WEBVTT 1 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:06.480 Hi, this is Bill Mumy from Lost in Space and 2 00:00:06.519 --> 00:00:10.640 Battle on five the Twilights on ETCA. But what's more 3 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:14.119 important than that is you're listening to The Doctor Sky Show. 4 00:00:14.439 --> 00:00:19.039 And that's a good thing, a real good thing. 5 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:31.160 Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen to our show, always exciting guests. 6 00:00:31.160 --> 00:00:34.560 Here on this particular edition of our show, Ladies and Gentlemen, 7 00:00:34.600 --> 00:00:40.000 a very special guest today will be speaking with Bill Mummy, actor, musician, writer, 8 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:42.560 and so much more. Best remembered for his role as 9 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:46.520 young Will Robinson on the television classic Loston Space. Actor 10 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.439 musician writer, Bill Mummy was born back on February one, 11 00:00:49.960 --> 00:00:53.560 nineteen fifty four, in San Gabriel, California. After beginning his 12 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:56.240 TV career at age five with an appearance on the 13 00:00:56.359 --> 00:01:00.479 series Riverboat, went on to appear on countless program in 14 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:04.319 the years to follow, including great guest shots on smashes 15 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:08.400 like The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and the Adventures 16 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:12.000 of Ozzie and Harriet. Bumming additionally made his film debut 17 00:01:12.040 --> 00:01:15.159 in the nineteen sixties The Wizard of Baghdad, going on 18 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:19.159 to rolls in features including nineteen sixty three. Is a 19 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:23.519 Child Is Waiting in nineteen sixty five, deer Burgitt. Also 20 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.239 in nineteen sixty five, he was cast on Lost in Space, remaining, 21 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:30.280 of course, with the cult favorite series until it's ceased 22 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:34.000 production three years later. He also has important stories to 23 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:38.000 talk about Babylon five. A privilege and honor to have actor, 24 00:01:38.120 --> 00:01:41.040 musician and writer Bill Mummy here to talk about his 25 00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:44.959 upcoming appearance at Comic Con thirteen this Memorial Day weekend 26 00:01:45.159 --> 00:01:48.840 at the Phoenix Convention Center. Bill, A real privilege and honor. 27 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:49.640 Welcome to the show. 28 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.040 Well, thank you, Doctor Sky. It's good to be with you. 29 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:56.400 It's real good. You sound like a superhero. It's doctor Sky. 30 00:01:57.879 --> 00:01:59.640 I kind of like that. You know that that would 31 00:01:59.680 --> 00:02:01.040 make a comic book character. 32 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:04.840 I'd had to use you. Well, that's so wonderful to 33 00:02:04.879 --> 00:02:06.560 have you here. And as I was mentioned into the 34 00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:08.960 audio to you off air, you know when I was 35 00:02:09.000 --> 00:02:11.639 a kid who wasn't a person as a young boy 36 00:02:11.680 --> 00:02:14.360 that wanted to be Will Robinson. And we're so grateful 37 00:02:14.360 --> 00:02:16.919 to be able to hear your story today and in 38 00:02:16.960 --> 00:02:20.159 this short interview today again highlighting your parents coming up 39 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:23.280 here at the Great Comic Con Comic Con Phoenix Comic 40 00:02:23.280 --> 00:02:26.560 Con thirteen this Memorial Day weekend at the Phoenix Convention Center. 41 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.520 Bill talk to us about how you actually got started 42 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:32.199 in the show business world. And I understand from reading 43 00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:35.439 part of your bio this was your interest in getting 44 00:02:35.439 --> 00:02:37.280 into this. It wasn't your parents, you know, like a 45 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:39.159 lot of parents that want to force their kids to 46 00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:41.919 do this as actors and child models. You you wanted 47 00:02:41.960 --> 00:02:42.960 to pursue this career. 48 00:02:43.400 --> 00:02:48.439 That's absolutely true. My parents got married to each other 49 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.039 kind of late in life. My mother was forty one 50 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:55.319 years old when I was born. My dad was forty nine, 51 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.280 and he was almost retired at that point in time. 52 00:02:59.319 --> 00:03:02.439 He was a pretty well the guy. I broke my 53 00:03:02.560 --> 00:03:06.840 leg when I was four years old playing Zoro. You 54 00:03:06.960 --> 00:03:09.039 might say it turned out to be a lucky break 55 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:13.240 because while I was in the cast for several long weeks, 56 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:17.159 you know, not able to run around outside with my pals, 57 00:03:17.960 --> 00:03:20.639 I just sat around every day and waited for my 58 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:23.120 favorite shows to come on the television set. Of course, 59 00:03:23.120 --> 00:03:26.639 