Lost in Space (1965–1968)

A space colony family struggles to survive when a spy/accidental stowaway throws their ship hopelessly off course.

Creator:

Irwin Allen

Stars:

Guy Williams, June Lockhart, Mark Goddard

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Guy Williams	...	Prof. John Robinson (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
June Lockhart	...	Maureen Robinson (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
Mark Goddard	...	Maj. Don West (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
Marta Kristen	...	Judy Robinson (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
Bill Mumy	...	Will Robinson (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
Angela Cartwright	...	Penny Robinson (84 episodes, 1965-1968)
Jonathan Harris	...	Dr. Zachary Smith (83 episodes, 1965-1968)

Storyline

In the year 1997, Earth is suffering from massive overpopulation. Professor John Robinson, his wife Maureen, their children (Judy, Penny and Will) and Major Don West are selected to go to the third planet in the Alpha Centauri star system to establish a colony so that other Earth people can settle there. They are to go there on a ship christened the Jupiter 2. However, Doctor Zachary Smith, an agent for an enemy government, is sent to sabotage the mission. He is successful in reprogramming the ship's robot, but in the process becomes trapped on the ship, and because of his excess weight, the ship and all on board become hopelessly lost and it now becomes a fight for survival as the crew tries to find their way back home.

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Plot Keywords:

robot | sabotage | famous opening theme | spaceship | alien contact | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

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Details

Official Sites:

New Line

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 1965 (USA)

Also Known As:

Space Family Robinson

Filming Locations:

Red Rock Canyon State Park - Highway 14, Cantil, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

20th Century Fox Television, Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), Irwin Allen Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (83 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

CBS Chairman William Paley, who prided himself on the fact that CBS produced quality, thoughtful programming, hated the show and couldn't understand why it was so popular. He instructed his executives to cancel it the minute its ratings dipped.

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Quotes

Dr. Smith: [to Robot] You bubble-headed booby! You realize what you've done?

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Connections

Referenced in Galactica 1980: The Night the Cylons Landed: Part 2 (1980)

User Reviews

Best Science Fiction Series of All Time

This sci-fi adventure series was "Bold in concept, Brilliant in execution". From the Robinson's departure from Earth to their encounter with the Junkman I was kept on the edge of my seat. Virtually every episode had some great moments. Among my least favorites are: Space Vikings (however, this one did have good special effects), Space Beauty, 2 Weeks in Space, and A Day At The Zoo. The rest are top rate -they dealt with such topics as: time travel, environmental problems one may encounter on alien worlds, cryogenics, matter transfer, espionage, sabotage, national security, and human survival issues. What also remained intriguing was the fact that the greatest danger they faced came from within - namely, Dr. Smith. Why they didn't "kill him" is obvious - they couldn't bring civilization to the stars starting with the uncivilized act of murder (not to say that it never crossed anybody's mind). Cool special effects and equipment were: lazer battles (and their weapons), explosions, flying belts, the force field, weather stations, the Jupiter 2, the robot, and the charriot. I too, like many people, wish that "Lost In Space" would have remained a more serious science fiction epic, but the 2nd and 3rd seasons did produce some outstanding episodes like: Blast of into Space, Wreck of the Robot, Collision of Planets, The Colonists, Space Creature, The Anti-Matter Man, Hunter's Moon, and Visit to a Hostile Planet. Jonathan Harris' decision to make Dr. Smith a more comedic villian may have been more fun for him, but I think it would have been better if he had remained the evil agent he started out being (but there were some humorous moments between him, the robot, and Will). When I was a kid I attributed to this change in character to a complete mental breakdown due to the stress and strain of isolation in space (of course he was crazy from the beginning and it wouldn't require a lot for him to snap). Even though people remember Smith, the robot, Will, and their relationship the best, there were plenty of episodes where the main focus was the Robinson family as a whole and their plight. Guy Williams was among my favorites and I always looked up to him. He was my hero in this show. There is no comparison between LIS and Star Trek. I would much rather watch a show about human survival in space than a show with weird aliens who have acne problems.