By Brian Lombard
In 1974, producers Sid and Marty Krofft launched their latest Saturday morning live-action TV series “Land of the Lost.” Unlike their earlier shows, including “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Lidsville,” the series employed a stable of professional science-fiction writers, creating a series that was often deemed too smart for Saturday morning. Helmed by David Gerrold, the writer who cut his teeth on “Star Trek,” the team included such notables as Ben Bova, Larry Niven, and D.C. Fontana.
This level of care and attention that was given to the series has contributed to its longevity. Forty years later, the series continues to be popular, with weekly airings on MeTV, DVD and video releases, and a 2009 movie adaptation starring Will Ferrell (which original fans steered clear of). Not bad for a mere 43 half-hour episodes.
During its first two seasons, the series starred Spencer Milligan as Rick Marshall, a park ranger from California. Rick’s two children were played by Wesley Eure as Will and Kathy Coleman as Holly. There were also a series of recurring characters, including Cha-Ka, a pakuni “ape boy” played by Philip Paley, and Enik the Altrusian, played by veteran character actor Walker Edmiston.
Before the third and final season began, however, Milligan quit the series when a dispute over merchandising royalties could not be resolved. He was replaced in the cast by “Planet of the Apes” actor Ron Harper as Will and Holly’s Uncle Jack.
Today, Eure, Coleman, and Paley are regulars on the convention circuit, frequenting the annual "Star Trek" convention in Las Vegas and the bi-annual Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey, among others. The three have remained very close through the years, which becomes clear during their panel discussions.
They’ve also gone all-out to please their fans. Eure commissioned an artist to create a replica of one of the show’s more famous props – a Sleestak skull. As “Land of the Lost” fans know, the Sleestaks were the lizard-like humanoid adversaries of the Marshall family, who gained wisdom and knowledge in their library of skulls. The Sleestaks were in fact the barbaric descendants of Enik’s Altrusian race.
The first time I got to meet them was at Chiller’s spring 2015 event. The trio were very approachable and appreciative of their fans.
For 2017, the trio had two new additions to their presentation. The first is a yellow, inflatable raft in which they invite fans to sit and pose for photos. It pays tribute to the show’s opening credits, which depicts the Marshall family on a less-than routine expedition.
The other addition is much more significant to die-hard fans: the original Enik costume as worn on the show. The piece was bought by private collector Keir Neubauer in 1998, who later had it restored and refurbished. Neubauer takes great delight in discussing the piece with fans, and allowing them to take photos for a nominal fee.
Beyond conventions, the trio have taken other avenues to capitalize on their success. In 2014, Coleman released her autobiography “Lost Girl,” which has since been rebranded as “Run, Holly,Run!: A Memoir by Holly from 1970s TV Classic Land of the Lost.” The book talks of her early rise to fame, her even earlier marriage and subsequent divorce, and the pain of substance abuse. Fans looking for inside info on the series itself may not get what they’re looking for here, so your best bet for series gossip is to attend a convention.
While filming “Land of the Lost,” Eure was simultaneously starring on the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” appearing as the original Mike Horton. He spent nine years on the series before being let go in 1981, when rumors of his sexual orientation overshadowed his success on the show. Remember, this was 1981.
Since then, Eure has co-created a children’s series for PBS entitled “Dragon Tales,” and also published two children’s novels, “A Fish Out of Water” and “The Red Wings of Christmas.”
Paley went to law school, later served with a firm in Santa Monica, and now runs his own litigation and technology firm in L.A. These traits served him well in the late 1990s, when Rodney Shepperd, guitarist for the band Sugar Ray, publicly claimed that he had played the young pakuni. Paley took litigation against the band, who later issued a public apology.
Spencer Milligan, the show’s original patriarch, found modest work in the industry before leaving Hollywood for good. He now resides in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where he's active in directing local theatre and shuns the Hollywood spotlight. In 2009, he gave a rare interview preceding the Universal theatrical release, declaring that while he enjoyed working with the kids, for him, the series is deeply set in his past.
Walker Edmiston (below) continued to do voice-over work and guest star spots throughout the 1970s and up until the early 2000s. The next time you happen across the 1977 classic “Smokey and the Bandit,” pay attention every time you hear a police officer speaking on a CB. No matter which state, no matter which character, they were all done by Edmiston, except of course, for Jackie Gleason.
Walker Edmiston, 1926-2007.
In 1974, producers Sid and Marty Krofft launched their latest Saturday morning live-action TV series “Land of the Lost.” Unlike their earlier shows, including “H.R. Pufnstuf” and “Lidsville,” the series employed a stable of professional science-fiction writers, creating a series that was often deemed too smart for Saturday morning. Helmed by David Gerrold, the writer who cut his teeth on “Star Trek,” the team included such notables as Ben Bova, Larry Niven, and D.C. Fontana.
This level of care and attention that was given to the series has contributed to its longevity. Forty years later, the series continues to be popular, with weekly airings on MeTV, DVD and video releases, and a 2009 movie adaptation starring Will Ferrell (which original fans steered clear of). Not bad for a mere 43 half-hour episodes.