we didn't have DVRs or anything. You could, you know, 60 00:03:26.759 --> 00:03:28.560 watch whatever you wanted to do. You just had to 61 00:03:28.560 --> 00:03:30.319 be patient and wait for your shows to come on. 62 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:33.879 And I sat there watching George Reeves as Superman and 63 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:39.159 Guy Williams as Zorro, and something about those caped adventurer 64 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:46.879 superhero type characters just absolutely resonated within my very young being, 65 00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:51.360 and I was adamant about wanting to get inside the 66 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:57.400 television set and be like Zoro or Superman. My mother 67 00:03:59.159 --> 00:04:02.400 had worked as a writer's assistant at twenty century Fox 68 00:04:02.439 --> 00:04:06.199 Studios for eleven years before she married my dad. Her father, 69 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:10.240 my grandfather, Harry Gould, had been a successful agent in 70 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:15.599 the thirties and early forties. His probably most high profile 71 00:04:16.040 --> 00:04:19.720 client was Boris Karloff, and he handled a lot of 72 00:04:19.720 --> 00:04:22.519 writers and directors, but some actors, and you know, he 73 00:04:23.079 --> 00:04:26.800 negotiated the Frankenstein deeal and everything. And to make a 74 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:32.480 long story short, my family wasn't intimidated by, impressed with, 75 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:36.839 or you know, in the show business. Was just a 76 00:04:36.920 --> 00:04:38.920 natural thing, wasn't a big deal. We lived in West 77 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:41.959 Los Angeles, near all the studios. I was an only child, 78 00:04:42.720 --> 00:04:46.600 and my father's perspective was, well, you know, if that's 79 00:04:47.079 --> 00:04:49.000 really what he wants to do, and you want to 80 00:04:49.079 --> 00:04:51.480 take him to my mom, then go ahead and see 81 00:04:51.480 --> 00:04:55.759 what happens. So you know, you can't escape your destiny. 82 00:04:56.240 --> 00:05:00.199 My mother wisely signed me up for a show called 83 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.600 Robber Room, which was basically just a regular kind of 84 00:05:03.839 --> 00:05:07.079 preschool television show. I think it was syndicated all over 85 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:10.399 the country. I remember it, well, Yeah, regular civilians. You 86 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:13.560 weren't necessarily an entertainer to be on Romper Room. But 87 00:05:13.600 --> 00:05:16.759 she did that to see if I would be comfortable 88 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:19.319 under the lights and with a camera on me and stuff, 89 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:21.720 which I thought was smart when I look back on it, 90 00:05:21.759 --> 00:05:24.399 and I was very comfortable, and I actually stayed for 91 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:29.639 a extra session on Robber Room, and so we got 92 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:32.839 an agent and started working. And Bob's your uncle. 93 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:35.800 Well, Bill, I say this because I spent a very 94 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:37.439 short time and I don't want to spend time on 95 00:05:37.480 --> 00:05:40.240 my life here. This is an interview about your very 96 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:43.680 interesting career which continues in force even as we're speaking today. 97 00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:47.759 And absolutely always young and always thinking about the next 98 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:50.120 thing to do here, the next new thing. I spent 99 00:05:50.199 --> 00:05:53.240 a little time in television doing commercials with an agent, 100 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:55.519 and I realized the only reason I'm mentioning it just 101 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:57.920 to have you comment on it further is to me, 102 00:05:57.959 --> 00:06:00.879 it was extremely a lot of pressure. You know, obviously 103 00:06:00.920 --> 00:06:03.519 when you go in for those auditions and interviews. You know, 104 00:06:03.560 --> 00:06:05.199 I was rejected a lot of times, and I'll be 105 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:07.360 very honest with you about that. I didn't get the part. 106 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:10.720 But isn't that difficult obviously for any kid out there 107 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:14.120 when you're young, handling the rejection and going through the pace. 108 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:17.399 You're the person who succeeded To give some advice out there, 109 00:06:17.399 --> 00:06:19.160 because I'm sure a lot of parents who listened to 110 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:20.759 the program, they say, you know, I'm going to get 111 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.079 my Johnny or Jeanie into show business. 112 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:29.560 Any advice, well, you know, I would imagine that my 113 00:06:29.639 --> 00:06:32.600 best advice would be, you know, follow the energy of 114 00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:35.480 your children, not follow the energy of your own ego. 115 00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:40.839 My parents were very supportive of my choices. If I 116 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:43.800 didn't get a part, that it just was no big deal. 117 00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:48.399 Nobody put pressure on me for better or worse. I 118 00:06:48.439 --> 00:06:53.199 got so many I was very prolific as a youngster, 119 00:06:53.399 --> 00:06:58.199 So you know, I mean, yes, the audition process can 120 00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:02.480 be stressful, whether you're fifty or whether you're five. But 121 00:07:05.319 --> 00:07:09.360 the you know, some people have certain gifts that they 122 00:07:09.519 --> 00:07:12.519 just are given. Maybe you can make a great Caesar salad. 