R.I.P. Mark Goddard.

                             
In recent times, I’ve shied away from “R.I.P. posts”, for no more a reason than to reduce the sadness at this humble Blog… but this week was just too much to ignore for such a flimsy reason!

Mark Goddard played many things over his acting career but, to me and many others, he will always be Major Don West of the original (…and still the best) LOST IN SPACE (1965-1968).

Along with Guy Williams’ Professor John Robinson, Mark Goddard’s Major West continued to lend an air of seriousness, urgency, and plain old common sense that (…perhaps not always) balanced off the antics of Doctor Smith and the Robot.

He so perfectly served as an antagonist, counterpoint, and outright foil to Doctor Smith that there became what I called a subset series of LOST IN SPACE episodes that I called “The Don and Smith Shows”, where the two of them would be thrown into a situation together and must depend on each other (amid lots of bickering) to extricate themselves! 

I met Mark Goddard several times at New York conventions, and he very much embodied the warm (…at least when Smith wasn’t around) and enthusiastic (…ditto) gung-ho spirit of Major Don West! 

He said he was proud to have been in a TV series that spanned generations – and was something the whole family could watch and enjoy – unlike much of the prime-time TV fare of the late ‘90s-early 2000s time frame during which we spoke – much less now!

Family values in space! 

His favorite episode was “The Anti-Matter Man”, small wonder since he really got to cut loose in that one! 

He also wrote one issue of a LOST IN SPACE comic book that featured his character.

And speaking of writing, there was also this…

…purchased by me mere weeks before his passing on October 10, 2023 at the age of 87! 

Mark Goddard can also be heard on this wonderful Blu-ray set doing episode commentaries with Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright, and Marta Kristen, and in other special features.

And, of course,  Mark Goddard as Major Don West had many ups and downs over the course of the series...

But he never stopped being one of the rocks of the series...

Piloting the Jupiter II into and out of trouble...

Being that reliable, level-headed presence of the group...

Keeping everybody safe no matter how offbeat the danger...

And doing his best to keep Doctor Smith in check!

...But not always succeeding!

But give him credit for TRYING!  Lots of credit! 

It was a thankless job, but SOMEBODY had to do it! 

 

Rest In Peace, Mark Goddard… You didn’t get to ride a real-life space shuttle but, to your many fans, you soared nonetheless!   

From the back of Mr. Goddard's Book...

HERE is a link to Me-TV's tribute to Mark Goddard!  

As a point of information: MeTV has been the cable TV home for LOST IN SPACE since at least Spring, 2013 (when I discovered it), running it weekly for OVER TEN CONSECUTIVE YEARS!  

Bill Mumy, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, and Mark Goddard (2015).

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Boris Karloff's Tales of Mystery-Guests!

As we approach Halloween, it's only right that we turn our attentions to the great Boris Karloff - an actor synonymous with horror in movies, television... and even comic books!   

Below is BORIS KARLOFF THRILLER # 1 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: October, 1962) and based upon the THRILLER television series pictured above.  

And this is BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY # 23 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: September, 1968), the long-running title that succeeded BORIS KARLOFF THRILLER once the TV series was cancelled.  How long did it run?  Therein lies a "kinda-eerie tale" that I wrote about HERE!  

BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY # 23 reprinted the magnificent photo cover and most of its interior stories from BORIS KARLOFF THRILLER # 1. 

Like Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock, back in the days of my sainted sixties, Boris Karloff's anthology drama/horror TV series featured a great many famous and "would-soon-be-famous" guest stars performing in its episodes each week.  

William Shatner, Robert Vaughn, Alan Napier, Russell Johnson, Richard Anderson, Cloris Leachman, James Gregory,  Richard Kiel, Marlo Thomas, Jeanette Nolan, Marion Ross, Natalie Schafer, Victor Buono, Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York (in separate episodes), John Carradine, Mary Tyler Moore, and so on... 

And, if you're as insanely fannish for that period of television (and comics) as I am, you might even find yourself reading an issue BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY or Gold Key's TWILIGHT ZONE series and imagine the 1960s-era actors who might be "playing the roles" alongside the story intros and outros of Four-Color-Karloff-and-Serling - and "hearing all their voices" as you read!  ...Aw go on... Admit it!  I do it often!  ...But, I digress.  

A Four-Color-Karloff outro!

BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY # 23 had two single-panel cameo "guest stars" that didn't require a similar imaginative effort from me!  Alas, they were silent, so no "voices" got to kick-in - in fact one of 'em wasn't even real!  

...But, there they were nonetheless - one such cameo is absolutely indisputable, and the other I'll "defend to the death", because I'm such a crazy '60s fan!  

The story "Past and Present Danger" involves a young woman's first trip to New Orleans in time for (...you guessed it) Mardi Gras, and her encounter with a handsome, charming stranger who, while just as "charming" as advertised, also leaves both our protagonist and the reader feeling just a tad... uneasy. 

Here's a page from that story...

(Click to Enlarge)

In keeping with my aforementioned imagining the 1960s-era actors who might be "playing the roles", I envision these two as Martin Milner and Yvonne Craig, and "hear" their voices as I read the story.  It's an added dimension of fun that only serves to enhance the comics-reading experience.  Try it sometime. 

But, to those two single-panel cameo "guest stars" that I promised, take a gander at this...

One's easy to spot, the other's not! 

There's no denying the presence of DONALD DUCK, even if only as a festive balloon! 

Yeah, I know Gold Key published the DONALD DUCK comic book at the time, but still... How'd they get away with this?  

The issue of Gold Key's DONALD DUCK (#120) that was already on-sale when BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY # 23 was released.  (...note the cover price increase over that one month)

So, on one far side of the panel, we have Donald Duck, but who do we have on the opposite far side?  

Look closely now... 

Why, it's a cameo by Lost in Space "Special Guest Star" Jonathan Harris (as Napoleon, rather than Doctor Smith!) 

GO ON... TELL ME IT'S NOT!  

"Odd! I have the strangest feeling that I've just been to Mardi Gras, back on Earth! ...And, with Martin Milner and Yvonne Craig, of all people!  ...Bah! Must be some alien trick!" 

And so we kick off our run-up to Halloween with Boris Karloff and some unusual guest stars!

We hope to "carry-on with Karloff" and his wonderful "Tales of Mystery" between now and then but, for now, keep watching the sides of those panels... You never know WHO you might find!

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Vincent Price and Superman's Super-Synergy!

Here is an ad from the back cover of SUPERMAN # 294 (DC Comics, Cover Date: December, 1975) featuring the great VINCENT PRICE as spokes-ghoul for a curious plaything that allows you to make SHRUNKEN HEADS out of apples! 

Talk about a diabolical twist on Mr. Potato Head! 

This spud thinks it's a dud, Bud! 

But, we also have a nice, but clearly unintended, bit of synergy between the issue's front and back covers! 

Because, on the FRONT COVER, we have THIS...

...And on the BACK COVER, we have VINCENT PRICE...

...Who starred in THIS!

You couldn't have PLANNED it better than that!