 Feeling like a Lost in Space Cadet? Faster than a speeding Jupiter 2 spaceship! With more authority than Alpha Control! Here’s our answers on some of the most frequently asked questions about the “Lost in Space” television series. Q: When did the original Lost in Space episodes air? A: The series enjoyed three full television seasons on CBS -- from 1965-1968. It was the first ongoing space adventure to last more than a season on air (Star Trek began airing the following year). Q: What was the name of the robot? A: There’s been some major confusion about this issue for years -- perpetuated by fans and the press alike! The original television series *never* gave the robot a name, so it is simply referred to as "Robot." Dick Tufeld provided the voice and actor Bob May actually "worked" the Robot from inside (and to this day, he is the only one who is allowed to appear in the Robot's body/costume in public.) Many folks out there mistakenly call the robot "Robby" -- which is actually the name of the robot from the 1956 movie "Forbidden Planet." Both robots however, were designed by the same man -- Robert Kinoshita. Q: Why is Jonathan Harris listed as a "Special Guest Star"? A. According to Harris, who played the evil Dr. Smith, his character was supposed to sabotage the Jupiter 2 spaceship in the first few episodes, and then be killed off. It occurred to Harris that adding comically cowardly touches that humanized Dr. Smith would not only make him less threatening to the Robinson family -- but allow the character to continue on in the series. Creator Irwin Allen recognized a good thing when he saw it, and allowed the Smith character to stay on – thereby providing the perfect ongoing conflict for the Jupiter 2 passengers -- and a character that lives on in our memories! The "Special Guest Star" credit was created because Jonathan was added to the cast *after* all the other credits had been decided. He worked the special billing out with Irwin Allen as part of his contract on the show. Interestingly enough, this same credit has been used with much fanfare on Fox's Melrose Place by Heather Locklear -- but Jonathan Harris was the first to ever create and use the "Special Guest Star" credit. Q: In the original series, where were the Robinsons heading and why? A. The family and its pilot Don West (played by Mark Goddard) were on a five-year mission to explore a planet in the Alpha Centauri system, with the hope that it could be colonized. Q: Why are some of the episodes in color and others in black and white? A: The first season of the series was shot in black and white, but the second and third seasons were shot in color. All three seasons can now be seen airing in order weekday mornings on the Sci-Fi Channel. Q: Why is the spaceship called the “Jupiter 2” rather than just “Jupiter” or “Jupiter 1”? A: The series never explains this, although the upcoming feature film has created its own answers to this question. Q: How is the New Line feature film (to be released in theaters nationwide on April 3, 1998) different from the television show? A: The Lost In Space feature film will remain faithful to the
original characters while incorporating a contemporary storyline that stands alone as a bold new family adventure. Featuring more than 650 computer-generated visual effects (nearly twice as many as Jurassic Park), Lost In Space is an action-oriented motion picture that focuses more on adventure and less on comedy. ™ & © 1998 New Line Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. PRIVACY POLICY | Terms of Use |