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FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

Did anyone else watch The Wizard? Do they remember it, too?

Was Simon McKay featured in an episode of Baywatch ("ShortSighted" 1994)?

Who is involved in this website?

How can I contact them?

Who is The MGT.?

I want to start a Fan Club Chapert &/or include The Wizard / David Rappaport in my Internet community (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Friendster, etc.) or elsewhere. How should I go about doing this?

How can I listen to the music on certain pages of this site?

Is the music I hear available for download?

Why are the mini episode synopses appearing on this site the same as those on The Wizard's Wikipedia entry?

Did The Wizard have a Christmas/Holiday special?

Are there any episodes that were filmed but never aired?

Why was The Wizard cancelled?

Will The Wizard ever be released to home video or rebroadcast?

When will The Wizard be released?

How can I help Rescue The Wizard from the vaults of 20th Century Fox?

What is TVshowsonDVD.com?

Why does The Wizard need both TVshowsonDVD.com & Petition Signatures/Messages?

I'm sure someone else I know (family/friend/acquaintance) would love to add their name, too. Can I send you their name along with mine?

In the meantime, can I get copies of The Wizard episodes through this website?

Can you tell me when my other favorite program/series will be out on home video?

I've started, or am thinking about starting, a campaign of my own. Can you help me?

What if I have a question not appearing on this page?

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Did anyone else watch The Wizard? Do they remember it, too?

Yes & Yes. Please check out the Fan Letters, Save The Wizard Letters, & Memories of The Wizard links to the left to discover the who, when & where for yourself. Everyone with The Wizard, especially Michael Berk who is sharing the letters from 1986-1987, strongly encourages all the fans to read these messages & add their own.

These 19 episodes made such a strong impact on people of all ages from around the globe that even 21 years without a rerun could not erase The Wizard from our memories. Not even if that memory only seems like a lovely dream or a flight of our own imaginations.

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Was Simon McKay featured in an episode of Baywatch ("ShortSighted" 1994)?

No. This is a misconception started with assumptions made by fans. The use of the name "Simon McKay" in this episode of Baywatch was only part of a tribute Michael Berk & Douglas Schwartz created for David Rappaport. Although one character is the namesake of the other, this is the only thing they have in common.

"Shorsighted" was never, ever, ever meant to be a recasting or reappearance of "The Wizard". Until 2007, Michael Berk & Douglas Schwartz were not even aware that "The Wizard" still had a following.

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Who is involved in this website?

Michael Berk & Douglas Schwartz, co-creators & co-producers of The Wizard. David Rappaport's immediate family. Doug Barr. Priscilla Weems & family. Jessica Markoff Chaney - The MGT.

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How can I contact them?

See the Contact The Wizard page on this website.

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Who is The MGT.?

Jessica Markoff Chaney: "The Wizard's Wizard". Fan, Creator/Webmistress of this website, Authorized Representative of both David Rappaport & The Wizard.

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I want to start a Fan Club Chapter &/or include The Wizard / David Rappaport in my Internet community (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Orkut, Friendster, etc.) or elsewhere. How should I go about doing this?

Use the email &/or postal address on the Contact The Wizard page to ask permission. Yes, really. The content of The Wizard & David Rappaport's estate belongs to others. Whatever rights/permission/licensing agreements covering this or any other website/page do not extend beyond The MGT. or these borders. Taking any material without permission is not only rude & disrespectful, but can also lead to lawsuits. It can even lead to loss of membership in your internet community. Many of these communities ban the uploading of copyrighted or intellectual property not owned by the uploader. Make sure you read the rules.

Everyone at The Wizard, including David Rappaport's family, expect Wizard/David fans to mind their manners & show respect for others, themsevles, property rights, boundaries, & rules.

We are currently working on creating authorized materials for Official Fan Club Chapters worldwide.

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How can I listen to the music on certain pages of this site?

The music can be heard by downloading the free player from QuickTime. You can either find your own way to the Apple.com website & search for the QuickTime page, or click this link www.apple.com/quicktime . This website is not responsible for the content of Apple.com.

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Is the music I hear available for download?

No. Because everyone connected with The Wizard is only concerned with the series' best long-term interests, the selected pieces of music have only been added to help revive memories. If you sincerely wish to own the video &/or audio for The Wizard, then please help us to Rescue The Wizard from the vaults of 20th Century Fox.

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Why are the mini episode synopses appearing on this site the same as those on The Wizard's Wikipedia entry?

Because these synopses were written by The MGT. Wikipedia Username: Simon McKay.

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Did The Wizard have a Christmas/Holiday episode?

No. But, as all fans agree, every episode of The Wizard is a holiday in & of itself.

