Remembering Mark Goddard: A Tribute to a Beloved Actor

In the world of entertainment, we often form deep connections with the actors and actresses who grace our screens. Their performances become a part of our lives, and their passing leaves a profound void. Today, we pay tribute to one such remarkable actor, Mark Goddard, who bid us farewell this week, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to shine brightly in the annals of television and film history.

Mark Goddard, best known for his role as Major Don West in the iconic 1960s series “Lost in Space,” was more than just a talented actor. He was a beloved figure in the hearts of fans worldwide, and his passing has left a profound sense of loss in the entertainment community. From westerns to police shows to, yes, space, he always entertained and made every show he was in that much better.

Goddard’s portrayal of Major Don West in “Lost in Space” was a defining moment in his career. His charisma, charm, and impeccable acting skills brought the character to life in a way that captivated audiences and made him an integral part of the show’s enduring appeal. The series, which followed the adventures of the Robinson family in outer space, has left an indelible mark on popular culture, and Mark Goddard’s contribution to it is immeasurable.

Mark Goddard’s passing is a poignant reminder of the enduring impact that talented actors have on our lives. His work on screen will continue to inspire and entertain us, and his memory will forever hold a special place in our hearts. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family, friends, and fans during this time of loss. Farewell, Mark Goddard – your talent and warmth will never be forgotten.

The Netflix Lost In Space Reboot Is Here

The Netflix reboot of Lost In Space arrived on April 13th. Many fans have already binge-watched the entire season. Reviews have been mixed, but mostly positive.

There is a LOT that has changed from the original namesake. Some good, some bad. We want to hear from you and see what you think.

Have you seen it? What were your impressions? What were your favorite twists and easter eggs? Do you think there will be a second season? Leave your comments below! Feel free to leave spoilers, but if you don’t want spoilers, AVOID reading the comments!

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The First Netflix Lost In Space Reboot Trailer Drops

Netflix has dropped the first teaser trailer for its reboot of Lost In Space. No full glimpse of the Jupiter 2 yet or any glimpse of the Robot. Notice the variation of the third season theme at the end. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

B-9 Robot Tin Windup Toys Available For Pre-Order

I just happened upon some new Lost In Space products due to be released in April of 2018. They are tin windup toys of the B-9 Robot. I believe these may reproductions of earlier toys. The B-9 tin windup toys come in both a silver and a blue version. The B-9 Robot Tin Windup Toy features a sparking feature in the chest and lower dome and a strong walking mechanism. Robot stands 9-inches tall and features translucent blue top dome and metal antennas. Excellent craftsmanship and detailing in all aspects of this robot, including tin radar dish inside his dome, plus his arms are expandable and bendable and give this robot great character and expression! Wonderful classic artwork of robot walking through galactic space storm on his planet created by Justin Volpe.

 

Francine York, Noble Niolani, Has Passed Away

It is with great sadness that I announce that our Noble Niolani has passed away. Despite only being in one episode of Lost In Space, Francine York made a big impact on fans with her guest role in “The Colonists”. She portrayed Noble Niolani, leader of a female-centric society looking to colonize other worlds. She was strong, feminine, and I’m sure male fans will agree, she wore that costume well. The chemistry between her and Jonathan was undeniable, they had such a good time acting in this episode.

Francine York Was So Accessible To Her Fans

Francine was very accessible to her fans, entertaining and conversing with many of them on her Facebook page. Fans knew her as a sweet lady who was happy to share glimpses of her life, her opinions, and advice with them. Her passing came as a shock to many, especially because she had not shared that she was battling cancer. But, I think that fit what many of her fans knew about her, not wanting to focus on the negative. Instead, she had a bubbly personality and focused on the positive and lived life to the fullest.

Fans are posting tributes and remembrances on her Facebook page. Her friend Pepper Jay is working on putting together a memorial service for fans to attend. Details will be published when available.

We’ll miss her and her vivaciousness. Rest in peace, Noble Niolani.

Lost In Space Reboot Has Cast Mrs. Robinson

Lost In Space reboot has cast Mrs. RobinsonThe Lost In Space reboot has cast Mrs. Robinson and it will be Molly Parker from House of Cards. She joins Toby Stephens (as John), Maxwell Jenkins (as Will), and Taylor Russell (as Judy). The other roles have yet to be cast at this point.

According to character breakdowns leaked on Facebook, the new Mrs. Robinson will be the leader of the expedition and an aerospace engineer. In the original series, she was a biochemist.

