Favorite Special Guest Stars

[Vandervecken]

Would it have been possible for Jonathan Harris to tone it down, so to speak? We're all familiar with his "over the top" style of Lost in Space acting...you know, THE PAIN, THE PAIN and all that. I'm not sure that would have been appropriate for Trek.

The early episodes he was much less absurd, much more villain-like, so he could have done it. I see him as an Andorian. Or a Changeling.

 

[Captain Rob]

I really liked Barbara Babcock from "Plato's Stepchildren" and "A Taste of Armageddon". Plus she did the voice of the Tholian Commander Loskene from "The Tholian Web" and as the voice of Gary Seven's computer. Only to show up a few years later on "Hill Street Blues". Where she constantly was dropping her clothes for her favorite police sergeant.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

I really liked Barbara Babcock from "Plato's Stepchildren" and "A Taste of Armageddon". Plus she did the voice of the Tholian Commander Loskene from "The Tholian Web" and as the voice of Gary Seven's computer.

Hear, hear.

Also, Trelane's mother and apparently the Zetar voice too ("We only want the girl.").

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Would it have been possible for Jonathan Harris to tone it down, so to speak? We're all familiar with his "over the top" style of Lost in Space acting...you know, THE PAIN, THE PAIN and all that. I'm not sure that would have been appropriate for Trek.

The early episodes he was much less absurd, much more villain-like, so he could have done it. I see him as an Andorian. Or a Changeling.

Harris was approached to appear in the LIS feature film (he would have played the Global Sedition terrorist who hires the film's version of Dr. Smith) but he turned them down - he wouldn't play any role other than Smith himself. He flatly refuses to do walk-ons or guest roles of any kind.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I really liked Barbara Babcock from "Plato's Stepchildren" and "A Taste of Armageddon". Plus she did the voice of the Tholian Commander Loskene from "The Tholian Web" and as the voice of Gary Seven's computer. Only to show up a few years later on "Hill Street Blues". Where she constantly was dropping her clothes for her favorite police sergeant.

The 'thing' I saw her in was one of Robert Altman's last films, "Cookie's Fortune." She was one of the conniving older ladies involved in the murder of the story.

(I need to watch that film again to see how it holds up).

 

[Green Shirt]

Would it have been possible for Jonathan Harris to tone it down, so to speak? We're all familiar with his "over the top" style of Lost in Space acting...you know, THE PAIN, THE PAIN and all that. I'm not sure that would have been appropriate for Trek.

Yeah. Lord knows there was no haminess in Trek.

 

[Drone]

Would it have been possible for Jonathan Harris to tone it down, so to speak? We're all familiar with his "over the top" style of Lost in Space acting...you know, THE PAIN, THE PAIN and all that. I'm not sure that would have been appropriate for Trek.

The early episodes he was much less absurd, much more villain-like, so he could have done it. I see him as an Andorian. Or a Changeling.

Harris was approached to appear in the LIS feature film (he would have played the Global Sedition terrorist who hires the film's version of Dr. Smith) but he turned them down - he wouldn't play any role other than Smith himself. He flatly refuses to do walk-ons or guest roles of any kind.

Are you referring to films only? He did appear in a spot on Land of the Giants shortly after the demise of LIS, IIRC. But then again, Irwin Allen could be very persuasive!!