People, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Jonathan Harris died this past Sunday. The AP story is as follows:
Actor Jonathan Harris, who portrayed Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960s sci-fi show Lost in Space died Sunday, Nov. 3, 2002, from a blood clot in his heart while receiving therapy at a hospital in the Encino area of Los Angeles, for a chronic back problem, family spokesman Kevin J. Burns said Monday. He was 87.
Harris was also the cultured voice of Lucifer, the I.L. series Cylon aide to Baltar on Battlestar Galactica. Harris' SF credentials had also landed him a leading role in Filmation's live-action Saturday morning series Space Academy, in which he played Cmdr. Gampu (Filmation would make a similar casting decision with SA's sequel series Jason Of Star Command, casting James Doohan as Cmdr. Caenarvon) in the 1970s. In his later years, Harris acted prolifically on the stage and did cartoon voice work through the 90s.
Harris' other genre credits include two appearances on The Twilight Zone, in the episodes "Twenty Two" and "The Silence" (with Liam Sullivan and Franchot Tone).
Jonathan Harris R.I.P. — Farewell, Dr. Smith
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Complete obituary
This is the more complete obituary from the AP entertainment writer:
'Lost in Space' villain Jonathan Harris dies at 87
By ANTHONY BREZNICAN
AP Entertainment Writer
Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960s 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 annunciation and professorial mannerisms.
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 praying-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.
As the crew visited various alien worlds in their quest to return to Earth, Smith often teamed with the family's son, Will Robinson (played by Bill Mumy), and their arm-waggling, glass-domed robot named Robot.
Harris delighted in his character's alliterative insults for the mechanized co-star, such as "bubble-headed booby," "Neanderthal ninny" and "cantankerous clump." His over-the-top delivery and melodramatic cries of "We're DOOMED!" were a signature of the series.
Burns said Harris was planning to reprise the role for a TV movie based on the old series, in which a new group of space travelers encounter the old "Lost in Space" family.
However, Harris declined to do a walk-on role on the 1998 "Lost in Space" movie, in which Dr. Smith was played by actor Gary Oldman. "He would broadly say, 'I don't do cameos, baby,'" Burns said.
Harris remained proud of the character he created, and often appeared at fan conventions to promote "Lost in Space" nostalgia merchandise.
He had a degree in pharmacology from Fordham University but joined a Long Island repertory company because he felt unsatisfied by the work. Harris eventually found work on Broadway, appearing in 1946 opposite Paul Muni and Marlon Brando in the show "A Flag is Born."
Guest appearances on dozens of TV shows in the 1950s brought him to Hollywood, where he was seen on "Zorro" and "Kraft Television Theater." He reportedly beat out Carroll O'Connor and Eddie Albert for the part of Dr. Smith.
After "Lost In Space," he returned to regional theater and guest appearances on TV shows and performed voice-over work for cartoons such as "Rainbow Brite" and "Darkwing Duck."
Harris was survived by his wife of 64 years, Gertrude; a son, Richard; two granddaughters and two sisters. A memorial service was scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, which would have been his 88th birthday, at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.
'Lost in Space' villain Jonathan Harris dies at 87
By ANTHONY BREZNICAN
AP Entertainment Writer
Jonathan Harris, the flamboyantly fussy actor who portrayed the dastardly, cowardly antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith on the 1960s 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 annunciation and professorial mannerisms.
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 praying-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.
As the crew visited various alien worlds in their quest to return to Earth, Smith often teamed with the family's son, Will Robinson (played by Bill Mumy), and their arm-waggling, glass-domed robot named Robot.
Harris delighted in his character's alliterative insults for the mechanized co-star, such as "bubble-headed booby," "Neanderthal ninny" and "cantankerous clump." His over-the-top delivery and melodramatic cries of "We're DOOMED!" were a signature of the series.
Burns said Harris was planning to reprise the role for a TV movie based on the old series, in which a new group of space travelers encounter the old "Lost in Space" family.
However, Harris declined to do a walk-on role on the 1998 "Lost in Space" movie, in which Dr. Smith was played by actor Gary Oldman. "He would broadly say, 'I don't do cameos, baby,'" Burns said.
Harris remained proud of the character he created, and often appeared at fan conventions to promote "Lost in Space" nostalgia merchandise.
He had a degree in pharmacology from Fordham University but joined a Long Island repertory company because he felt unsatisfied by the work. Harris eventually found work on Broadway, appearing in 1946 opposite Paul Muni and Marlon Brando in the show "A Flag is Born."
Guest appearances on dozens of TV shows in the 1950s brought him to Hollywood, where he was seen on "Zorro" and "Kraft Television Theater." He reportedly beat out Carroll O'Connor and Eddie Albert for the part of Dr. Smith.
After "Lost In Space," he returned to regional theater and guest appearances on TV shows and performed voice-over work for cartoons such as "Rainbow Brite" and "Darkwing Duck."
Harris was survived by his wife of 64 years, Gertrude; a son, Richard; two granddaughters and two sisters. A memorial service was scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday, which would have been his 88th birthday, at Westwood Memorial Park in Los Angeles.