The show, which debuts in 2018, will be written by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless, the duo behind Dracula Untold. Zack Estrin will serve as showrunner.

Parker is slated to co-star in upcoming Amazon series Goliath and upcoming films American Pastoral, Weirdos, and Small Crimes.

 

More Information on the Lost In Space Reboot

Well, a lot of fans’ concerns about the first casting announcement have been confirmed. It seems the new Lost In Space will have a lot of changes that will be sure to upset loyal fans (this one included). I’m hoping they get a clue, listen to viewers who made the show a hit in the first place, and drop some of these propose changes.

Here’s what we’ve learned:

A quick summary with complete character breakdowns to follow:

  • John and Maureen are estranged
  • Judy is Maureen’s daughter from a previous marriage
  • Judy blames her father for the estrangement
  • The family is dysfunctional
  • Don is now apparently Han Solo
  • Penny is a sarcastic black sheep of the family
  • Will is a wimp
  • Smith is a woman
  • The Robot will look “vastly different”

Character Bios

This is not an official release, but was what went out to talent agents and managers:

[JOHN ROBINSON]40s, the dad. A seasoned combat veteran with the self-possessed strength of a born leader. When the family’s spaceship crash-lands on an unknown planet, he maintains a goal-oriented attitude. We see he and his wife draw together in this emergency, but the truth of their relationship is they’re estranged. John insisted that he come along to protect his family from the unknown dangers they might face. This is a chance to make up for the mistakes he’s made in the past, and earn a place back in the family. Faced with difficult decisions that test even him, John must face one potential disaster after another (most of them involve trying to find the lesser evil)…SERIES REGULAR

[MAUREEN ROBINSON]Late 30s – 40s, the mom. An aerospace engineer with a fearsome intellect. A driven and demanding woman both in and outside her home. It’s Maureen who makes the decision to bring her family into space. She wants her children to have a chance at a new life on a better world. Her endless optimism is infectious. She’s convinced there is no problem that can’t be solved if you apply your mind to it. But there are things she can’t just fix like they were some engineering problem. It will be up to her to figure out a way off this planet, but as big a challenge will be to forgive her husband and rekindle the love they once had…SERIES REGULAR

[JUDY ROBINSON]To play 18 years old, the oldest of the three Robinson children. Judy is Maureen’s biracial daughter from her first marriage. Athletic, confident, her edge comes from her willingness to push herself harder than anyone else. She never knew her biological father, and John adopted her as his own. She took her parents’ breakup harder than anyone, and resents John for it. She’s the only trained doctor amongst the surviving Colonists. In a coming of age journey, she finds herself struggling to live up to her responsibilities…SERIES REGULAR

[PENNY ROBINSON]To play 15 years old, the middle child in the family. Quick-witted and contrarian, but her sarcastic and tough exterior covers a romantic soul. If the Robinsons have a black sheep, she’d be it. She’s the most social person in her family, with the best sense of humor of any of them. Penny grew up the victim of middle-child-syndrome, caught between a superstar older sister who could do no wrong and a baby brother who everybody was afraid couldn’t do anything right. She didn’t want to leave her home on Earth, and struggles with the loss of everything and everyone she knew…SERIES REGULAR

[WILL ROBINSON]To play 11 years old, the youngest. Will is creative, empathetic, and naturally sensitive. He’s the smallest and weakest member of the family. Likeable and quick, curious but not confrontational. Picked on growing up, he didn’t have many friends. He was eager to pack up and leave Earth and go just about anywhere. Will suffers from panic attacks, and doesn’t want to be the one who lets down his family. After the family crashes, Will has to find courage he never thought he had. This unique boy, who wasn’t supposed to be there, will prove to be the key to everyone’s survival…SERIES REGULAR

[DON WEST]Mid 20s, he’s no colonist. He’s a well-paid roughneck, part of a sub-class of highly-skilled but blue collar contractors. He also smuggles in luxury goods on the side. A roguish exterior hides a heart of gold. Once he finished his contract, he’d have been on the next trip back home with enough money to set himself (and those he loves) up for life. He has a cynical view of the colonization of space. They say it’s an egalitarian brave new world, but people like him would never be allowed to live there. Now that he’s crashed along with “the elites,” he’s going to have to forge new alliances, and find in the Robinsons the family he never thought he’d have…SERIES REGULAR

[ROBOT]An intimidating robot who becomes Will’s loyal servant… and in the end, friend. But like many characters in this series, Robot contains many mysteries yet to be revealed…SERIES REGULAR. This will be a voice-over and/or motion capture/bodysuit role.

