posted on April 2, 2001 09:31:05 PM new
In another thread, bunnicula and I were discussing a short story entitled "It's a Good Life," written by Jerome Bixby. It's a sci-fi classic and was immortalized in a classic episode of the Twilight Zone starring Billy Mumy (best known as Will Robinson from the old Lost In Space TV series, a favorite show of mine in my youth). That particular episode was remade for the Twilight Zone Movie, but wasn't nearly as effective, IMHO.
But getting back to my title and the point of this thread --- I was searching the web for a jpg of Billy Mumy in that episode of TZ to post to the thread, and although I didn't findf what I was looking for, I did stumble across the kind of page that reminds me of why I love the internet.
It's called "Lost in AfterSpace" -- a "whatever became of ..." site devoted not to the actors of Lost In Space but to the props! No kidding. You can go to the website and learn what became of the Jupiter II spaceship, the Chariot (I'll give you a hint -- it was discovered on a ski slope), the Space Pod, the main control panel of the ship, the Robot and other classic pieces of Lost In Space history.
posted on April 2, 2001 09:52:51 PM new
I liked that show too, spaz. But that cowardly professor made my blood boil. I couldnt figure out WHY they never just dumped him off on some planet. My favorite character was the robot.
posted on April 2, 2001 10:01:08 PM new
I met Billy Mumy a few years back at a dog park in the Hollywood HIlls. It was surprising the celebrities you bumped into there...
To the dismay of the entire cast, network executives decided that "camping it up" was the way to go after the first season. Hence they made most of the plots revolve around Dr. Smith. It went downhill fast, until at last, in the final season, they were doing episodes where, for instance, the alien was a giant talking carrot.
But the first episodes, the ones shot in black and white, were straight-up science fiction. In fact, in the beginning, Dr. Smith wasn't a mincing dandy -- he was a treasonous spy who conspired with a foreign government to sabotage the Jupiter II. He programmed the robot to kill the Robinson family and destroy the ship shortly after lift-off, but his plans were foiled when he got trapped aboard during the final countdown. Quite the antithesis of the foolish ninny who went around muttering "Oh, the pain, the pain," anytime someone asked him to perform a chore.
posted on April 2, 2001 10:17:04 PM new
LOL, I also found the Billy Mumy site during my websearch. It's called (wince) "The Mumy Mall." You can order a personalized autographed photo of Billy all grown up or as Will Robinson for $20 a pop. It was a little depressing.
But I confess, I was a little tempted to order one of him as Will Robinson and have him inscribe it, Dear Spaz, Remember that time we short-sheeted Dr. Smith en route to Alpha Centauri?
On a related note, it troubles me to see Marta Kristen (the gorgeous Judy Robinson) doing commercials for arthritis medication now. I forget the specific product, but it's the one with the woman working in her garden. It's a far cry from the episode where Judy fell asleep in one of the giant alien flowers and was duplicated by the plant's strange powers. Talk about a fantasy -- two Judys! (Of course, she was no Catwoman, but still ... )
posted on April 2, 2001 11:02:40 PM new
One of the saddest things I remember seeing was years ago when I was in high school. There was a commercial with Larry from the 3 Stooges. He was in a nursing home & confined to a wheel chair, hawking a book about the Stooges. It was heartbreaking to see him.
posted on April 2, 2001 11:47:36 PM new
I reckon that's where Bob Gilligan Denver is headed. I can picture him ten years from now, so shrivelled and aged that the Gilligan hat slips down over his eyes but Bob will be under there croaking "Skipp-errrrrr!" for anyone willing to pay.
posted on April 3, 2001 04:17:54 AM new
Guy's kinda dead, Meya, but I know what you mean. More than once as a kid I thought to myself, Why can't my father be more like him?
posted on April 3, 2001 05:26:15 AM new
Guy Williams had a repeat role on Bonanza too. He played a cousin of the Cartwrights. PAX runs old shows in the afternoon here, and Bonanza is one of them. They just ran the episodes last week with Guy in them.
I wish I would have gotten them on tape. Guy Williams on a horse, with a gun belt, oh my. I'm swooning...
posted on April 3, 2001 08:08:07 AM new
Bunnicula, wasn't Bill Mumy married to Ricky Nelson's daughter? I forgot her name, but she was an actress, and I thought they made such a cute couple. Anyone remember "Falcon Crest"? He was on that show. I used to be addicted to it before it got silly like the rest of those 80's evening soaps. Anyway, I wonder if those two are still married. I seem to remember she had some health problems, but I can't remember what.
posted on April 3, 2001 08:32:23 AM new
Dr smith! That was the name! I got him mixed up with Gilligans Islands professor. Couldnt stand Gilligan. The rest of the crew didnt phase me, but he sure did. Hated the show. Probably why I confused the names of dr smith and professor.
posted on April 3, 2001 01:03:37 PM new
Them's the ones, snowy, thanks. I'm beginning to think altavista is useless as a search engine because that page didn't come up in my search results.
I made a note of the page for future reference -- hopefully I won't have occasion to use it.
posted on April 3, 2001 01:16:30 PM newKatyD: Sorry, can't help you with that -- when we met at the dog park, we discussed dogs for some strange reason...
posted on April 3, 2001 01:20:09 PM new
Did you guys know that Burt Ward (Robin) is running Great Dane Rescue with his wife in Norco, California? It's true! I got my Dane from them about 3 years ago. It was funny, I'd made an appointment with his wife & didn't know about him until I got there. Got out of the car & did a doubletake Good grief! It's Robin!.
posted on April 3, 2001 02:53:49 PM new
I saw Burt Ward at a car show where the Batmobile was on display. Both were a huge disappointment. The Batmobile's upholstery was split and in some places held together by duct tape, the dashboard looked like it had been stripped by car thieves. And the finish on the exterior of the car ... it wasn't that glossy black paint we saw in the TV show. It was flocked, like a toy animal. I read later on that at least one of the Batmobiles (there were several used in the filming of the show) had been finished in what they called "bat fur." That must have been what I saw, but it sure wasn't what I expected after years of seeing the car on TV. Burt, meanwhile, was unfriendly and distant. I think he was chilly in his Robin tights because he just sat there at the autograph table rubbing his arms and looking disgusted. He probably should have pulled his cape around him.
I have a vague memory of having seen the Batboat as a featured attraction in a local parade in Massachusetts, circa 1968 or '69.
I saw Adam West about 15 years ago at a sci-fi convention in Boston (I've only been to two cons, one to see Adam West, the other to see Shatner). He didn't come in costume. In fact, the SOB refused even to sign autographs, which I thought was pretty crummy because folks didn't find out until a few minutes before he came to the podium -- long after they had paid their admission fees. He said he had dinner plans and didn't have time.
About fifty people took umbrage at West's refusal and literally chased him down a hallway outside the hotel banquet room after his speech ended. He could run pretty fast for an out of shape ex-TV superhero, let me tell you. It was really something to see. He vanished into a room with one or two of his handlers and they bolted the door behind them. People stood outside the room for hours waiting for him to emerge. They were still there when I decided to go home. Unless he had a batrope handy and rappeled down the side of the Copley Plaza, I'm guessing he missed his dinner date.
posted on April 3, 2001 03:20:47 PM new
Looks like Im not the only one that remembers Dobie Gillis. But I BARELY remember it (my sister is the one that liked it and shes older than I am)
It was surprising the celebrities you bumped into there...
