1977–2008 In 1977, Ferrigno was cast as
the Hulk in
The Incredible Hulk. Though they were rarely on camera together, Ferrigno continued playing the Hulk role until 1981, although the last two episodes were not broadcast until May 1982. Later, he and Bixby co-starred in three
The Incredible Hulk TV movies. In November 1978 and again in May 1979 Ferrigno appeared in
Battle of the Network Stars. He portrayed the titular character in the 1983 science fantasy adventure film
Hercules, and received mixed-to-negative reviews for his performance. He was, however, praised by Marylynn Uricchio, a film critic for the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and Andy Brack of
Charleston City Paper. Gary Allen Smith, author of the book
Epic Films, complimented Ferrigno's physical strength and aesthetics in the film: "At 6' 5" and 286 pounds, he is a massive and thoroughly convincing Hercules". In 2014,
Decider named Ferrigno the tenth "hottest onscreen Hercules ever". In 1983, Ferrigno appeared as John Six in the short-lived medical drama
Trauma Center. ,
Alfie Wise and
Katia Christine in
Trauma Center, 1983 Ferrigno played himself during intermittent guest appearances on the
CBS sitcom The King of Queens, beginning in 2000 and continuing until the program's conclusion in 2007. He and his wife Carla were depicted as the main characters' next-door neighbors, enduring their jokes about him being the Hulk. He made cameo appearances as a security guard in both the 2003 film
Hulk and the 2008 film
The Incredible Hulk, in which he also voiced the Hulk. In the latter film, Bruce Banner (
Edward Norton) bribes him with a pizza to gain entry into a university building. He voiced the Hulk in other
Marvel Cinematic Universe films, uncredited. Lou Ferrigno voiced the Hulk until 2015's
Avengers: Age of Ultron. Mark Ruffalo has voiced Hulk in subsequent films.
2009–present Parade He trained
Michael Jackson intermittently beginning in the early 1990s, and in 2009, he helped Jackson get into shape for a planned series of
concerts in London, which were ultimately cancelled after
Jackson's death. Ferrigno took part in a
Smosh sketch, titled "I Love Lou Ferrigno", in which he is tracked down by one of Smosh's members,
Anthony Padilla, in
Hollywood. The skit ends with Ferrigno knocking Padilla unconscious in response to
Ian Hecox's claim that Padilla stole Ferrigno's
Butterfinger. Ferrigno has his own line of fitness equipment called Ferrigno Fitness. In January 2009, he provided equipment to
The Price Is Right for use as a
One Bid prize and demonstrated the equipment himself. In 2016, Ferrigno appeared as a playable Lego version of himself in ''
Lego Marvel's Avengers''. ==Non-acting endeavors==