123 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:15.439 Maybe you can throw a baseball straight and fast. Maybe 124 00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:19.040 you can memorize dialogue and say it believably, or maybe 125 00:07:19.079 --> 00:07:21.160 you can play the accordion, whatever it might be. We 126 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:25.399 all have our gifts, and I think that, you know, 127 00:07:25.639 --> 00:07:30.720 I truly had those gifts to act, to become another character, 128 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:34.519 and to kind of it was. It was always very 129 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:37.560 easy for me to memorize a lot of dialogue quickly, 130 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:40.639 no stress to do that. It was just very easy. 131 00:07:41.160 --> 00:07:45.079 And I liked the process of, you know, pretending to 132 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:48.480 be other people. And I was very fortunate to work 133 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:52.759 in so many different arenas of acting as a kid. 134 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:55.079 You know, one week I would be you know, a 135 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.920 scary mutant on the Twilight Zone. Then I'd go do 136 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:00.079 a Walt Disney movie for a couple of months, and 137 00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:03.240 I'd come back and you know, be un Bewitched, or 138 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:05.879 then I'd go do a western with some you know. 139 00:08:05.959 --> 00:08:08.279 I mean, I got to work in all those different 140 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:13.279 categories with so many great actors and actresses and directors 141 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.680 that it was really it was a blessing. We didn't 142 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:19.839 want to be tied down to a television series until 143 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:22.399 Lost in Space came along, and when it did, it 144 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:26.720 was exactly like the reason I wanted to be an actor. 145 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.720 In the first place. You know, Will Robinson, we liked 146 00:08:28.800 --> 00:08:30.720 Zoro or Superman. He was a superhero. 147 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:34.799 Basically, ooks are just joining us here. Bill Mummy, actor, musician, 148 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:37.320 and writer, and so much more is joining us here 149 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:40.240 on our special edition of our show today. He's also 150 00:08:40.360 --> 00:08:42.799 talking about his upcoming appearance, which we'll get to here 151 00:08:42.840 --> 00:08:45.960 in a moment. Phoenix Comic Con thirteen taking place this 152 00:08:46.039 --> 00:08:49.440 Memorial Day weekend at the Phoenix Convention Center. Interesting enough 153 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:51.600 as time flies. As our special guest will tell us 154 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:53.720 in a little while, this is a twentieth anniversary of 155 00:08:53.799 --> 00:08:57.720 Babylon five, a reunion that also takes place this Saturday, 156 00:08:58.159 --> 00:09:01.120 five pm to six thirty at the Comic Con event 157 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:02.440 taking place in Phoenix. 158 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:06.960 Yeah, that blows my mind. You know, when someone reminds 159 00:09:07.000 --> 00:09:10.320 me that Lost in Space was forty years ago. You know, 160 00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:12.440 I know it was the nineteen sixties, and I know 161 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:15.519 I was a kid, so certainly, and I have great 162 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:19.279 affection for all those people. We still get together socially often. 163 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:23.440 But when you tell me it was twenty years ago 164 00:09:23.480 --> 00:09:27.559 that we started Babylon five, that blows my mind, because there, 165 00:09:27.639 --> 00:09:30.039 you know, I was, I was an adult, I was 166 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:33.960 settled in I had. My son was a baby when 167 00:09:33.960 --> 00:09:36.039 we started the show. My daughter was born on the 168 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:38.320 second season of that show. But when I think twelve 169 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:43.759 years is past, that went by really quick, really quick. 170 00:09:43.799 --> 00:09:46.039 But it'll be nice to get together with everybody from 171 00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.080 the cast, and oh, I'm sure they're sisky and it'll 172 00:09:49.080 --> 00:09:51.840 be fun. I look forward to seeing everybody. 