Posted on 09/14/2005 11:50:24 PM PDT by lunarbicep
Lost in Space was Irwin Allen's most successful television program, the second of his" Fab Four" TV programs (along with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Time Tunnel and Land of the Giants). It premiered on CBS September 15, 1965. The ratings were sluggish at first, but started to pick up steam by the second month. By January of 1966, Lost in Space was a top ten program, soundly beating the competition on ABC, The Ozzie and Harriet Show and The Patty Duke Show, and seriously weakening NBC's The Virginian.
ABC then countered with a new show, Batman. Batman did beat Lost in Space initially in the ratings war, but LIS was able to rebuild ratings and eventually outlasted Batman.
When Star Trek premiered in September 1966 on NBC, there were comparisons between the two approaches to Space travel. Lost in Space garnered significantly better ratings than Star Trek. In fact, Lost in Space's lowest ratings were higher than Star Trek's highest ratings. However, Star Trek had 3 seasons of color to Lost in Space's two (first season was filmed in black and white). Because of the preference for color, Star Trek was able to blossom in syndication where Lost in Space couldn't.
By mid second season, Lost in Space had strayed from science fiction into a parody of science fiction. The ratings suffered accordingly, and LIS dropped out of the top 20. Third season found the Robinsons no longer planet-bound and traveling to new planets each week. The focus reshifted back toward science fiction with such classic episodes as Anti-Matter Man, but wavered toward the end of the season with the notorious Great Vegetable Rebellion.
As the cast was preparing for season 4, CBS quietly canceled the show and replaced it with Daktari, which lasted one season with lackluster ratings.
Irwin Allen still had Land of the Giants on the air, but the ratings were ample evidence that it would not be renewed either. He tried at least five shows without any interest from the networks. So, Allen returned to his roots, spawning an entire genre of films and a new nickname, the "Master of Disaster" as his smash films The Poseidon Adventure and The Towering Inferno created the disaster film craze.
Who was "Lost in Space?"
Irwin Allen used the skills he honed in films to assemble a phenomenal cast of popular and talented actors.
Guy Williams: When Guy signed on to star as Professor John Robison, he was well known as Diego de la Vega, Zorro in Disney's popular TV series. Guy had just concluded a 5 episode appearance on Bonanza as Ben Cartwright's nephew (and possible replacement for Pernell Roberts) when he was approached by Irwin Allen.
June Lockhart: Best known as Timmy's mom in the perennial favorite Lassie, June had just finished a guest appearance on Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. Irwin saw the dailies for the appearance, and offered her the part of the Robinson matriarch, becoming the first cast member signed for the show.
Mark Goddard: Mark had initially turned down the role of Major Don West, not wanting to do a "kiddy show" after costarring stints on such critically acclaimed series Johnny Ringo and The Detectives (with Adam West). His agent told him the show would never be seen, so Mark agreed to join the cast.
Marta Kristen: Marta was well-known in the industry, with appearances on every TV series from Loretta Young to Leave It to Beaver. Best known at the time for her role as Lorelei the mermaid in Beach Blanket Bingo, Marta had also starred in Savage Sam, the sequel to Ol' Yeller, a role for which she was touted by Disney as the next Annette Funicello.
Angela Cartwright: "America's Little Sweetheart" from Make Room for Daddy, Danny Thomas allowed Angela to miss the last episodes because of a conflict with another project - The Sound of Music.
Billy Mumy: Once referred to as "the only child actor worth a damn" by Jimmy Stewart, Billy was known as a child actor who actually could act. In addition to Stewart, he also worked with such luminaries as Brigitte Bardot, Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock before signing aboard the Jupiter 2
Jonathan Harris: With his extensive background in theatre and films, Jonathan knew that Dr. Smith, as written, would have to be killed off or left behind within a few episodes. So, he began a subtle shift toward a more comedic villain. The rest is television history.
Bob May: Grandson of Chic Johnson of the vaudeville team turned movie stars, Olsen & Johnson, Bob's uncredited work within the robot took all his background in dance and theatre. It brought a vitality and fluid grace to the robot, so much so that it was widely speculated that the robot was actually a mechanical construct.
Dick Tufeld: With nearly 50 years as a voiceover announcer, including the narrator for Lost in Space, Dick's mechanical inflection subtly suggested that the monotone of the robot was more than that of simple mechanical parts, giving the robot a heart in tandem with Bob May giving the robot a soul.
How did they get "Lost in Space?"
The date is 16 October 1997, the Alpha Control Command Center. The overcrowded Earth's best hope for survival is colonization of the Alpha Centauri star system. The Robinson family, and pilot Major Don West will be the first of millions of families to begin the long journey. As they enter the freezing tubes to cryogenically slumber during the long flight aboard the most technologically advanced spaceship ever created - Jupiter 2, trouble is brewing. Unbeknownst to them, Alpha Control has a spy from a foreign power determined to stop the mission. Dr. Zachary Smith has come aboard the Jupiter 2 and has sabotaged the environmental control robot. After launch, the robot will activate and destroy the ship and all aboard. Unfortunately for Dr. Smith, he is trapped aboard at launch. His added weight throws the trajectory of the carefully balanced vessel off course and into a meteor storm. Smith revives Major West who is able to steer the ship clear - just in time for the robot to activate. In the ensuing pandemonium the Jupiter 2 is thrown into hyperspace, hopelessly off course, severely damaged and lost in space!