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Are there any episodes that were filmed but never aired?

No. However, there were two (2) episodes in the writing stage. Check out Simon vs. Simon & Two Souls/One Breath to find out more. Please make sure to have your imaginations ready as these are simply sketch notes for each episode from The Michael Berk Collection.

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Why was the The Wizard cancelled?

Back in 1986 those at 20th Century Fox Studios in charge of deciding which programs to fund & support had turned their focus on creating the new Fox Network & filling the network with completely new programs. Funding for all shows on CBS Television Network (then owned by Fox) was cut to a bare minimum. An action/adventure/sci-fi/fantasy series like The Wizard was viewed as far too expensive to continue. Why the series was not simply moved to the new network may never be known. Quite possibly, they just didn't understand what they had.

As Simon says, "A good scientist must be very careful not to want to prove something so badly he looses his objectivity." (Trouble in the Stars).

Because this happened at a time before fans everywhere could meet & create a united front of support on the World Wide Web, those persons in charge of scheduling were able to pre-empt The Wizard nearly every week, put it on hiatus at one point, try to cancel it mid-season, & move the show to a time slot up against the number one program in the US in order to keep the Nielsen ratings low enough to justify canceling it altogether. They were even able to ignore the landslide of viewer support during both the entire run of the show (Fan Letters)& the Save The Wizard campaign. All of which led an unsuspecting public to believe that either they were the only ones watching The Wizard, or the show just wasn’t popular enough to garner enough support to make a difference. Neither of which was true.

The series was only re-run in the US until the start of the 1987-88 season & then locked away in the vaults until The Wizard was sent on a secret world tour the following year. The show was immediately put back in the vaults & not taken out again until it was sent to Spain in the summer of 1991. The Wizard has been locked away in the vaults ever since.

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Will The Wizard ever be released to home video or rebroadcast?

Yes, Absolutely!!!

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When will The Wizard be released?

Well, that depends on each & every one of us around the world. Although sometimes it may seem like it, the studios don't just decide to release television shows or movies for rebroadcast or to home video willy-nilly. Money is a major part of the bottom line & viewer/consumer demand is a very important part of the process, especially for a single season show like The Wizard. Because the support sent in during the shows broadcast was ignored back in the day, those in charge at 20th Century Fox Studios today are only now becoming aware of how much this show means to all of us. They are incredibly enthusiastic about releasing The Wizard, but they need to hear from you to make it happen. So how soon does partially depend on fan willingness to voice our desire to 20th Century Fox. The longer we wait to act, the longer it will take to Rescue The Wizard from the vaults.

Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz, David Rappaport's family, & Doug Barr are all in favor of Rescuing The Wizard from the vaults, which takes care of a major hurdle most fans never believed could be overcome. They are supporting us, but they need us to support them in return.

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How can I help Rescue The Wizard from the vaults of 20th Century Fox?

As mentioned in the previous question, release of any program/series/movie depends on the public letting the studios know what they want to see & own. 20th Century Fox, for all their desire & enthusiasm to release The Wizard, needs to hear from each & every fan to assure that their investment will be worth it. Yes, this means you & anyone interested in the return of quality television.

Currently, there are 4 ways everyone can help.

1) Send a message for the Rescue The Wizard page to Michael Berk, Douglas Schwartz or The MGT. (even Simon McKay) letting everyone from The Wizard & 20th Century Fox know why they need to release this show. Email addresses can also be found on the Contact The Wizard page.

2) Add your name to the Petition List by using the email address on that page. You will receive a confirmation & Thank You from The MGT. as soon as possible to let you know your email as been received. (Be sure to check your Spam/Bulk/Trash email box(es) when waiting for a confirmation)

3) Residents of the US, Canada, & US Territories should also cast a vote on the TVshowsonDVD.com website, which focuses on Region 1 DVD releases ONLY. You must create a user name & password, & are only allowed to vote once, but every vote is very important. (please don't feel bad if you are uncomfortable signing up with a third party company. Remember that you have more voting options above.)

20th Century Fox is making use of this website to meet The Wizard's fandom half-way. Please take them up on the opportunity. With a single season show there really is no such thing as overdoing a show of support. Every message, name & vote counts. Please absolutely feel free to take advantage of all 3 options, & spread the word around to your family & friends.

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What is TVshowsonDVD.com?

The TVshowsonDVD.com website - part of the TV Guide family - was started as a way to bring more US television series, & some television movies, to Region 1 DVD (home video) by acting as an unbiased bridge between the buying public & the legal rights holder(s). As stated on the FAQ page of their website, their focus is soley on Region 1 DVD releases, & as many as possible. This means that they cannot focus on any one series/movie. The rankings listed on their website pit each listing against over 10,000 other listings, so it is important to not let the ranking of The Wizard (or any other listing) become a source of discouragement or a reason not to cast a vote. The numbers will only change for the better with the casting of a vote.

