"The Starlost" (1973) TV series 1973-

Creator:

Harlan Ellison
(more)

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:

Spaceship | Chroma Key | Canadian Science Fiction | Virtual Set | Spacecraft

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)

Series Directed by
Joseph L. Scanlan		(6 episodes, 1973-1974)
Ed Richardson		(4 episodes, 1973)
Harvey Hart		(2 episodes, 1973)
George McCowan		(2 episodes, 1973)
Leo Orenstein		(2 episodes, 1973)
Martin Lager		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Harlan Ellison		(16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Norman Klenman		(7 episodes, 1973)
Martin Lager		(4 episodes, 1973-1974)
George Ghent		(2 episodes, 1973)

Series Produced by
William Davidson	....	producer / executive producer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Ed Richardson	....	associate producer / producer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Gerry Rochon	....	executive producer / producer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Douglas Trumbull	....	producer / executive producer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Jerome M. Zeitman	....	producer / executive producer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Ray Fitzwalter	....	assistant producer / associate producer (8 episodes, 1973)

Series Film Editing by
Gordon Stoddard		(9 episodes, 1973-1974)
Bernie Clayton		(8 episodes, 1973)

Series Casting by
Karen Hazzard		(3 episodes, 1973)

Series Production Design by
Jack McAdam		(16 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Art Direction by
Gordon White		(16 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Costume Design by
Shirley Mann		(16 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Makeup Department
Pat Burrows	....	makeup artist (10 episodes, 1973)
Carol Davidson	....	makeup artist / makeup supervisor (6 episodes, 1973-1974)
Leslie Haynes	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1973)
John Luccetta	....	hair stylist (3 episodes, 1973)

Series Production Management
Barrie Diehl	....	unit manager / unit production manager (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Arthur Weinthal	....	executive in charge of production (15 episodes, 1973-1974)
Doug McCormick	....	post-production supervisor (13 episodes, 1973-1974)
Bill Rennie	....	unit manager (12 episodes, 1973-1974)
Gary Smith	....	unit manager / unit production manager (4 episodes, 1973)
Ed Brennan	....	production manager / post-production supervisor (3 episodes, 1973)

Series Art Department
Bob Bowkett	....	property master (12 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Sound Department
Wallie Harris	....	sound re-recording mixer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Wally Weaver	....	sound re-recording mixer (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Malcolm Fox	....	sound editor (14 episodes, 1973-1974)
Doug Drew	....	sound (9 episodes, 1973-1974)
Mitch Wirth	....	sound editor (9 episodes, 1973-1974)
Art Claridge	....	sound (7 episodes, 1973)
Bob Kozak	....	sound editor (2 episodes, 1973)

Series Special Effects by
Bob Colquhoun	....	model construction (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Lissa Calvert	....	model construction (12 episodes, 1973)
Mereline Thompson	....	model construction (12 episodes, 1973)
Philip Stephens	....	model construction (11 episodes, 1973)
Gordon Lowe	....	model construction (10 episodes, 1973)
Lori Margolis	....	model construction (10 episodes, 1973)

Series Visual Effects by
Douglas Trumbull	....	visual effects (1 episode, 1973)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Peter G. Edwards	....	lighting director / lighting technician (15 episodes, 1973-1974)
Percy Brinkworth	....	camera operator / camera operator: video (13 episodes, 1973)
Arnie Smith	....	lighting director: models / lighting director (6 episodes, 1973)
John Pettitt	....	camera operator: video / camera operator (3 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Larry S. Wells	....	wardrobe (16 episodes, 1973-1974)

Series Editorial Department
Tony Malone	....	assistant editor (1 episode, 1973)

Series Other crew
Norman Klenman	....	story consultant / story editor (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Derrett Lee	....	production coordinator (16 episodes, 1973-1974)
Maurie Jackson	....	technical director (13 episodes, 1973)
Ben Bova	....	science consultant (10 episodes, 1973)
Mary Fraser	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1973-1974)
Berniece Gillies	....	production assistant (7 episodes, 1973)
Ray Fitzwalter	....	studio director / floor manager (6 episodes, 1973)
Bill Bray	....	floor manager (5 episodes, 1973-1974)
Cy Fawcett	....	floor manager (5 episodes, 1973)
Keith Robinson	....	technical director (3 episodes, 1973-1974)

Production Companies

• 20th Century Fox Television
• CTV Television Network (in association with)
• Glen Warren Productions

Distributors

• 20th Century Fox Television
• NHK (1975) (Japan) (TV)
• VCI Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD) (complete series)

Other Companies

• McLaughlin Planetarium  special thanks
• Score Productions  music supervision

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:

In an attempt to "liven up" the show, the producers tried to add an "evil alien" to the cast. Their alien was Walter Koenig, wearing Go-Go boots.

Movie Connections:

Edited into The Starlost: The Alien Oro (1980) (TV)

Lost in translation

Harlan Ellison's first and only attempt to create a science fiction television series, The Starlost was doomed to failure almost from the start. Ellison had his name removed from the series when the producers decided to make a number of knuckleheaded decisions about the show and its direction.

It's too bad as the series premise itself would make a fascinating weekly series or movie. Science fiction author Ben Bova wrote a parody of the situation that occurred to Ellison with a novel (I believe it's now out of print)entitled Starcrossed.