A tale of woe, injustice and…magic! That was—in a very small, vague nutshell—the premise of The Magician. Bill Bixby--in his pre-Incredible Hulk days--played Tony Blake, an ex-con/playboy/stage magician who solved crimes and mysteries in his spare time.

But how does an ex-con become a rich, prestidigitating playboy? Well, poor Tony suffered for years in a South American prison for a crime he didn’t commit and managed to escape with the help of his cellmate. The unlucky cellmate died and left a large inheritance at Tony’s disposal, who became intrigued with pulling a fast one on audiences, prison guards and whoever else happened to be around. Tony’s talent as a stage magician made him famous but he never forgot his unjust imprisonment and strived to right wrongs and help the helpless.

Tony’s headquarters was originally a jetliner (that cellmate must have been loaded!), cementing the magician’s status as a jetsetting playboy. What, doesn’t everyone have their own pilot? Later on, Tony moved to The Magic Castle, an actual magic club in Los Angeles. What, doesn’t everyone have their own ritzy apartment in a famous magic club? Despite living the high life, Tony relied on a group of friends who gave him support and assistance whenever needed. They included Max Pomeroy, a prickly columnist, and Dennis, Max’s wheelchair-bound but very clever son. Rounding out the supporting cast was Jerry Anderson, Tony’s pilot. Dominick, an all-purpose sidekick and comic relief, replaced his network of friends by the time Tony moved to the Castle.

Amazingly, Bill Bixby learned and performed all the magic acts shown in the series without using special effects or camera trickery. The show ran for a single season on NBC but acquired an enthusiastic and loyal following.