173 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:54.840 Let's talk about the Twilight Zone. One particular episode that 174 00:09:54.919 --> 00:09:57.080 I'm just so enamored with and so many people it's 175 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:58.879 a good life. You know it. You were there and 176 00:09:58.919 --> 00:10:02.159 it airing No. Number third, nineteen sixty one year Anthony 177 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:05.840 Fremont in the little town of what Peaksville, Ohio. For 178 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:08.080 anybody out there, shame on you if you haven't seen 179 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.399 this episode. But to me, this is like what the 180 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:14.120 Time magazine, I understand rates this the number three and 181 00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:16.559 the best of all the episodes of the Twilight Zone. 182 00:10:16.559 --> 00:10:19.799 But tell us a little bit about that episode, because boy, 183 00:10:19.840 --> 00:10:23.039 I'll tell you the angles of the camera, your energy. 184 00:10:23.720 --> 00:10:26.480 That whole episode to me is like, boy, that really 185 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:30.159 trades stamp marked you and stamped you on the you know, 186 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.519 in Memoryville there. I can't forget that one. 187 00:10:32.639 --> 00:10:34.919 Well, it's good, you can't forget it. It's real good. 188 00:10:36.840 --> 00:10:40.559 Get out of the Cornfield free card, Doctor Sky, you know. 189 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:44.080 I mean, Anthony Fremont is certainly an iconic character, and 190 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:49.080 I'm lucky to have played him. And I did three 191 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:51.639 of the original Twilight Zones, then a cameo in the 192 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:55.440 feature film, and then I wrote one of the revised series, 193 00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:58.120 and then we returned to that character and that show 194 00:10:58.159 --> 00:11:01.440 with Chlorus Leachman and my own dog Liliana for a 195 00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:04.320 sequel forty years later called It's Still a Good Life, 196 00:11:04.360 --> 00:11:07.960 which was really a special special treat for me to 197 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:11.519 go back with Cloris to that character. But in terms 198 00:11:11.519 --> 00:11:14.120 of the original episode, it is I think most of 199 00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:17.879 all the Twilight Zones hold up really really well. Rod 200 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:21.960 Serling was such a singular talent and so grateful that 201 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:25.159 I spent some time with him and knew him briefly 202 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:29.399 even though I was little. And James Sheldon directed that episode, 203 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:32.080 and I worked with him several times when I was young, 204 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:35.320 and he was a wonderful director and very very pleasant 205 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:38.759 to hang around. Chloris Leachman is a gift to any 206 00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:41.799 actor who gets the opportunity to work alongside her, for 207 00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:44.519 she's so great and she bumps her game up. And 208 00:11:44.720 --> 00:11:47.360 even though I was I guess six, maybe seven when 209 00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:50.559 we made that show, or seven when I stared, I 210 00:11:50.639 --> 00:11:53.159 learned a lot from her. She taught me things at 211 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:55.440 that early age. She's still a good friend of mine. 212 00:11:55.480 --> 00:12:01.480 I see her somewhat often, and yeah, I'm not ashamed 213 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:04.559 or you know, puffed up to say that's a really 214 00:12:04.600 --> 00:12:06.039 good television show. 215 00:12:06.440 --> 00:12:08.440 No, it's an awesome experience. Just a little bit more. 216 00:12:08.440 --> 00:12:11.399 If you can tell us Rod Sterling amazing man from 217 00:12:11.399 --> 00:12:13.440 what I've read, you've met him, tell us a little 218 00:12:13.440 --> 00:12:14.879 bit about him, any story or something. 219 00:12:15.080 --> 00:12:18.279 Well, what's interesting to me in my recollections of mister 220 00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:23.720 Serling is that in other instances, when the producer, creator, 221 00:12:24.360 --> 00:12:27.639 the boss of a television series comes onto the set, 222 00:12:28.480 --> 00:12:30.759 people in the crew and the cast, they usually get 223 00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:32.519 a little uptight, you know what I mean. Like when 224 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:34.639 Erwin Allen would walk on the Lost and Space said, 225 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:39.120 everybody was like, oh attention, Irwin's here, you know. But 226 00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:43.000 with mister Serling, when he came on the sets of 227 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:48.039 the Twilight Zones, everybody in the crew was really happy 228 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:51.639 and at ease and very pleased to see him there. 