than one- dimensional boogeymen. Both created characters capable of great rage and equal tenderness, depending upon how they’re treated. But, where Karloff’s monster is indeed a killer, the Hulk’s anger is kept in check by the subconscious mind of the gentle Banner. Though the Hulk’s rampages could be truly terrifying at times, Ferrigno does an amazing job of convincing us that the Hulk is indeed an extension of Banner’s personality…that it’s still the heart and mind of a kind and gentle doctor inside this massive angry monster. I’ll be taking a look at some standout moments of key episodes from various seasons which display Ferrigno’s acting at its best.
Life and Death
Death, and how it affects us emotionally, is a theme that plays a key role in the origins of the TV Hulk. In the pilot episode, David Banner is consumed with guilt at his inability to save his wife Laura from a burning vehicle. This guilt leads to an obsession with finding the source of untapped human strength. Banner finds himself faced with mounting anger and frustration as he repeatedly tries to unlock the secret and fails. We all know what happens next. Banner discovers gamma rays are the key, exposes himself to an overdose of the deadly radiation, and unleashes far more strength than he bargained for. Unfortunately for him, he realizes too late that the discovery itself doesn’t erase the underlying emotions. The guilt, anger, frustration…the rage, is still there. Only now it has a physical manifestation as The Incredible Hulk. The first transformation in the series’ pilot episode takes place when Banner is changing a flat tire during a thunderstorm. It’s a frightening scene which still holds up well today. After pounding his car into a heap of wreckage the Hulk wanders off into the night. The next morning finds the creature in the nearby woods where he encounters a little girl and her father camping. A great scene and homage to Frankenstein has the Hulk smiling as he tries to befriend the little girl. Terrified by his appearance, she tries to escape but ends up falling into the lake. The Hulk shows genuine concern for the girl and tries to rescue her, but the girl’s father misinterprets the actions as an attack and shoots him.
The pilot’s second transformation is truly terrifying, and remains one of the most frightening scenes of the entire series. Still unsure of what has happened to him, Banner enlists the aid of fellow scientist Elaina Marks to try and measure his newfound strength inside a hyperbaric chamber at a remote, isolated lab. After trying for several hours without success to trigger his hidden strength, an angry, defeated Banner goes to sleep inside the chamber. Elaina Marks continues to monitor him while he sleeps, and ultimately, a nightmare about the death of his wife causes him to transform once more. It is in this scene that Ferrigno shines. He exhibits a rage that I have yet to see equaled on screen. He is an angry caged animal, and he wants OUT. Every obstacle which keeps him from this goal, from electrical panels, to steam pipes, to steel doors only serves to fuel his rage. I’ve seen a lot of actors play angry, but Ferrigno is downright scary. You genuinely fear for what will happen to Elaina Marks once the Hulk escapes his prison. Yet, the strangest thing happens…once he’s out he immediately begins to calm down, like a child throwing a tantrum until he’s out of his playpen. Then he exhibits a childlike curiosity towards Elaina, her soothing voice calming him until he reverts back to Banner.
At the end of the pilot is one of Ferrigno’s best scenes of the entire series.
Following the explosion which supposedly kills Banner, (and which is later blamed on the Hulk) the Hulk carries the wounded Elaina Marks off into the nearby woods. As she lay dying in his arms, Elaina professes her love to her “Poor David”. He tenderly holds her hand even though the Hulk’s primitive mind doesn’t understand what she is saying.
Then she quietly passes away in his arms, her hand slipping from his grasp. He clearly becomes agitated, looking helplessly back and forth in confusion, tears in his eyes as he begins panting heavily like a dog grieving over its dead master. He tries lifting and dropping her limp hand as if expecting her to respond. Then, instinctively, he seems to realize she is gone, and lets loose a pitiful roar that echoes across the quiet valley. It is a very powerful and touching scene that shows the Hulk is much, much more than a monster.
The amount of pathos Ferrigno brings to this scene is astounding. He is able to communicate to the viewer the intense emotions of this mute character…the Hulk’s confusion and inability to understand and cope with Elaina’s death, through a masterful combination of facial expression and body language. I especially find the dog-like panting a fascinating and inspired touch. Whether conceived on it’s own by Ferrigno or under the direction of Kenneth Johnson, it beautifully conveys the primitive, animalistic nature of the Hulk and contributes greatly to the scene. When all is said and done, the Hulk exhibits a tremendous range of emotions in the pilot, from innocent curiosity and friendliness, to rage, to tender love and extreme grief. It’s a fantastically underrated performance that deserves much praise.
