Jonathan Harris, RIP
Sampo
episode 821- Time Chasers.
'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed
the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi show
"Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
Harris died Sunday from a blood clot in his heart while receiving therapy at an
Encino-area hospital for a chronic back problem, family spokesman Kevin J.
Burns said Monday.
Born Jonathan Charasuchin in the Bronx to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents,
Harris adopted the stage persona of a classically trained British actor with
his grandiloquent accent, crisp enunciation and professorial manner.
When people would ask him if he was from England, Harris would confess: "'Oh
no, my dear, just affected,'" said Burns, a longtime friend and director of the
1998 documentary "Lost in Space Forever."
Harris also worked with Pixar Animation Studios in recent years, supplying the
voice of Manny the preying-mantis magician in "A Bug's Life" and the elderly
doll repairman in "Toy Story 2."
"Lost in Space," which ran on CBS from 1965 to 1968, was a sci-fi takeoff on
the "Swiss Family Robinson" story in which the castaway clan was trapped amid
the uncharted fathoms of space instead of on a deserted island.
Harris' character, Dr. Smith, was a saboteur who caused the Robinson family's
ship, Jupiter II, to fly off course — but he also found himself trapped with
them in the craft.
-----
Remove "fortable" from the end of the "reply to" address to send email.
For the latest information on MST3K, turn your crank to
http://www.mst3kinfo.com - Satellite News - The Official MST3K Info Club Web
site.
Kate Halleron
Joe Klemm
Okay, how many other people also remember him as the bulter from the second
season of Freakazoid?
Joe "Colleen Crow" Klemm
"Freakazoid, you ninny!"
Paul Duca
Joe Klemm wrote:
Again it happens in threes...in the last seven days have also included
the passing of Kam Fong (Hung), a.k.a. Chin Ho Kelly on HAWAII FIVE-O, and the
final cruise for the S.S. PACIFIC PRINCESS, a.k.a. the original Love Boat.
Paul Duca--the Supercharged MSTie
#56954
And if you still don't feel old, today (11/4/02) Loretta Swit is
65.
Jonah Falcon
>
> Again it happens in threes...in the last seven days have also
included
> the passing of Kam Fong (Hung), a.k.a. Chin Ho Kelly on HAWAII FIVE-O, and
the
> final cruise for the S.S. PACIFIC PRINCESS, a.k.a. the original Love Boat.
Gavin McLeod is safe -- for now.
Jonah Falcon
Bill Livingston
>Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
>episode 821- Time Chasers.
>
>'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
>By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
>LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed
>the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi show
>"Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
Oh dear! Oh dear oh dear oh dear!
I think that Harris was underated. The fact that Dr. Smith devolved into a
cowardly caracature is the fault of the writers, but Harris played him as a
slyly unforgettable caracatue. But in the first season, when Smith was
written as a slimy, weasly, black-hearted sabateur - Gary Oldman couldn't hold
a candle to him for treachery for treachery's sake.
Plus, he was Freakazoid's valet.
RIP, Jonathan Harris.
Bill L.
"Silence, you nattering ninny!"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
bil...@hiwaay.net http://home.hiwaay.net/~billfl
"If you're dumb, surround yourself with smart people. And if you're smart,
surround yourself with smart people who disagree with you."
Isaac Jaffee (Robert Guillaume), "Sports Night"
Derek Janssen
>
> I think that Harris was underated. The fact that Dr. Smith devolved into a
> cowardly caracature is the fault of the writers, but Harris played him as a
> slyly unforgettable caracatue. But in the first season, when Smith was
> written as a slimy, weasly, black-hearted sabateur - Gary Oldman couldn't hold
> a candle to him for treachery for treachery's sake.
Although--back when the show was still in its "cliffhanger" first
season--he admitted he thought it was probably a smart idea to start
coming up to play the character with more humor as a "hook" for the
audience, or he'd be killed off at the next story development...He knew
the pattern.
> Plus, he was Freakazoid's valet.