229 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:55.320 They all wanted to discuss upcoming episodes that he was 230 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.279 working on. In essence, he was the star of the 231 00:12:58.279 --> 00:13:01.039 Twilight Zone because there was no reg or cast members, 232 00:13:01.159 --> 00:13:05.320 so ergo, you don't have that potential for egos to 233 00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:07.879 get kind of out of control on a television series 234 00:13:07.919 --> 00:13:11.080 because people were working for you know, three or four days, 235 00:13:11.639 --> 00:13:13.799 and then there would be a whole new cast. So 236 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:16.879 the only regulars on the Twilight Zone were the crew 237 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:21.679 and Rod Serling. So I remember him being on this set. 238 00:13:21.759 --> 00:13:24.440 I remember him telling jokes. I remember him being a 239 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:27.600 very light presence, and when you see him he seems 240 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:32.000 pretty brooding and dark and perhaps kind of moody. But 241 00:13:32.399 --> 00:13:35.639 I recall him being very very light on the set. 242 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:41.120 Everybody very comfortable in his presence. And the first episode 243 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.080 of the Twilight Zone I did, which was called Long 244 00:13:43.120 --> 00:13:46.480 Distance Call, the story about a little boy who's dying 245 00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:49.440 grandmother gives him a toy telephone. Then she dies and 246 00:13:49.480 --> 00:13:51.879 then he speaks to her from the Great Beyond and 247 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:55.399 she tries to get him to join her in the afterlife. 248 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.600 When we were filming that, Rod Serling came onto the 249 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:02.039 set and he had something about this big climactic scene 250 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:04.679 that didn't feel right to him, and we just stopped 251 00:14:04.720 --> 00:14:07.960 production for about forty five minutes or so when he's 252 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:11.000 walked over to the corner of the soundstage and rewrote 253 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:14.320 this great scene and we shot it the way he 254 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.639 rewrote it immediately, and it was just, you know, so 255 00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:21.279 cool because it was much better. He really makes it 256 00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:24.440 better quickly. He was cool. I mean, it's not like 257 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.759 he and I went out for margaritas after after we 258 00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:30.080 wrapped every day, as I was, you know, seven years 259 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:33.000 old or something, but he must have liked it. I 260 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:34.159 went back three times. 261 00:14:34.360 --> 00:14:37.440 I'm really privileged to have you here, Bill Mummy, actor, musician, 262 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:40.919 and writer, and so much more. We're reminiscing literally legies 263 00:14:40.919 --> 00:14:44.200 and gentlemen about time and space and no pun intended, 264 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:48.519 but yes, we're talking now about this very amazing television 265 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:52.720 series in American television, Lost in Space. This is how 266 00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:55.000 I really came to know you and so many other 267 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:58.679 people through our television sets. And talk about that, because 268 00:14:58.919 --> 00:15:01.080 to me, that has to be another their amazing part. 269 00:15:01.120 --> 00:15:03.480 As the space program is going on, we're racing to 270 00:15:03.559 --> 00:15:06.919 the moon. So many similarities here, but talk to us 271 00:15:06.960 --> 00:15:08.840 a little bit about your role in that. I mean 272 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:10.320 that would take hours, but some of. 273 00:15:10.279 --> 00:15:13.399 The I could. I could. I could babble on about 274 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:17.399 Lost in Days for a long time. The part of 275 00:15:17.440 --> 00:15:20.200 Will Robinson was offered to me. I didn't audition for it. 276 00:15:20.279 --> 00:15:25.360 I was extremely happy to to fall into that project. 277 00:15:25.720 --> 00:15:28.960 My family lived less than a mile from the studio. 278 00:15:29.080 --> 00:15:32.639 I used to ride my bike, my shwindow cutlery to 279 00:15:32.720 --> 00:15:36.600 the studio half the time. You know, Will Robinson was 280 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:39.320 everything I wanted to get into television to be. He 281 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.639 was really smart, he was really capable. He could program 282 00:15:43.639 --> 00:15:46.360 the robot, he could fly the ship. He saved everybody's 283 00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:50.360 butt week after week. He had these cool little superhero outfits. 284 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:54.000 He had a laser gun and he used it several times, 285 00:15:54.080 --> 00:15:58.600 which I like. Who wouldn't like Will Robinson? And all 286 00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:01.399 of those people are are that are still with us, 287 00:16:01.440 --> 00:16:04.480 are our dear like family to me, and we all 288 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:08.120 get together often. It was a wonderful three and a 289 00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:10.679 half years, and I never had a bad day on 290 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:14.240 Lawton Space, And quite honestly, I would return to that 291 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:18.159 character this afternoon if the opportunity presented it itself. 