Besides keeping in mind that their focus is on Region 1 (US, Canada, US Territories) ONLY, it is also important to remember that TVshowsonDVD.com is dedicated to bringing the listings with the most votes to the attention of the studios first. A completely logical step, & why 20th Century Fox had no idea that they had The Wizard in their vaults until we told them. So many fans have opted to not vote for The Wizard because they feel it is useless, which has left the number of votes low &, therefore, off of the list of releases the studios should be considering. (Get the hint?)

Registration is required before voting or accessing certain parts of the TVshowsonDVD website. This registration helps TVshowsonDVD give precise marketing data to the legal rights holder(s). The MGT. & many others have already registered. Everyone with The Wizard strongly encourages you (if you feel comfortable, of course) to take the opportunity to check out, register, & vote on this website to help bring The Wizard to home video on Region 1 DVD.

Check them out at TVshowsonDVD.com. Fans from outside the US/North America are encouraged to use this website to make your vote & voice heard.

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Why does The Wizard need both TVshowsonDVD.com & Petition Signatures/Messages?

The Rescue The Wizard Campaign is about more than simply winning release of The Wizard on DVD in North America. If you've taken a moment to scroll down this site's homepage, then it will be easy to see the different parts of the world Simon & company have visited via Television Distribution. Viewers in these countries were just as inspired by The Wizard as US viewers. Some have even been kind enough to send in messages to let everyone know. The ultimate goal of this campaign is to bring the series to the entire world via rebroadcast & home video in every medium & language. It would be a great disservice to everything The Wizard stands for to focus on anything less.

Because TVshowsonDVD has only one goal, their help can only go so far (if fans are willing to cast a vote, that is). The Wizard needs an additional bridge to bring the cast, crew, studio, & especially the fans together to bring the inspirational gifts of this series back to the entire world. Therefore, this website has a Petition which will remain open to voluntary signatures from anywhere in the world until the campaign's goal is finally met. This website will also continue to post messages for everyone to read & share.

20th Century Fox has enthusiastically embraced this website as their source for messages to let them know how much the public around the world wants to watch The Wizard again. Please use this opportunity to make your desires heard. Think of the wonderful gift you will be giving to the rest of the world - to generations to come.

Simon Needs You!!!

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I'm sure someone else I know (family/friend/acquaintance) would love to add their name, too. Can I send you their name along with mine?

This circumstance calls for the very Wizardly deed of acting on the side of caution & respect. Please be sure to obtain permission from anyone you would like to help out before volunteering their name. Everyone from around the world is welcome to add their name - & most will be very happy to oblige - , but your someone else will want to, & need to, know before their name is "volunteered" for posting on the internet. We certainly don't want any arguments or broken relationships erupting from what is meant to be a positive action.

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In the meantime, can I get copies of The Wizard episodes through this website?

Absolutely not. Although making copies of unreleased programs is not illegal, this site & those connected to it remain dedicated to focusing on legal release of The Wizard in every medium & every language around the world. We understand your pain & anxiousness more than you may ever know, but the answer is still NO.

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Can you tell me when my other favorite program/series will be out on home video?

Probably not, but don't be discouraged. In fact, I hope that you feel encouraged to check around the internet for information on that show & other fans who want to see it, too.

If there is a campaign already in existence, check it out & add your support. If there isn't, do your homework & don't be afraid to start your own. Make sure the program/series is listed on the TVshowsonDVD.com website (add it if it's not), but don't put too much focus on their claim that the studios will only deal with & respect them. As 20th Century Fox has proven here, the studios respect fans who are dedicated, passionate, & very respectful of all concerned. If that means that fans everywhere can create campaigns which will successfully work together with TVshowsonDVD to get the job done, then all the better for everyone.

Respect on all levels is of the utmost importance & includes making sure you stay within copyright laws, think about how items are both presented & protected on your site, & working with the people who made the show (whether in front of or behind the camera) whenever possible. This is their creation, after all.

Yes, it's a lot of work, but well worth it.

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I've started, or am thinking about starting, a campaign of my own. Can you help me?

Well, I can certainly try. Asking questions is how I learned.

You are most welcome to email me using the email address at the bottom of every page of the fansite.

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What if I have a question not appearing on this page?

Please feel free to email your question to the email address listed below or check out the Contact The Wizard page for additional email addresses.

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email: themgt@thewizardtvfansite.com

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