And since I'm probably the only one who remembers his great straight
performance on that Dostoevsky episode of "Twilight Zone", I'll have to
be the one to mention it--
That show could coax a killer performance out of ANYBODY...
Derek Janssen
dja...@rcn.com
Jason Tamez
>>Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
>>episode 821- Time Chasers.
>>
>>'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
>>By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
>>LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who
>>portrayed
>>the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi
>>show
>>"Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
>Okay, how many other people also remember him as the bulter from the second
>season of Freakazoid?
**waves hand frantically**
He's not mute, you know.
-- Jason
(replace the nonsense with druid816 to email me)
Jacob C.
>And since I'm probably the only one who remembers his great straight
>performance on that Dostoevsky episode of "Twilight Zone", I'll have to
>be the one to mention it--
>That show could coax a killer performance out of ANYBODY...
You mean that was an adaptation of Dostoyevsky? Huh, I didn't realize that....
now which one of his appearances are you talking about? The
keep-silent-for-a-year bet, or the patient-with-a-recurring-nightmare episode?
And I agree with the killer-performances thing. TZ struck a lot of good
performances: Earl Holliman in the premiere episode, Martin Landau in a creepy
little spy-thriller story, Donald Pleasance's first American acting gig, two
good shots by William Shatner (who was actually pretty damn good before Star
Trek got him), Agnes Moorehead going a whole episode without speaking, Barney
Phillips and John Hoyt as two aliens who meet in a diner, and of course, four
of the greatest performances of Burgess Meredith's career.
**Jacob C.**
JOEL: "Well, everybody dies."
CROW: "Oh, and if everybody ran off a cliff, you'd do that too?"
-- Mystery Science Theater 3000 \\ 1988-1999
Derek Janssen
>
> >And since I'm probably the only one who remembers his great straight
> >performance on that Dostoevsky episode of "Twilight Zone", I'll have to
> >be the one to mention it--
>
> now which one of his appearances are you talking about? The
> keep-silent-for-a-year bet, or the patient-with-a-recurring-nightmare episode?
The silent-for-a-year bet:
Not credited, but based on an old Dostoevsky short about a man who bets
his friend a thousand dollars to stay five years in prison on a prank,
loses his fortune halfway and can't pay up, sinks to cheating by sending
letters about his wife, lapses into Russian-novel guilt, and finally
finds out the friend died in prison.
(...And it still LOOKED like a good TZ plot in the translation!)
> >That show could coax a killer performance out of ANYBODY...
> TZ struck a lot of good
> performances: Earl Holliman in the premiere episode, Martin Landau in a creepy
> little spy-thriller story, Donald Pleasance's first American acting gig, two
> good shots by William Shatner (who was actually pretty damn good before Star
> Trek got him), Agnes Moorehead going a whole episode without speaking, Barney
> Phillips and John Hoyt as two aliens who meet in a diner, and of course, four
> of the greatest performances of Burgess Meredith's career.
Ahem...Jack Klugman?
Not to mention Ed Wynn in a couple that put Mary Poppins behind him.
Derek Janssen
dja...@rcn.com
Doug Elrod
(Bill Livingston) wrote:
> Plus, he was Freakazoid's valet.
And wasn't he a small glass-headed Cylon on "Battlestar Galatica"? (Perhaps
as a karmic tradeoff with the Robot character on Lost in Space?)
-Doug Elrod (dr...@cornell.edu)
P.S. Stock footage from Battlestar Galactica was used in "Space Mutiny", but
no Jonathan Harris scenes.
conu...@fish.net
> Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
> episode 821- Time Chasers.
> 'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
> By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
> LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed
> the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi show
> "Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
:(
That voice was unmistakable. I'll miss the guy.
--
We don't understand the software, and sometimes we don't understand the
hardware, but we can *see* the blinking lights!
Tammy Stephanie Davis
Bill Livingston <bil...@hiwaay.net> wrote:
:Previously on "Lost in Space", Sampo wrote:
:>Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
:>episode 821- Time Chasers.
