The Wizard

One night I was looking for a TV show I could watch with my two small daughters, and found "The Wizard". Simon McKay (David Rappaport) was a small man with a giant heart and immense intelligence, Tillie Russell (Fran Ryan) was his gruff yet kindly housekeeper, and Alex Jagger (Doug Barr) was the FBI agent that had to keep up with them, and protect Simon. Someone else has compared "The Wizard" to "MacGyver", and I suppose that is fairly accurate. Simon had developed weapons for the government, then decided that he couldn't do that any more, and disappeared for several years. Once he returned, he created wonderful toys. Of course, there would always be a bad guy, and Simon would use his toys to defeat him without guns or violence. My daughters and I remember this show with great fondness.

I, too, regret that I never wrote to David Rappaport to tell him how much we enjoyed this lovely, gentle show and the characters they created.

I never forgot the opening theme to 1986's "The Wizard", and to this day when I play it back in my head it hearkens me back to that simple time with an indomitable sense of imagination and flight of fantasy intact. The Wizard of the show was Simon McKay (portrayed to perfection by the great David Rappaport), a little person with a vast array of engineering skills which he puts to use as a toymaker. Rappaport's portrayal of Simon McKay was that of a refined British intellectual with a wise compassion, and the fun-loving spirit of a child. Though under the protection of FBI agent Alex Jagger and in the care of Tillie the housekeeper, he often runs afoul of nefarious business men and scheming opportunists exploiting the weak. Upon seeing the first episode at the age of six, I immediately wanted a friend like Simon McKay. There was no way to avoid his endearing persona, and what kid could resist the plethora of high-tech toys and heavenly stash of sweets he kept behind a secret wall in his basement workshop? I was sad to see this show canceled. It bounced around from time slot to time slot, and I never knew what night it was going to be on. 20th Century Fox didn't seem to like to show, and did everything it could to knock it off the schedule.

In 1986 I was pregnant with my first son, and I had a high risk pregnancy, I had to stay in bed and was scared that I might lose my baby. It was a very stressful time for me and one night I turned on the TV and there was this wonderful show The Wizard. And for 1 hour I could relax and forget my problems and my worries. It helped looking forward to this show every week.

I was really upset when they cancelled the show, I really wonder if we had the internet system up like we have now if we could have saved the show. One of the biggest regrets that I have is that I never did write to David Rappaport and let him know what a big help this show was during a time in my life when I most needed hope and a little peace of mind. It is a shame that he took his life, I wonder if he ever realized what an impact he had on some of us out there.

The Wizard was a favorite tv show of mine back when I was about 6. I don't remember much about it, but I do remember that the midget wizard was really cool! He also had candy which made the show MUCH better! I remember being so disappointed when the show went off the air. I guess it didn't help much that my older brother would taunt me by saying, "guess what show is on tonight? The Wizard!" Then after sitting in front of the tv for about 30 minutes and finally realizing that the show was NOT coming on, I would go watch Punky Brewster :) I fell for this scheme everyday for about a year...mean older brother. I am glad that other people have heard of the Wizard, I was beginning to think that maybe my brother had just made up the whole thing to trick me!

I was sure this show was called The Wizard. I had tried to look on the internet before but had no luck. Finally proof of what I had been searching for years for. I watched this when it first aired I was around 5 or going on 6. Loved this and I remember the time I went to watch it and found it gone from it's normal time slot. Never to be seen again. I remember the episode where a car got stuck and the used "Grunt" a ball that turned in to a strong man, as a jack to lift the car out of the mud. I can see it in my mind like it happened yesterday. When will this come to DVD? I guess there is hope as they finally put Phantasam 2 out on Region1 DVD so there is hope.