Bifford "Biff" Hawk is a supporting character in the Professor Brainard duology. Son of the ruthless businessman Alonzo Hawk, Biff is divided between loyalty to his father and sympathy for Brainard, despite the latter being responsible for having him flunked out of Medfield College.
Role in the Films
The Absent-Minded Professor
Biff is seen attending Brainard's chemistry class, observing a demonstration of "acoustical energy" which causes an explosion, but apparently no injuries to anyone. Unfortunately at some time before or during the day, Biff was given an exam where he not only missed every answer, he even misspelled the name of Medfield College. Brainard offered to help Biff with a makeup exam, but since he was ineligible, the professor had no choice but to flunk Biff out of the college.
On the following morning after Brainard missing his wedding (for the third time) to Betsy Carlisle, Biff accompanies his father to Medfield, where the latter furiously confronts Brainard and the college dean, President Jeffrey Daggett, about Biff's dismissal. While Biff felt reluctant to make a big fuss about the issue, his father angrily pointed out that Biff could not join his college basketball team for the coming night's game, and as the star player, Medfield was sure to lose against the rival Ruthland College team. Furthermore, Biff's removal put further tension on the issue of his father tearing down the college due to an overdue loan.
As Biff and his father head home, Biff expresses his sympathy for the college, but is told by Alonzo that the college's collapse is inevitable in the face of more advanced facilities. Biff is then shocked that his father is planning to bet against Medfield's team.
Biff joins his father in attending the basketball game, divided between Ruthland's ruthless playing against Medfield, who are helpless without Biff on the team. During the second half, Medfield turns the game around in their favor, unknowingly with the help of Brainard, who applied newly-discovered flubber to their shoes, allowing them to jump incredible heights, and ultimately winning the game, much to Biff's delight and his father's fury, having lost a considerable bet.
Biff investigates how the team won by questioning Coach Wilson, who explained that prior to the second half, Brainard gave the team a "pep talk", which does not satisfy Alonzo. They then observe Brainard heading home in a flying Model T car, to which Biff adds that he overheard Brainard having discovered a breakthrough in new energy.
Next morning, Biff accompanies his father to Brainard's home, where they make an offer to forgive the college loan and instead help make Medfield bigger and greater than ever, under the condition that Brainard surrender the secret of flubber to Hawk so he could blackmail the government. Brainard bluntly refuses and resolves to call the government himself, dismissing Biff and his father out the door.
Heading home, Alonzo furiously ponders how to seize the flubber for himself. Biff suggests they switch cars on the professor, knowing a dealership who also has Model T cars, which Alonzo proudly expresses that while Biff may have a bit of his mother in him, he's still impressed with the cunning idea.
Later that night, Biff and his father successfully switch cars on Brainard while the latter attends the college dance. No sooner is the switch completed, the heads of the US Army, Navy and Air Force all arrive, seeking Brainard. Attempting to demonstrate flubber to the military leaders, Brainard is humiliated when nothing happens, and then finds birds and a squirrel placed in the engine by the Hawks. Biff initially laughs, but quickly feels sorry for Brainard being ridiculed by everyone, thinking it was a mean trick.
Next morning, Biff awakens to his father shouting for help, Alonzo having been tricked by Brainard and Carlslie into wearing flubberized shoes and left bouncing up and down, unable to stop himself. Summoning the fire department, Biff then calls his friends and neighbors to enjoy the show his father is giving, while various attempts are made to bring him down to the ground. Biff finally summons the college football team to jump his father (much to Alonzo's horror) as he comes down. They quickly travel to Hawk's warehouse, having told Brainard where his car was hid, only to find Brainard and Carlislie flying overhead in the recovered Model T. Pursuing the professor, Biff objects to his father firing pistol shots at Brainard, but they are soon outwitted by the professor and collide with a police car.
Despite all this, Biff later joins Brainard's (finally successful) wedding, wishing the professor and Betsy Carlislie a happy marriage together as they take off in the Model T.
Son of Flubber
Biff accompanies Brainard into Washington for an appointment at the Pentagon.
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