MacGyver: What You Didn’t Know About The Classic Show

Over the course of seven seasons, Agent Angus MacGyver wowed audiences with his resourceful inventions; he created a rocket powered harpoon gun out of cleaning fluid, moth balls, and an old telescope, and a lie detector from a stethoscope and alarm clock. MacGyver became a pop culture phenomenon, but what was really going on behind the scenes? Read on to find out more about the beloved show.

Would MacGyver’s Inventions Work?

Since the show began, the word “MacGyver” has come to be used as a verb. To MacGyver something now means to be handy and resourceful, fix a seemingly impossible problem, or create something new. Just think of Agent MacGyver as the original DIY guy. But you may be thinking, “Some of these inventions seem little absurd. Would they really work?”

The producers tried to keep all the inventions theoretically and physically possible with one exception—when it comes to mixing potions or explosives from household chemicals, they changed ingredients to something benign. That’s probably a smart move, considering some wacky viewers might actually try the recipes at home. So, don’t try to take your chemistry lessons from MacGyver—it just wouldn’t work out.

The Star of the Show: Richard Dean Anderson Then

Before landing a role on MacGyver, Richard Dean Anderson began his television career as a soap opera star, playing Dr. Jeff Webber on General Hospital. However, acting wasn’t originally his dream job. As a child growing up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Anderson dreamed of becoming a professional hockey player. He broke both of his arms, which led him to develop an interest in music, art, and acting.

Anderson settled in Los Angeles after college, working a series of odd jobs before landing his TV gigs. He was in a marine mammal show, a musician in a medieval dinner theater, and a street mime and juggler. Angus MacGyver became his defining role, and he said after the show was canceled that “MacGyver was seven years of being in virtually every frame that was shot and having absolutely no life at all.”