292 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:21.039 See folks, Now, that's an interesting statement from the man 293 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:23.399 who did it and the man who continues to talk 294 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.320 about it. Bill Mummy, here is our special guest. You know, 295 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:28.679 I understand from all the actors that you obviously have 296 00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:31.279 that are still with us, you obviously have a close 297 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:34.080 relationship with If you would, sir, just talk with us 298 00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:36.200 that is a little bit about Jonathan Harris. I know 299 00:16:36.279 --> 00:16:39.080 that there's a special bonding that was between the two 300 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:40.720 of you, and if you'd like to share some of 301 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:42.240 that with the audience, I'm sure they'd. 302 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.279 Like to hear that. Yes, indeed, he was a one 303 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:48.240 of a kind. Oh dear, oh dear, Jonathan Harris. How 304 00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:52.000 can you speak of Jonathan Harris without great explatives of wonder? 305 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:57.240 Jonathan single handedly created the character of doctor Smith. He 306 00:16:57.399 --> 00:17:00.320 was brought on the show to be a snarling, one 307 00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:04.839 dimensional saboteur villain, and he very wisely understood that that 308 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:07.160 would get boring and he would probably be written off 309 00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:10.119 or killed off in a handful of episodes, so he 310 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:15.720 slowly started to turn him into the character we love 311 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:20.079 to hate. You know that with all of the alliterative 312 00:17:20.119 --> 00:17:25.000 insults that he threw at the robot, you, bubbleheaded booby, etc. 313 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:28.680 They were all written by Jonathan. He used to just 314 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:32.839 completely rewrite his dialogue and Somewhere mid way through the 315 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:37.240 first season, he was called into Irwin Allen, our creator producer, 316 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:41.160 his office, and Irwin Allen said to Jonathan, hey, I 317 00:17:41.200 --> 00:17:45.000 know what you're doing. Do it more. It was a 318 00:17:45.240 --> 00:17:50.880 very interesting, very specific period in time, that mid sixties period. 319 00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:53.240 I mean, if you look at Lost in Space, which 320 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:56.640 started in nineteen sixty five as a black and white 321 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:03.519 adventure ensemble of this family against the alien environments that 322 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:07.440 they faced, it kind of quickly became as it went 323 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:09.720 to the second season and we went to this wow 324 00:18:09.880 --> 00:18:14.079 color version. It became this kind of campy pop art 325 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.960 piece which was nineteen sixty six nineteen sixty seven, and 326 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:25.559 we reflected that cultural change and it went to the 327 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:30.039 extreme for a while, and then by the third season 328 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:33.720 we did eighty four episodes, and by the third season, 329 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:35.799 I think it was more of an amalgam of both. 330 00:18:35.839 --> 00:18:39.200 It kind of became sci fi and comedy at the 331 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:42.759 same time. And Will Robinson, my character, was really the 332 00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:46.759 grounding force throughout all of those episodes because I always 333 00:18:46.759 --> 00:18:50.400 played it straight, whether you know, whether the robot was, 334 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:54.920 you know, wearing some scarecrow outfit or doctor Smith was 335 00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:59.119 acting like, you know, a maniac. I always played it straight. 336 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:02.440 Will All always believed the environment that he was in. 337 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:06.480 So I think that that's why it's kind of seen 338 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:09.960 through his eyes more than anyone else's. Now I'm curious 339 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.319 about this. You're on the set, of course, in this 340 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:16.559 particular series eighty three and then eighty four episodes as 341 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:19.119 you described to us, Describe that set, because if you 342 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:21.920 look into the background, is that a wall with a painting? 