Danger, Danger Will Robinson!!

ngcles · #1 19-01-2009, 04:47 PM

Hi All,

A bit of sad news

for those who affectionately remember the T.V series Lost in Space from the late '60s.

The actor inside the robot (yes there really was a person inside there) Bob May, died today of "heart failure" aged 69.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sto...005961,00.html

Very sad.

Best,

Les D

erick (Eric) · #2 19-01-2009, 04:50 PM

Thanks for the info, Les. It's a wonder he didn't die of heat exhaustion doing the show!

h0ughy (David) · #3 19-01-2009, 05:03 PM

thanks Les - it seems as thought all those older programmes that I grew up on are having actors passing on

Barrykgerdes · #4 19-01-2009, 05:16 PM

That's an interesting item. My neighbour who was a great fan of Lost in Space invited me down to see his latest acquisition last Sunday. A full size replica of the robot. He bought it from some place in America that is making them, $US18000. It doesn't even move under it's own steam.

Boy that would have bought me a pretty fancy telescope

Barry

TrevorW · #5 19-01-2009, 08:19 PM

How well I remember this show, now if you had of said Zachary Smith then I would have cheered. In all honesty I would have shot him first chance I got when he was away from the rest of the crew then blamed some poor alien. How he survived the series is beyond me, "Danger Will Robinson" the robot made the show.

sheeny (Al) · #6 19-01-2009, 08:25 PM

Thanks Les. What a great show to grow up with... one of my favourites as a kid! The Robot was the best

(although Penny wasn't bad either

).

Al.

spacezebra (Petra) · #7 19-01-2009, 10:03 PM

Hi all

I have started watching Lost in Space again on Austar (weeknights at 5pm) - yes, very sad to see the passing of Bob May. I was surprised to read that he was not the voice of the Robot!

"The Robot: The Robot is a Model B-9, Class M-3 General Utility Non-Theorizing Environmental Control Robot, which had no given name (Harris once jokingly suggested the robot be named "Clawed"). Although a machine endowed with superhuman strength and futuristic weaponry, he often displayed human characteristics such as laughter (usually at Smith, thus provoking the latter's rage), sadness, and mockery. The voice was dubbed by Dick Tufeld, who was also the series' narrator. "

Quoted from Wiki

Cheers Petra d.

jjjnettie (Jeanette) · #8 19-01-2009, 10:06 PM

I read about his passing this morning.
Funnily though, he didn't actually give Robot his voice..

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #9 20-01-2009, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacezebra

Hi all

I have started watching Lost in Space again on Austar (weeknights at 5pm) - yes, very sad to see the passing of Bob May.

Me too Petra. I've been watching every show since the series started again on Fox a couple of months ago. I still love it, even though the odd episode is frankly embarassing. LOL!

Sad to hear about Bob's passing. "Danger Will Robinson" may have been the Robots most famous line, but my favourite by far was him just standing there sniggering at Dr Smith.

I love this line from June Lockhart recently:

Quote:

Lockhart said May wore the suit for hours at a time and learned the lines of every actor in the show so he would know when to respond to their cues. Because it wasn't easy to get in and out of the suit, he kept it on during breaks.

"He was a smoker," Lockhart remembered. "From time to time (when he was on a break), we'd see smoke coming out of the robot. That always amused us."

Ric · #10 20-01-2009, 04:30 PM

That's sad to hear, the Robot really made the show.

Glenhuon (Bill) · #11 21-01-2009, 12:32 AM

They have a replica of the Robot in the museum in Canberra. have a pic of it someplace. yep, it made the show, really enjoyed it when i was a kid. But as Omaroo said, some of the episodes are embarassing to watch nowadays

Bill

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #12 21-01-2009, 07:51 AM

I believe the original robot is in the TV museum somewhere on the peninsula, past Frankston.

stephenb (Stephen) · #13 21-01-2009, 08:30 AM

sad news indeed. I particularly remember the pilot episode where they take off from Earth. From memory, Dr. Smith was a stowaway.

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneOfOne

I believe the original robot is in the TV museum somewhere on the peninsula, past Frankston.

You are referring to TV World in the old Moorooduc Coolstores on the Moorooduc Hwy, run by Bob Phillips and Judy Banks. I am not aware of the 'original robot' there (I will stand corrected), but I recommend anyone visiting the Mornington Peninsula to visit the museum. There is the original Ossie Ostrich, which I personally found more fascinating.

OneOfOne (Trevor) · #14 22-01-2009, 08:28 AM

Actually, I think I stand corrected. I just googled them and I think I was thinking of the original "Dexter" from Perfect Match, although I believe they also have The Robot of some description. I should probably call in there some time...

I have the complete DVD set and they have the original version shown to the TV executives and there WAS no Smith! Some how it lacked something...personally, I would have left him behind the first time they took off, if I hadn't pushed him out an airlock before then

stephenb (Stephen) · #15 22-01-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneOfOne

Actually, I think I stand corrected. I just googled them and I think I was thinking of the original "Dexter" from Perfect Match, although I believe they also have The Robot of some description. I should probably call in there some time...

I have the complete DVD set and they have the original version shown to the TV executives and there WAS no Smith! Some how it lacked something...personally, I would have left him behind the first time they took off, if I hadn't pushed him out an airlock before then

I think you're right about Dexter. At least if Dexter have of been aboard, he would have given an honest and immediate compatibility rating between Judy and Don West.

Galactic G (Greg) · #16 24-01-2009, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redesford

You are referring to TV World in the old Moorooduc Coolstores on the Moorooduc Hwy, run by Bob Phillips and Judy Banks ... I recommend anyone visiting the Mornington Peninsula to visit the museum.

I went for a drive today to have a look at TV World. Unfortunately it's gone. The signs are all still there, but, according to the bar maid in the adjoining pub, the museum itself has been gone for many years now.

Shame really.

Galactic G (Greg) · #17 24-01-2009, 04:19 PM

Just as an appendium to my post I spoke on the phone to Bob Phillips who confirmed with me that TV World closed it's doors a couple of years ago.

Bob said that the collection had been sold to the state government and would be on display at ACMI (Australian Center for the Moving Image) at Federation Square in a few months.

He also confirmed that it was Dexter the 'Perfect Match' robot in the collection and not the robot from Lost in Space.

So, not all sad news.

stephenb (Stephen) · #18 24-01-2009, 07:55 PM

thanks GalacticG, you have just jogged my memory. I do vaguely recall something in the press some time ago about a move to Fed Square, so thanks for that!