STORY LINE: In 2046, the Jupiter 2 travels through a rip in the space-time continuum, and crash-lands on a distant planet, at an unknown distance from Earth. And there the ROBINSON FAMILY must build a new life for themselves, with a little help from their friends, and no help at all from their enemies (both human and alien)…

Kevin Burns Announcement

Kevin Burns released an announcement as follows:

Nearly $1 Million was spent on the Blu-ray discs so that the “classic” fans would have that forever. Now a new series — using the same premise — is in the works. Of course it will reflect today’s (and tomorrow’s) sensibilities (which are not “racist” ones, folks). It isn’t about “political correctness” — it’s about reflecting the world we are living in. Will there be a Robot? Yes — but it will look vastly different for a REASON. Will there be a Dr. Smith? Yes. But that character will also look different. Why change things? Because things change, evolve, grow. Because “Lost in Space” deserves to live for another 50 years. And because maybe if a younger generation is exposed to the new expression of LIS — they will check out where it all started.

Apparently, Kevin Burns sees loving, tight-knit, functional families as a thing of the past and not part of “today’s sensibilities”. He also, apparently, just called a lot of Lost In Space fans “racist”. Thanks a lot.

I know Kevin loved Jonathan. If he was wise, he would heed Jonathan’s advice about the 1998 movie and stick with what made Lost In Space a success in the first place. This reboot is straying from that wonderful family dynamic. I don’t want dysfunctional and neither do any of the fans I’ve talked to. They have tried these changes, to a more subtle degree, before in the 1998 and the 2004 unsold pilot. They didn’t work, they weren’t appealing, they didn’t bring a huge influx of young fans. Don’t alienate your fan base trying to appeal to a younger audience. Do a better job of trying to appeal to all generations. You’d be surprised how different generations can enjoy and appreciate the same things.

Judy Robinson Cast In Lost In Space Reboot

Taylor Russell Cast as Judy Robinson in Lost In Space RemakeAccording to Deadline.com, Falling Skies alum Taylor Russell has been cast as the new Judy Robinson in the Netflix reboot of Lost In Space. Historically, Judy Robinson was a blonde bombshell, originating with Marta Kristen in the 60’s tv show and continuing with Heather Graham in the ill-fated 1998 movie. This change has understandably upset long time fans of the show, who wonder what other changes from the established canon are in store. Many cite the changes made in the 1998 movie, where the Robinsons were remade into a dysfunctional family, nothing like the close-knit family of the show. Fans have expressed that they don’t want that in the remake, so any changes to the established canon on the show understandably brings apprehension.

We’re trying to keep an open mind, but we can’t help but remember what Jonathan Harris said about the 1998 movie. Paraphrasing, he said that if they don’t mess with what made the show a success, the movie will be successful. Well, we all know how that turned out… a dysfunctional mess. There is plenty of room for new and diverse characters in the Lost In Space universe, we just respectfully ask Hollywood to not mess with the core values and established characters that made the show so great. With Kevin Burns’ previous comment about the Robinsons having to deal with aliens in addition to their own “personal demons”, we can’t help but get the sinking feeling this will be 1998 all over again.

Three Years Lost In Space By Mark Goddard

Mark Goddard has just released a new book titled “Three Years Lost In Space”. Obviously, it’s all about his time on the show. It includes anecdotes about his relationships with fellow cast members, comments on the episodes, and personal thoughts on the show.

Three Years Lost In Space

Three Years Lost In SpaceMark covers every episode with his own thoughts and also the invented thoughts and dialogue of his character Don West. This adds a fun and interesting perspective. “Don” discusses his desire to clock Smith. He expresses his disappointment that the Robinsons keep forgiving Smith after all he’s done. He discusses his reluctance and final decision to rescue Smith from Athena and certain doom. Don also expresses his wishes for some alone time with Judy, something the CBS execs put an end to.

Also included is a special chapter in tribute to the memory of Guy Williams called “The John and Don Show”. There are several pages of behind the scene photos and beautiful drawings of the cast as well. This book was really written with the fans in mind. It’s a fun read and one every Lost In Space fan should get. You can order now at Amazon. Mark also released a book a few years ago called “To Space and Back: A Memoir” that I’d equally recommend.

 

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