Mark Goddard, the actor renowned for his portrayal of Major Don West in the iconic 1960s science fiction television series “Lost in Space,” has died at the age of 87.
His death was confirmed by his son, John, who told The New York Times that the cause was pulmonary fibrosis. Goddard passed away in Hingham, Massachusetts.
Born on July 24, 1936, in Lowell, Massachusetts, Goddard was a self-made actor who left college during his junior year in 1958 to tread the boards. To fund his studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he worked evenings at Woolworths.
Before achieving fame in “Lost in Space,” Goddard had appeared in an episode of “The Rifleman” and a television movie titled “Woman on the Run,” which starred Joan Crawford.
Goddard’s breakthrough role came when he starred as Major Don West, the pilot steering the Robinson family’s spacecraft on a space-colonizing mission in “Lost in Space,” which aired from 1965 to 1968.
Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson on the same series, penned a heartfelt tribute to Goddard on Facebook. Mumy called him a “beloved friend and brother” for nearly six decades.
“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,” Mumy said. “The last words we exchanged were ‘I love you.’”
Mumy also extolled Goddard’s talent, stating, “Mark was a truly fine actor. 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.”
He envisioned Goddard “having a martini in Heaven right now with Jonathan Harris, Kevin Burns, Guy Williams and other comrades [from the show] who left this world of woe before him.”
Post-“Lost in Space,” Goddard’s career continued with appearances in episodes of “The Fugitive,” “The Mod Squad,” and “The Fall Guy,” among other television projects. He also landed a role as Dr. Derek Barrington on the soap opera “General Hospital” from 1985 to 1986.
In a nod to his roots, Goddard made a cameo in the 1998 film reboot of “Lost in Space,” where Matt LeBlanc took on the role of Major Don West. Additionally, Goddard penned a memoir in 2008, titled “To Space and Back.”
He is survived by his wife, Evelyn Pezzulich, and his children. His death marks the end of an era for fans who cherished his contributions to science fiction and television history.