:>
:>'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
:>By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
:>LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed
:>the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi show
:>"Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
:
:Oh dear! Oh dear oh dear oh dear!
:
:I think that Harris was underated. The fact that Dr. Smith devolved into a
:cowardly caracature is the fault of the writers, but Harris played him as a
:slyly unforgettable caracatue. But in the first season, when Smith was
:written as a slimy, weasly, black-hearted sabateur - Gary Oldman couldn't hold
:a candle to him for treachery for treachery's sake.
I remember that first season of Lost in Space! Dr. Smith had the
beginnings of being a truely eeeeeevil character. Although Dr. Smith's
later incarnation guaranteed Harris a place in television fantasy history,
it also guaranteed that he'd never be taken seriously as a dramatic actor
ever again. And that was a shame.
---TSD(Rest in Peace.)
--
K. A. Pezzano
wrote:
>In article <3dc74f1a....@newstoo.hiwaay.net>, bil...@hiwaay.net
>(Bill Livingston) wrote:
>
>> Plus, he was Freakazoid's valet.
>
>And wasn't he a small glass-headed Cylon on "Battlestar Galatica"? (Perhaps
>as a karmic tradeoff with the Robot character on Lost in Space?)
>
Yes. Lucifer, Baltar's cynical and smoothly calculating Cylon
"minder".
Andrew
On Tue, 5 Nov 2002, Paul Duca wrote:
(snip, snip, where's the bartender?)
:
:
:
: Again it happens in threes...in the last seven days have also included
:the passing of Kam Fong (Hung), a.k.a. Chin Ho Kelly on HAWAII FIVE-O, and the
:final cruise for the S.S. PACIFIC PRINCESS, a.k.a. the original Love Boat.
The original Love Boat's gone?! Blasphemy!
---Andrew Kunz, who loved the boat, but not the series.
James Anatidae
news:Pine.LNX.4.44.02110...@helium.bengal.missouri.edu...
Pacific Princess Makes Final Voyage October 27
http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na547
But don't worry, her page on the webaite is still up for now, so you can
still take a in depth look at her for now.
http://www.princess.com/onboard/fleet/pacific/index.html
- James Anatidae, who has NEVER seen "The Love Boat", but likes to find
infomation
A proud member of the USENET community since June 15, 2001.
conu...@fish.net
Baltar: "It cannot be!"
Lucifer: "I'm afraid it can. A handful of humans successfully destroyed
the Ravashol Pulsar."
Baltar: "Despite all your garrisons, and the biggest weapon in the
universe???"
Lucifer: "But the strategy was yours, Baltar. I recommend we come up
with some sort of solid front, to explain this to Barkol,
to the Imperious Leader."
Baltar: "Very well. But I will yet have the last laugh on Adama,
Mark my words..."
Lucifer: "Don't I always, Baltar?"
--From "Gun on Ice Planet Zero"
(Don't ask why I remember; for some reason the dialogue just stuck in my
head all these years)
--
SteveJP
>Okay, how many other people also remember him as the bulter from the second
>season of Freakazoid?
<Cosgrove>
Hey, do me a favor: Go tap on that window.
</Cosgrove>
ToyCarGuy, #72920 (e-mail requires de-putation)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Even Judge Dredd wets himself when I turn up. Grrrr.
http://www.circlepines.net
http://www.asiseeit.org
SteveJP
>Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
>episode 821- Time Chasers.
>
>'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
>By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
>LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who
>portrayed the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's
sci-fi
>show "Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
I consider myself very fortunate to have met him twice at MegaCon. The first
time was about three years ago. As I approached his table in the autograph
room, he happened to lean over to his agent to ask how much longer the room
would be open; the agent said about 3 hours. Realizing that a fan (me) was
approaching, he went into character, crying "Three hours!? Oh, the pain, the
pain!" He had done The Line for me personally. I admit I was a bit of a
drooling fanboy as I thanked him. My friend Dave then joined us, and we
reminisced about the old "Space Academy" days and other things.