The ship lands to effect repairs and immediately runs into problems with 60 meter tall cyclopean aliens, elliptical orbits that threaten to alternately freeze or incinerate the group, drought, various aliens passing through, killer robots and Dr. Smith's increasingly transparent scheming. The family preservers, not through technology, not through subterfuge, but through respect and affection for each other as a family. As John Robison would remark in a subsequent episode, "In all the worlds and galaxies of this universe, there is nothing stronger than love." Or, as Mark Goddard explains when asked about the longevity of the program, "Star Trek was a show that aimed at your head. Lost in Space was a show that aimed at your heart."
Dr. Smith's insults to the robot........
Adlepated Amateur
Adlepated Armor Bearer
Aluminum Canary
Animated Weather Station
Arrogant Automation
As Protective as a Leaky Umbrella
Astigmatic Automaton
Automated Oaf
Babbling Birdbrain
Babbling Bumpkin
Bellicose Bumpkin
Big Mouth
Blithering Blatherskite
Blithering Booby
Bloated Blimp
Blundering Bag of Bolts
Blithering Bumpkin
Book-Making Booby
Broken-down Has Been
Brutish Product of the Mineral World
Bubble Brain
Bubble-Head
Bubble-Headed Booby
Bulbous Bumpkin
Bumbling Bag of Bolts
Bumbling Booby
Bumbling Bucket of Bolts
Bumbling Cracker Barrel
Bumptious Booby
Bumptious Braggart
Bungler
Bungling Incompetent
Cackling Cacophony
Cackling Canister
Cackling Clod
Cackling Cookoo
Cackling Coward
Cantankerous Clod
Cold Hearted Clod
Caterwauling Clod
Cautious Clump
Chattering Magpie
Clanking Clod
Clod-Like Collection of Condensors
Clumsy Clod
Clumsy Cloot
Clumsy Clump
Complete Moron
Computerized Clod
Computerized Clump
Confused Compass
Cowardly Clump
Cowardly Friend
Cumbersome Clod
Cumbersome Clump
Cybernetic Simpleton
Cybernetic Skeptic
Defective Detective
Dehumanized Lie Dispenser
Demented Diode
Deplorable Dummy
Deplorable Dunderhead
Despotic Dunce
Digitised Dunce
Dippity Dunce
Disreputable Dunce
Disreputable Dunderhead
Doctor Dunderhead
Dottering Dolt
Dottering Dunderhead
Dunce
Dunderhead
Elephantine Adam
Egomanicale Ethrentricity
Evasive Coward
Ferrous Frankenstein
Fiend in Tin Clothing
Floundering Flunky
Foolish Fop
Frightful Fractious Frump
Frozen Eskimo
Fugitive From a Junkheap
Fugitive From a Junkyard
Fugitive From a Scrap Heap
Fugitive From a Scrap Metal Yard
Gallumphing Gargoyle
Gargantuan Goose
Garrulous Gargoyle
Ghoul
Gigantic Gargoyle
Goose
Gregarious Gremlin
Hard-Headed Harbinger of Death
Hard-Headed Harbinger of Evil
Hardware Hyena
Hopeless Heap of Tainted Tin
Hulking Mass of Mechanical Ignorance
Hypertensive Hypochondriac
Ignominious Ignoramus
Ill-informed Ignoramus
Impersonal Collection of Inanimate Hardware
Incompetent Moronic Lump
Incompetent Walking Ingot
Incompetent Idiot
Incompetent Imbecile
Ineffectual Ineptitude
Inept Gold Bricker
Inept Idiot
Infamous Informer
Ingot of Ingratitude
Ingrate
Insensitive Brute
Insensitive Clump
Insensitive Idiot
Insensitive Machine
Insipid Ineptitude
Iron-Borne Ingrate
Irresponsible Winebibber
Jabbering Jackanape
Jabbering Jeremiah
Jabbering Judas
Jangling Junkheap
Jespoty Dunce
John Barley Corn
Judas
Juvenile Junkpile
Klunker
Know Nothing Numskull
Know-nothing Numskull
Lagert
Lamebrained Lump
Lead-lined Lothario
Lead-lined Lump
Lily Livered Lump
Lily-Livered, Lead-Lined Lummox
Little Mother
Ludricous Lump
Lugubrious Lagert
Lugubrious Lump
Magnificent Mobile
Malicious Moron
Mass of Fear
Mealy-mouthed Rogue
Meandering Mental Midget
Mechanical Dunderhead
Mechanical Friend
Mechanical Meddler
Mechanical Misery
Mechanical Misfit
Mechanical Monolith
Mechanical Moron
Mechanical Murderer
Meddler
Medical School Dropout
Mediocre Medical Misfit
Mental Midget
Metallic Ham
Metallic Monstrosity
Metallic Murderer
Metallurgical Friend
Miserable Mass of Metal
Miserable Mechanism
Misguided Moron
Mechanical Misery
Misshapen Mummy
Monstrous Mountebank
Mechanized Misguided Moron