343 00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:25.039 I mean, how large a set or were there multiple sets? 344 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:28.319 We had three permanent sound stages at twenty century Fox. 345 00:19:28.400 --> 00:19:31.400 It was a great, great studio and a great time 346 00:19:31.440 --> 00:19:34.200 to be there. There were so many wonderful productions going 347 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:38.119 on every week every month. But we had three stages permanently, 348 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:42.000 and what is now known as Century City in Los 349 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.920 Angeles was most of our back a lot where we 350 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:49.160 also shot a lot of our exterior stuff. You know. 351 00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:52.359 There was the interior stage where we had the upper 352 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:56.440 deck of the Jupiter two and that little camp scene 353 00:19:56.559 --> 00:19:58.640 around it, you know, with the sand and the bad 354 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:01.440 foam rubber rocks and yet, and there was a big canvas 355 00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:04.440 painting around that, And then there was another set that 356 00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.240 had the lower deck of the Jupiter two on it 357 00:20:07.480 --> 00:20:12.039 and other interiors that we would use for different places 358 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:15.599 we went into. And then we had another set that 359 00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:18.920 had like the space pod and blah blah blah blah blah. 360 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:21.480 We had three of them, and it was, you know, 361 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:25.440 Irwin Allen's designs that were actually done by a guy 362 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:32.640 named paul's ast put Naevitch. I'll cluse you on that later. Anyway, 363 00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:36.400 you know, he had a tendency to really make his 364 00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:41.400 pilots wonderful. Our music was done by John Williams. You know. 365 00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:45.799 The robot. The robot was designed by Robert Kinoshita, who 366 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:49.599 had also designed Robbie the robot from Forbidden Planet. The props, 367 00:20:49.680 --> 00:20:52.920 the ship, the chariot, the robot, et cetera, the costumes, 368 00:20:53.559 --> 00:20:57.920 the laser guns. It all looked great. And he spent 369 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.799 a lot of money on his pilots, and he cast 370 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:02.440 his projects I think really well if I do say 371 00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:06.000 so myself. And then you know, as we progressed onto 372 00:21:06.200 --> 00:21:11.279 weekly television, he got a lot cheaper. We used to 373 00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:14.720 share a stage. You know, there were two stages within 374 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.200 this one kind of building. We would share stage ten 375 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:19.319 and eleven with Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, 376 00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:22.599 another Rwin Allen production, and I swear to you this 377 00:21:22.680 --> 00:21:25.880 is true. He'd have some poor stuntman in a you know, 378 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:29.599 rubber wetsuit with a mask on, being some underwater creature 379 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:32.240 in voyage to the bottom of the sea, and he 380 00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:35.200 would literally just walk that guy over to our stage 381 00:21:35.240 --> 00:21:38.880 and then spray paint him like orange or silver. Wow, 382 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:43.519 we'd use him as our talka budget. I love it 383 00:21:43.799 --> 00:21:47.200 because we also had David Hetison of the Voids at 384 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:50.240 the bottom of the Sea here, another great personality. But 385 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.960 in this limited time that we have, I want to 386 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:53.599 try to get so much in here. And I appreciate 387 00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:56.240 your guests appearance here today. Talk a little bit about 388 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:59.680 Bob May inside the robot, and also I guess Dick 389 00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:02.640 is he the gentleman who does the voice of the robot? 390 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:02.920 Right? 391 00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:06.799 Yep, Bobby and Dick and Jonathan are no longer on 392 00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:10.519 this plane of reality, but they were great, and Bobby 393 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:13.720 worked was really the unsung hero of the show. He 394 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:18.519 worked really, really, really hard. He loved being inside that 395 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.880 prop and believe me, I was in there once or twice. 396 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:27.319 It's incredibly claustrophobic and weird. There's all these wires and 397 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:30.559 electricity and charges and batteries running right around your head. 398 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:34.519 And certainly it took special effects. Guys. You know, they 399 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:36.119 had to get him in and out of it. You 400 00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:40.680 couldn't get out of it yourself. It was a I 401 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:43.640