We met him again last year, along with all the other surviving LiS stars
(except Dick Tufeld, who had taken ill). I asked about his work as the voice
of Lucifer on 'Battlestar Galactica'; he said it was a great job because it
didn't require costume or make-up, he only had to read the lines. Dave
mentioned some other older work of his, and told him how much we enjoyed seeing
him the previous time as well as then; I can't be sure, of course, but I got
the impression that he actually remembered Dave.
Mr. Harris was very personable, and genuinely seemed to appreciate being
remembered by his fans.
Cambot
<snip>
'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
<snip the rest>
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Lost In Space...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Freakazoid...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Twilight Zone...
I got two words for you...
MISTER PHILLIPS!
Cambot
MSTress 63304
My name...Jose Jimenez
K. A. Pezzano
>
>
>(Don't ask why I remember; for some reason the dialogue just stuck in my
>head all these years)
>
How can anyone NOT love a show with John Colicos, Jonathan Harris,
Dirk Benedict, Frank Sinatra, and things called the "Ravashol Pulsar"?
BEMaven
previously mentioned episode 'The Silence' and the doctor with the
warped beside manner in 'Twenty Two'.
Damn, I'm going to miss him. Why couldn't Death have claimed someone
less vital... like Tom Arnold?
BEMaven
-------
'Drink your llama's milk, Sherman.'
-Mr. Peabody
Robert Hutchinson
> Damn, I'm going to miss him. Why couldn't Death have claimed someone
> less vital... like Tom Arnold?
Are we *ever* going to have an RIP thread again in RATMM that doesn't
eventually contain a comment like that? Wishing death on others as a
light comedy followup to an obituary ... not that funny, it turns out.
--
Robert Hutchinson | "[Destiny's Child] got booed at the NBA
| playoffs. Even men in plush animal costumes
| don't get booed at the NBA playoffs."
| -- Fametracker.com
Tammy Stephanie Davis
Robert Hutchinson <ser...@hotmail.com> wrote:
:BEMaven says...
:
:> Damn, I'm going to miss him. Why couldn't Death have claimed someone
:> less vital... like Tom Arnold?
:
:Are we *ever* going to have an RIP thread again in RATMM that doesn't
:eventually contain a comment like that? Wishing death on others as a
:light comedy followup to an obituary ... not that funny, it turns out.
Amongst other things, it taints the thread that is meant for farewells,
reminisces and fond memories.
---TSD(And its not funny....)
--
Stephen Cooke
I wish Hitler were dead.
swac
Anyone disagree?
SteveJP
>He was actually in two Twilight Zone stories... the lawyer in the
>previously mentioned episode 'The Silence' and the doctor with the
>warped beside manner in 'Twenty Two'
...which also starred Barbara "She's jamming our radar" Nichols of 'Human
Duplicators' fame.
Joseph Goodman
>
> Are we *ever* going to have an RIP thread again in RATMM that doesn't
> eventually contain a comment like that? Wishing death on others as a
> light comedy followup to an obituary ... not that funny, it turns out.
>
> --
Even if we wish it on Jonah Falcon?
Randy Golden
>> Are we *ever* going to have an RIP thread again in RATMM that doesn't
>> eventually contain a comment like that? Wishing death on others as a
>> light comedy followup to an obituary ... not that funny, it turns out.
>>
Jonah may have established himself long ago as prime killfile fodder, but "not
playing well with others" is hardly a capital offense, attempted cynical
"humor" nothwithstanding.
Randy G.
MST Info Club #94720.
The Midnight Rambler
"Stephen Cooke" <am...@chebucto.ns.ca> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.3.95.iB1.0.102...@halifax.chebucto.ns.ca..
.
He should have been tortured! Suicide was too good for him!
(Oh, wait. That's actually true.)
--
Another extremely vague public warning from
Robert "Big Rob" Fontenot, Jr.
http://www.bigrobonline.com
..............................................
