TMC
03-20-2025, 08:55 PM
iiBypEq6K-c
Did Guy Williams get a raw deal on Lost in Space? In this video, I explore the untold story of Guy Williams, the actor who played John Robinson, and how his role on the classic 1960s sci-fi series might not have lived up to his expectations.
Several factors (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiBypEq6K-c&lc=Ugzh8YHMgIVdjuANnIl4AaABAg) contributed to Guy Williams’ diminished presence on the show:
The time slot (7:30 to 8:30 PM) was considered “family hour.” Irwin Allen was informed during the first season to make the show less scary and tone down the Don/Judy romance. That’s why the scripts began to take a lighter tone halfway through season one.
Jonathan Harris realized early on his character was so villainous that he would be killed off after the first few episodes, so he began turning Dr. Smith into the bumbling, scheming coward. He wasn’t trying to take over the show, just keep his job.
The network wanted more camp to compete with the “Batman” audience. And Jonathan Harris, Bill Mumy, and the Robot were in the right position to deliver a more light-hearted product.
The Dr. Smith character is the primary reason why the show lasted three seasons. Without Smith and the Robot it most likely would have run out of steam quickly and been cancelled after 13 weeks. Unfortunately, Guy Williams was caught in the “camp wave” but I think he would’ve gotten an even bigger raw deal had the show only last a single season (or less).
Did Guy Williams get a raw deal on Lost in Space? In this video, I explore the untold story of Guy Williams, the actor who played John Robinson, and how his role on the classic 1960s sci-fi series might not have lived up to his expectations.
Several factors (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiBypEq6K-c&lc=Ugzh8YHMgIVdjuANnIl4AaABAg) contributed to Guy Williams’ diminished presence on the show:
The time slot (7:30 to 8:30 PM) was considered “family hour.” Irwin Allen was informed during the first season to make the show less scary and tone down the Don/Judy romance. That’s why the scripts began to take a lighter tone halfway through season one.
Jonathan Harris realized early on his character was so villainous that he would be killed off after the first few episodes, so he began turning Dr. Smith into the bumbling, scheming coward. He wasn’t trying to take over the show, just keep his job.
The network wanted more camp to compete with the “Batman” audience. And Jonathan Harris, Bill Mumy, and the Robot were in the right position to deliver a more light-hearted product.
The Dr. Smith character is the primary reason why the show lasted three seasons. Without Smith and the Robot it most likely would have run out of steam quickly and been cancelled after 13 weeks. Unfortunately, Guy Williams was caught in the “camp wave” but I think he would’ve gotten an even bigger raw deal had the show only last a single season (or less).