Posted on 10/13/2023 12:59:45 PM PDT by Borges
Actor Mark Goddard, known as Major Don West on all 84 episodes of the classic TV series "Lost in Space," has died at 87.
His wife, Evelyn, wrote on social media, "I’m so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10th. Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday [on July 24], he was hospitalized with pneumonia. We were hopeful when he was transferred to a rehabilitation center, but then doctors discovered he was in the final stages of pulmonary fibrosis for which there is no cure."
"He received excellent care at the beautiful Pat Roche Hospice Home," she went on, "and was able to die peacefully and with dignity. His children and I had the chance to express our love and say our goodbyes. I’ll never know how I deserved to spend 33 years with such a loving, gentle, handsome man who made me laugh so often."
Goddard's "Lost in Space" co-star, former child actor Billy Mumy, wrote, "R.I.P. to Mark Goddard. A truly beloved friend and brother to me for 59 years. I knew this was coming for the past few months. Shortly after a great phone chat he and I had on his 87th birthday in late July, I became aware that I would most likely never see or speak with him again. The last words we exchanged were 'I love you.'"
Goddard, born in Lowell, Massachusetts, was a star athlete in high school, but went into acting in the late '50s. In 1959, he made his TV debut as a regular on the series "Johnny Ringo" (1959-1960).
Other early credits include "The Joan Crawford Show" (1959), "The DuPont Show with June Allyson" (1960), and "Zane Grey Theatre" (1960).
After "Johnny Ringo," he played Chris Ballard on "The Detectives" from 1960-1962, appeared on his mentor Chuck Connors' series "The Rifleman" twice (1969 & 1962), and made guest appearances on many of the top shows of the era: "The Beverly Hillbillies" (1964), "Gunsmoke" (1964), "Perry Mason" (1963 & 1965), "The Fugitive" (1965), and as a regular on "Many Happy Returns" (1964-1965).
Sorry to see him go. I hope that he rests in peace, and condolences to his family and friends.
So did Red Dwarf!
I still love Lost in Space. R.I.P.
He played the antagonist. The sneaky rat always getting into something which made the show more suspenseful.
He went back to college years after the show and became a school teacher in Massachusetts. Howie Carr used to have him on a lot.
I didn’t realize that his second wife was Susan Anspach, a 70s actress. According to Wikipedia, she claimed their son’s real father was Jack Nicholson. Not nice.
I wonder if the people who created the show really intended for Billy Mumy, Jonathan Harris and the robot to take over the show. The rest of the cast was bland and easy to ignore (especially if you were a kid and didn’t pick up on the sexual elements).
Like showbiz says, never act opposite a kid, an animal — or a robot.
I was just 13 but had the hots for Maureen Robinson .
He sounds like he was a very accomplished man. Dr. Smith character’s flakiness must have been his shtick.
Enjoyed his work, had the movie star “good looks.” RIP.
I'll never forgive him for that!
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