Mark Goddard, Star Of Lost In Space And Classic TV Staple, Has Died At 87
"Lost in Space" star and early television mainstay Mark Goddard has passed away, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. The actor who was best known for his role as pilot Major Don West in the seminal sci-fi series was 87 years old and is survived by his wife Evelyn Pezzulich, and his children, including producer Melissa Goddard.
Pezzulich announced Goddard's passing in a Facebook post (via Deadline), writing that the actor ultimately succumbed to lung disease that was not diagnosed until shortly before his death. "I'm so sorry to tell you that my wonderful husband passed away on October 10," Pezzulich shared. She continued: "Several days after celebrating his 87th birthday, 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."
"Lost in Space" castmate Bill Mumy also memorialized Goddard on Facebook, posting memories from the show where he played young Will Robinson. "Mark was a truly fine actor," Mumy wrote, "Naturally gifted as well as trained. I know he sometimes felt constricted by the campy frame that 'LIS' constrained him within, but he also embraced and loved it." Mumy also revealed that he shared a final phone call with the actor in July, and noted that the pair had on-set nicknames for one another — "Captain Panther" and "Fox," inspired by a comic the young actor drew during production.
Major Don West, over and out
Goddard reportedly spent his later years working as a special education teacher, but before that, he starred in 3 seasons of the early TV classic "Lost in Space," assisting the Robinson family on their journey into the unknown as the Space Corps pilot of the spacecraft Jupiter 2. Goddard reminisced about the show in an interview with Inside Edition in 2017, noting that he hated the corny silver space suits the cast had to wear and calling the shiny Netflix update of the series "spectacular." Though the old show is certainly a lot less sleek than the updated version (its first season was even in black in white), it's still remembered as an influential early sci-fi series.
Outside of the "Lost in Space" franchise, Goddard also starred in the late-'50s Western series "Johnny Ringo" and the family sitcom "Many Happy Returns." In "The Detectives," he played Sgt. Chris Ballard in a series that featured a rotating cast of investigators across its three seasons. In fact, turn on any classic TV channel and you'll probably spot an appearance from Goddard sooner than later: aside from the above roles, he also appeared as a guest star in classic shows like "The Rifleman," "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Gunsmoke," "Perry Mason," "The Fugitive," and more. His last major TV role came in 1986 when he played radio station manager Derek on "General Hospital."
The actor returned for a cameo role in the "Lost in Space" movie in 1996 and wrote about it in his autobiography "To Space and Back," saying, "I was really happy that I could have closure on my acting career." Goddard will be missed.