Family Matters
Another interesting aspect of the Hulk is how easily children and animals seem to respond to his childlike nature. Much like Frankenstein’s monster, it’s usually the adults who are terrified of his appearance, while most children simply see him as a new playmate. Boris Karloff spoke of similar experiences while playing Frankenstein’s monster. Children seemed to instinctively recognize the character’s innocence and gravitate towards him, just as they do towards the Hulk.
There are two touching scenes in the first season episode “The Beast Within” which illustrate this very phenomena. David Banner finds work at a zoo and encounters smugglers using dead animals to transport the stolen goods. The first of these scenes involves the Hulk encountering a little girl with a bag of peanuts. His curiosity towards her is fascinating to watch. She offers him some of the peanuts, which he greedily consumes, shells and all, as the girl scolds him for not eating them properly. It’s a wonderful, humorous moment until the girls mother shows up. Her hysteria frightens the Hulk away, and he is obviously just as scared of her as she is of him. The disappointed little girl says goodbye to her new friend as he runs off. Zoo officials hunt throughout the park for the Hulk into the night, where we discover him inside the tiger enclosure, gently petting a sleeping cub as it lay in his lap. Some monster indeed.
One of the best later episodes in the series is “Homecoming” where a lonely Dr. Banner, tiring of life on the run after three years, decides to return home for Thanksgiving and is reunited with his sister and estranged father. We learn that David’s mother passed away when he was just a boy, and that he blames his father for failing to get her medical attention in time and has never forgiven him. We also learn this is the primary reason David seeks out a career in medicine. During the Hulk scenes in this episode, it is clear that the creature is enraged at his father, yet cannot bring himself to harm him. This is the first time we really see the Hulk struggling against his own violent nature. He wants to lash out, but isn’t sure why, or why he can’t. The creature sheds tears of anger in a couple of truly touching scenes. It’s another tour de force by Ferrigno, who acts as the catalyst for healing his family’s deep emotional wounds. The elder Banner finally understands his son’s pain and the two make amends. It’s a great episode that focuses on family, forgiveness, and the consequences of unresolved anger and guilt.
Another standout episode is “Dark Side”, a fantastic season four story in which David Banner attempts to suppress his animal side using an experimental serum and instead releases it unrestrained. This new Banner is downright evil, and delights in the prospect of unleashing the Hulk’s fury on the unsuspecting public. This is where it gets really interesting. For Bill Bixby, it was fairly simple to play “bad” Dr. Banner vs. “good” Dr. Banner, but what about the Hulk? How do you make a character who is already enraged all the time come across as different? Much to my surprise, Ferrigno pulls it off yet again. Through subtle differences in body language, including an amazing use of his face and eyes, it’s clear that this is not the usual angry Hulk. This Hulk is a killer. The eyes especially, have a vicious look never seen before, and Ferrigno’s face actually trembles with rage. Just as effective are the scenes where the Hulk’s good nature resurfaces. Ferrigno does a great job playing the confused creature at war with two personalities within himself.
The last episode I want to examine is another great one from season four, “The Harder They Fall”. In the story’s opening sequence, David Banner is hit by a car while crossing the street and wakes up in the hospital a paraplegic. This is a standout episode for Bill Bixby as Banner tries to cope with both the physical and psychological impact of his injury and come to terms with the prospect of life in a wheelchair. The fantastic Hulk scene in this episode is during the first transformation. Banner and his wheelchair are accidentally thrown down a flight of stairs during a barfight, and after transforming, the Hulk finds he cannot stand. He makes several attempts to get up but keeps falling down, becoming angrier by the minute. Unable to understand why he cannot walk, he takes out his frustrations by pounding on his own legs, as if doing so will make them work. This is another really great scene that shows the Hulk’s primitive intelligence and how he responds emotionally by lashing out, this time at his own body for failing him. Eventually his mutated regenerative powers allow him to stumble away.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this look at what I feel are some of the best moments in the Incredible Hulk series that truly showcase Lou Ferrigno’s exceptional acting ability. There are many more, but I couldn’t possibly list them all. I just wanted to shed some light on what I feel is one of the great underrated performances in television history. I urge you to take another look at the series for yourself, and when you do…look beyond the muscles, greasepaint, and fright wig. I think you’ll be surprised to find a truly great and unforgettable character performance. Ferrigno’s Hulk sets a standard by which all other Hulks will always be measured.
It is his legend and his legacy.
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