Monstrous, Metallurgical Meddler
Mr. Wrongway Computer
Mumbling Mass of Metal
My Insensitive Friend
Myna Bird
Nattering Ninny
Neanderthal Ninny
Negligent Ninny
Nervous Ninny
Nickering Ninny
Nincompoop
Ninny
Noxious Ninny
Obsolete Oaf
Obsolete Piece of Scrap Metal
Old Booby
Overcautious Concoction
Overgrown Ninny
Oversized Oaf
Parsimonious Puppet
Pathetic Pomposity
Pedagogical Pip-squeak
Pitiable Pip-squeak
Plasticized Parrot
Pompous Pip-squeak
Ponderous Plumber
Pot Headed Prankster
Pot-Bellied Prankster
Pot-Bellied Pumpkin
Powered Prankster
Preening Popinjay
Presumptuous Pip-Squeak
Presumptuous Popinjay
Pretentious Popinjay
Primitive Pile of Pistons
Proverbial Neanderthal Ninny
Puny Pip-squeak
Pusillanimous Pinhead
Pusillanimous Pip-squeak
Pusillanimous Puncher
Pusillanimous Punkah
Pusillanimous Puppet
Pusillanimous Tyrant
Quivering Quintessence of Fear
Ramshackled Romeo
Rattletrap
Real Great Goose
Ridiculous Robot
Ridiculous Roustabout
Ridiculous Ruin
Robust Rock Hound
Rolly-Poly Rowdy
Rusty Rasputin
Sanctimonious Scatterbrain
Scurrilous Scatterbrain
Sententious Sloth
Sickening Cybernetic
Silent Sentinel
Silly Goose
Silly Old Ninny
Silly Sausage
Silly Sloth
Silly Stupid Lovable Old Ninny
Silver-Plated Sellout
Simple Simon
Slick Sophisticated & Charming
Companion
Snivelling Cinderbox
Sorry Specimen of Computerhood
Stalwart Companion
Stalwart Sortie
Steely-Eyed Sorcerer
Stubborn Clatterbrain
Stupid Friend
Tarnished Friend
Tarnished Trumpet
Tattletale
Terrified Mechanical Dunderhead
Tin-Plated Fool
Tin-Plated Fraud
Tin-Plated Snitch
Tin-Plated Tattletale
Tin-Plated Tintinnabulation
Tin-Plated Traitor
Tin-Plated Tyrant
Tintinnabulation Tin Can
Tiresome Thesaurus
Traitor
Traitorous Electronic Junk Pile
Traitorous Tin-Plated Fugitive
from a Junkyard
Traitorous Tintinnabulation
Traitorous Transistorized Toad
Transistorized Tiger
Treasonous Tyrant
Trusty Aid
Tyrannical Tin Plate
Tyrannus Thesaurus
Unabridged Dictionary
Unconscious Concoction
Unctuous Underling
Uncultured Clump
Ungrateful Underling
Ungrateful Wretch
Unspeakable Insult
Weakling
Worry Wart
Worthless Electronic Scrapheap
Wretch
Wrong Way Computer
Angela Cartwright played 'Linda' on the Danny Thomas Show. Her brother on the show, 'Rusty', once called her something and it upset her. What did he call her?
"Danger, Will Robinson" is one of the most classic lines from any TV show.
"We're doomed! DOOMED!"
Where did you find those?
That Marta was a hottie!
"Oh! The pain! The pain!"
I met Jonathan Harris at a convention one time. It was an interesting conversation.
Dr. Smith would have been the perfect democrat "leader"!
That works on so many levels! Whiny, sissy la-la, lying, conniving cackler of doom and desparation
"Where did you find those?"
http://saveandromeda.com/tarantulas/guestusers/user03/robot_b9/robot_b9_sound_files.htm
actually 1 of the stupidest programs ever premiered the very same night at 9:00:
Yep. Like a train wreck, you couldn't quit watching it.
yes, we watched them all, lol!
Then we got to walk into and around the Time Tunnel, poke around the Seaview set from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea followed by the capper of the day - coming around the corner of a soundstage, we ran smack-dab into . . . . . The Batmobile!
Yep, the original George Barris machine; damn that was cool - they even let us sit in it. How many other FReepers can claim to have sat in the original Batmobile and the original James Bond Aston-Martin? (that one came to a shopping center in my town the same year)
Pretty exciting year for me, I tell you what. Come to think of it, I think my entire life peaked out in '66. Damn. Even the music was better back then.
I was exactly 11 in 1966 as well but I had the hots for the older blonde,Marta?
That's good - we wouldn't have been fighting over the girls. And Lassie's mom would have made us space cookies and milk.
I still say she was hot though.
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