"Hell works better when it's more subtle." -- Joel Hodgson
Wing Commander Sandcastle
OTS
"Sampo" <msa...@aol.comfortable> wrote in message
news:20021104213150...@mb-fo.aol.com...
> Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
> episode 821- Time Chasers.
>
> 'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
> By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
> LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who
portrayed
> the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi
show
> "Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
> Harris died Sunday from a blood clot in his heart while receiving therapy
at an
> Encino-area hospital for a chronic back problem, family spokesman Kevin J.
> Burns said Monday.
> Born Jonathan Charasuchin in the Bronx to Russian-Jewish immigrant
parents,
> Harris adopted the stage persona of a classically trained British actor
with
> his grandiloquent accent, crisp enunciation and professorial manner.
> When people would ask him if he was from England, Harris would confess:
"'Oh
> no, my dear, just affected,'" said Burns, a longtime friend and director
of the
> 1998 documentary "Lost in Space Forever."
> Harris also worked with Pixar Animation Studios in recent years, supplying
the
> voice of Manny the preying-mantis magician in "A Bug's Life" and the
elderly
> doll repairman in "Toy Story 2."
> "Lost in Space," which ran on CBS from 1965 to 1968, was a sci-fi takeoff
on
> the "Swiss Family Robinson" story in which the castaway clan was trapped
amid
> the uncharted fathoms of space instead of on a deserted island.
> Harris' character, Dr. Smith, was a saboteur who caused the Robinson
family's
> ship, Jupiter II, to fly off course - but he also found himself trapped
with
> them in the craft.
> -----
> Remove "fortable" from the end of the "reply to" address to send email.
>
> For the latest information on MST3K, turn your crank to
> http://www.mst3kinfo.com - Satellite News - The Official MST3K Info Club
Web
> site.
---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.417 / Virus Database: 233 - Release Date: 08/11/2002
Wing Commander Sandcastle
This ng is a mine of info!
OTS
"K. A. Pezzano" <koko...@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:3dc9273d...@nntp.mindspring.com...
Doug Elrod
"Wing Commander Sandcastle" <ollie.sa...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> "Sampo" <msa...@aol.comfortable> wrote in message
> news:20021104213150...@mb-fo.aol.com...
> > Harris was the subject of quite a few riffs, and memorable host segment in
> > episode 821- Time Chasers.
> >
> > 'Lost in Space' Actor Harris Dies
> > By ANTHONY BREZNICAN, AP Entertainment Writer
> > LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who
> portrayed
> > the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960's sci-fi
> show
> > "Lost in Space," has died. He was 87.
[snip]
> Whatever happened to the renaissance men?!
>
> OTS
Well, Leonardo da Vinci built his own spaceship, but you don't want to
look too closely into how he makes his money these days, at least
according to #913 "Quest of the Delta Knights" :-). Galileo was shot
into space, I believe, becoming just the latest of the extraterrestrial
Renaissance Men!
-Doug Elrod (dr...@cornell.edu)
K. A. Pezzano
<ollie.sa...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>Holy moly, I never realised this fact!!!
>
>This ng is a mine of info!
>
I'm convinced that, collectively, we here in ratmm know EVERYTHING.
Andrew
On Fri, 15 Nov 2002, Doug Elrod wrote:
:In article <ar3jss$f6s4a$1...@ID-73971.news.dfncis.de>,
That reminds me, is it just me or does the new Disney animated movie "Treasure
Planet" look sooo bad?
---Andrew Kunz. "Pigs in Spaaaacccee! would sound just as logical."
Andrew
:On Fri, 15 Nov 2002 20:09:07 -0000, "Wing Commander Sandcastle"
Or have people who will find anything for us.
---Andrew Kunz. "Does that make us a Borg-like collective?"
K. A. Pezzano
SteveJP
>That reminds me, is it just me or does the new Disney animated movie
>"Treasure Planet" look sooo bad?
I'll go see it because I want to see under what circumstances David Hyde-Pierce
says "Go, Dilbert! Go, Dilbert!"