"The Starlost" (1973) TV series

Creator:

Harlan Ellison

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

22 September 1973 (Canada)

Genre:

Sci-Fi

Plot:

A group of humans must explore a vast starship in order to find the controls to save it from destruction.

Plot Keywords:

Chroma Key | Virtual Set

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Keir Dullea	...	Devon (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Gay Rowan	...	Rachel (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Robin Ward	...	Garth (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
William Osler	...	Host / ... (16 episodes, 1973-1974)

Also Known As:

The Ark (USA) (syndication title)

Runtime:

60 min (16 episodes)

Country:

Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Writer Harlan Ellison, unhappy with changes made to his concept for the show, had his credit changed to the pseudonym "Cordwainer Bird."

Movie Connections:

Edited into The Starlost: Deception (1980) (TV)

the pros & cons of the starlost

The Starlost had the potential to be a classic science fiction series as it was created by the superb writer Harlan Ellison. The premise was intriguing: earth is abandoned by the humans that have poisoned it in various ways. A great spaceship arc is constructed and a series of domes house various cultures. At some point in their journey an accident occurs killing the crew, the domes are sealed off, and in time the different societies within them come to believe only in their own world and are unaware they are part of a massive starship.3 individuals from a dome with an agrarian community discover the truth, along with the fact that the ark is on a collision course with a g-class star.The series revolved around their attempts to save the ark. unfortunately Ellison came into conflict with the producers & writes extensively about this in an intro into the book based on the series, Phoenix Without Ashes.The fact that the show had a shoestring budget did not help either.This would be a wonderful premise to revive with Ellison on board, and the state-of-the-art special effects now available.