Lost in Space – 1956
Lost in Space is an American science fiction television series, created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between 1965 and 1968. The series was inspired by the 1812 novel The Swiss Family Robinson and a comic book published by Gold Key Comics titled Space Family Robinson. The series follows the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to survive in the depths of space. The show ran for 83 episodes over three seasons; the first season (29 hour-long episodes) was filmed in black and white, and the 54 hour-long episodes of Seasons 2 and 3 were filmed in color.
On October 16, 1997, the United States is gearing up to colonize space. The Jupiter 2, a futuristic saucer-shaped spacecraft, stands on its launch pad undergoing final preparations. Its mission is to take a single family on a five-and-a-half-year journey to an Earth like planet orbiting the star Alpha Centauri.
The Robinson family consists of Professor John Robinson (Guy Williams), his wife Maureen (June Lockhart), and their three children: Judy (Marta Kristen); Penny (Angela Cartwright); and Will (Billy Mumy). The family is accompanied by U.S. Space Corps Major Donald West (Mark Goddard). The Robinsons and Major West are to be cryogenically frozen for the voyage, and they are set to be unfrozen when the spacecraft approaches its destination.
Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris), Alpha Control’s doctor, is revealed to be a saboteur working on behalf of an unnamed nation. After disposing of a guard who catches him aboard the spacecraft, Smith reprograms the Jupiter 2’s B-9 environmental control robot (voiced by Dick Tufeld) to destroy critical systems on the spaceship eight hours after launch. Smith becomes trapped aboard at launch, however, and his extra weight throws the Jupiter 2 off course, causing it to encounter asteroids. This, plus the robot’s rampage, causes the ship to prematurely engage its hyperdrive, and the expedition becomes hopelessly lost in the infinite depths of outer space. Smith’s selfish actions and laziness frequently endanger the expedition, but his role assumes less sinister overtones in later parts of the series.
Season 1
The astronaut family of Dr. John Robinson, accompanied by a pilot and a robot, set out in the year 1997 from an overpopulated Earth in the spaceship Jupiter 2 to travel to a planet circling the star Alpha Centauri. The Jupiter 2 mission is sabotaged by Dr. Zachary Smith – an agent for an unnamed foreign government – who slips aboard the spaceship and reprograms the robot to destroy the ship and crew. However, Smith is trapped aboard, and his excess weight alters the craft’s flight path and places it directly in the path of a massive meteor storm. Smith manages to save himself by prematurely reviving the crew from suspended animation. The ship survives, but the damage caused by Smith’s earlier sabotage of the robot leaves the crew lost in space. The Jupiter 2 crash-lands on an alien world, later identified by Will as Priplanus, where they spend the rest of the season and survive a host of adventures. Smith remains with the crew and acts as a source of comedic cowardice and villainy, exploiting the eternally forgiving nature of Professor Robinson.
Season 2
At the start of the second season, the repaired Jupiter 2 launches into space once more, to escape the destruction of Priplanus following a series of cataclysmic earthquakes. The Robinsons crash-land on a strange new world, to become planet-bound again for another season.
Season 3
In the third season, a format change was introduced. In this season, the Jupiter 2 travels freely in space, visiting a new world in each episode, as the family attempts to either return to Earth or else at least reach their original destination in the Alpha Centauri system. A newly built “Space Pod” provides a means of transportation between the ship and passing planets, allowing for various escapades. This season had a different set of opening credits and a new theme tune, which had been composed by John Williams as part of the show’s new direction.
Main cas
Dr. (Professor) John Robinson (Guy Williams) – The expedition commander and the father of the Robinson children. Robinson is an astrophysicist who also specializes in applied planetary geology.
Dr. Maureen Robinson (June Lockhart) – A biochemist who is often seen preparing meals, tending the garden, and helping with light construction while adding a voice of compassion.
Major Don West (Mark Goddard) – The pilot of the Jupiter 2.Judy Robinson (Marta Kristen) – The eldest child of the Robinsons.
Penny Robinson (Angela Cartwright) – The middle child. An imaginative 11-year-old who loves animals and classical music. Early in the series, she acquires a chimpanzee-like alien pet which she names Debbie (in spite of the characters’ use of masculine pronouns when referring to it) and which is usually referred to as the “bloop” for the sound it makes.
Will Robinson (Billy Mumy) – The youngest child. A precocious 9-year-old in the first season, he is a child prodigy in electronics and computer technology.
Dr. Zachary Smith (Jonathan Harris) – Acting as Alpha Control’s flight surgeon in the first episode, he is later referred to as a “Doctor of Intergalactic Environmental Psychology”, an expert in cybernetics, and an enemy agent. His attempt to sabotage the mission strands him aboard the Jupiter 2
The Robot (Bob May) – The Robot is a B-9 model environmental control robot who has no given name. The machine was endowed with superhuman strength and futuristic weaponry. It often displays human characteristics, such as laughter, sadness, and mockery. The Robot was designed by Robert Kinoshita.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia