Collectibles: Lost in Space Forever

Studio: Image Entertainment
Theatrical Release Date: 1998
DVD Release Date: April 4, 2000
(only released in DVD format)
Run Time: 60 minutes
Produced and Directed by Kevin Burns
Written by Brian Anthony, Kevin Burns, Bill Mumy
Hosted by John Larroquette

Jonathan Harris - I enjoyed going back into character of Dr Smith after so many years. It makes me very happy to know that some 35 years later LIS is still a hit with so many fans.

Bob May - I got a call from Kevin Burns one day and he told me of his plans to do a TV special entitled Lost In Space Forever. This special would cover 35 years of LIS. He asked if I would resurrect my role as the Robot and I said "yes I would be very interested in doing that." I was thrilled to be working among the LIS gang again which consisted of Jonathan Harris and Bill Mumy. The special would be hosted by John Larroquette, who by the way is a bit taller then the Robot.

When I walked onto the set for the very first time I was flabbergasted! It was fantastic! It felt like I was back at Fox in 1966. I would have to say that for me a very special moment was when Jonathan, Bill and I did the very last scene and those first words of dialog were said. Jonathan never missed a beat and neither did Bill. Here we were - the three amigos back again after so long. I think that last scene will go down in LIS history as the "best" ever!

Bill Mumy Remembers

Lost in Space Forever is a favorite of mine. As usual, it was spearheaded by Kevin Burns and he directed the project wonderfully. There were many different celebrities up for the role of host, and making that decision took a lot of time and a lot of the budget. John Larroquette did an excellent job and was very easy to work with, although he was on a strict time schedule as he had to catch a plane the day we filmed.

The special was a collaboration between Fox and New Line, it was meant not only to celebrate the classic series but to help promote the feature film as well.

Once it was agreed that the upper deck of the classic Jupiter 2 was to be recreated, things got very exciting. I was a co-producer and a writer on the show, and I was involved in it every step of the way. It was my idea to end the show with the original cast members coming back in costume on the ship as the classic characters. Kevin and I had originally wanted to include the entire cast, but budget prohibited that, so we agreed to create a special scene for Dr. Smith, The Robot, and Will Robinson.

I wrote the scene, Kevin tweaked it and Jonathan ended up re-writing most of his dialogue just like he did in the old days, and just like in the old days, he improved it! As a producer, the show ran smoothly for me. As a writer, I was thrilled to be able to return the 3 characters to the Jupiter 2. As an actor, I was very anxious to play Will Robinson again for many different reasons, but mostly because I love the character so much.

On the day we filmed it was over 100 degrees outside and it felt almost that hot on the set. Jonathan and I waited around most all day for John Laroquette to finish up his work before we filmed our scene which was the wrap scene.

Bobby May had worked all day long inside the robot, and I was concerned for him since it's so hot in there! I got him a hand held battery operated fan which seemed to help a little.

Finally it was time for us to go to work, and admittedly, Jonathan and I were more than a little bit nervous. We discussed it. We both loved the idea of doing it, Kevin had even convinced Jonathan to shave off his mustache! But, we were nervous because we worried about the "what if" scenario... What IF the chemistry wasn't there, what IF we couldn't pull it off... then we would have added a sour and sad note to something we were very very proud of.

As we rehearsed the first master shot, the energy was low and I feared the worst. However, when Kevin called for picture, and the bell rang, and the red light was turned on, and the sticks clicked and the sound man called "speed" and Kevin called "Action!"... all my fears were laid to rest.

Jonathan was magnificent! The very special and beloved chemistry between him, Bobby and me was back like we'd never stopped filming the series! We printed take after take and the end result is something we're all very proud of. The set to the Jupiter 2 is in storage, as our our costumes... I SURE hope we can create another project and do it again and include the rest of the cast someday soon!

Ray Dutczak Comment

Lost In Space Forever is a masterpiece in my honest opinion. Kevin Burns takes us back 35 years and covers LIS from launch to present, celebrating three decades of LIS. John Larroquette is fantastic as the host for this special.

Now, this special is available on DVD to own and watch for many years to come. The DVD includes the original CBS Network sales presentation, Guy Williams original screen test, special effects footage and even a behind the scenes featurette! A "must own" for all us hardcore fans. This truly is the bible to LIS -Just a fountain of information.

Special thanks to Bill Mumy, Jonathan Harris and Bob May for taking time out and sharing their thoughts with LIS Memories on this wonderful special. And special thanks to Kevin Burns for making this spectacular special.

Lost in Space Forever Press Kit