During its first two seasons, the series starred Spencer Milligan as Rick Marshall, a park ranger from California. Rick’s two children were played by Wesley Eure as Will and Kathy Coleman as Holly. There were also a series of recurring characters, including Cha-Ka, a pakuni “ape boy” played by Philip Paley, and Enik the Altrusian, played by veteran character actor Walker Edmiston.
Wesley Eure, Brian Lombard, Kathy Coleman, and Philip Paley at Chiller, spring 2015.
Before the third and final season began, however, Milligan quit the series when a dispute over merchandising royalties could not be resolved. He was replaced in the cast by “Planet of the Apes” actor Ron Harper as Will and Holly’s Uncle Jack.
Today, Eure, Coleman, and Paley are regulars on the convention circuit, frequenting the annual "Star Trek" convention in Las Vegas and the bi-annual Chiller Theatre convention in New Jersey, among others. The three have remained very close through the years, which becomes clear during their panel discussions.
Cha-Ka, Will and Holly sing the “Land of the Lost” theme song in a panel discussion.
They’ve also gone all-out to please their fans. Eure commissioned an artist to create a replica of one of the show’s more famous props – a Sleestak skull. As “Land of the Lost” fans know, the Sleestaks were the lizard-like humanoid adversaries of the Marshall family, who gained wisdom and knowledge in their library of skulls. The Sleestaks were in fact the barbaric descendants of Enik’s Altrusian race.
Sleestak skull replicas on display at Chiller, October 2017.
The first time I got to meet them was at Chiller’s spring 2015 event. The trio were very approachable and appreciative of their fans.
For 2017, the trio had two new additions to their presentation. The first is a yellow, inflatable raft in which they invite fans to sit and pose for photos. It pays tribute to the show’s opening credits, which depicts the Marshall family on a less-than routine expedition.
The Marshall Family as shown during the opening credits.
The other addition is much more significant to die-hard fans: the original Enik costume as worn on the show. The piece was bought by private collector Keir Neubauer in 1998, who later had it restored and refurbished. Neubauer takes great delight in discussing the piece with fans, and allowing them to take photos for a nominal fee.
Brian Lombard poses with the restored Enik costume at Chiller, October 2017.
Beyond conventions, the trio have taken other avenues to capitalize on their success. In 2014, Coleman released her autobiography “Lost Girl,” which has since been rebranded as “Run, Holly,Run!: A Memoir by Holly from 1970s TV Classic Land of the Lost.” The book talks of her early rise to fame, her even earlier marriage and subsequent divorce, and the pain of substance abuse. Fans looking for inside info on the series itself may not get what they’re looking for here, so your best bet for series gossip is to attend a convention.
While filming “Land of the Lost,” Eure was simultaneously starring on the NBC soap opera “Days of Our Lives,” appearing as the original Mike Horton. He spent nine years on the series before being let go in 1981, when rumors of his sexual orientation overshadowed his success on the show. Remember, this was 1981.
Wesley Eure as Dr. Michael Horton, 1981.
Since then, Eure has co-created a children’s series for PBS entitled “Dragon Tales,” and also published two children’s novels, “A Fish Out of Water” and “The Red Wings of Christmas.”
Paley went to law school, later served with a firm in Santa Monica, and now runs his own litigation and technology firm in L.A. These traits served him well in the late 1990s, when Rodney Shepperd, guitarist for the band Sugar Ray, publicly claimed that he had played the young pakuni. Paley took litigation against the band, who later issued a public apology.
Spencer Milligan, the show’s original patriarch, found modest work in the industry before leaving Hollywood for good. He now resides in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, where he's active in directing local theatre and shuns the Hollywood spotlight. In 2009, he gave a rare interview preceding the Universal theatrical release, declaring that while he enjoyed working with the kids, for him, the series is deeply set in his past.
Walker Edmiston (below) continued to do voice-over work and guest star spots throughout the 1970s and up until the early 2000s. The next time you happen across the 1977 classic “Smokey and the Bandit,” pay attention every time you hear a police officer speaking on a CB. No matter which state, no matter which character, they were all done by Edmiston, except of course, for Jackie Gleason.
His notable cartoon work during these years included “The Transformers,” “Adventures of the Gummi Bears” and “Jem.” Edmiston died in 2007, and was interred at Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
Walker Edmiston, 1926-2007.
An avid fan of classic television, Brian Lombard is the author of "Bradypalooza: The Unauthorized Guide to TV's Favorite Family." See his other BRBTV News Blog posts on film site Franklin Canyon Park, the grave of Esther Rolle of "Good Times," Charles Cyphers, Burt Reynolds, Dennis Haskins, and several other "Dukes of Hazzard" costars.
What about grumpy the angry dinosaur?
ReplyDeleteLOL -- you mean Dopey, the little baby dinosaur?? 'Cuz, seriously, he was my favorite character behind Cha-Ka. He had this cute little theme song they would play whenever he lumbered into a scene. But I guess there was a bigger dinosaur that was Grumpy or something like that, right?
ReplyDeleteYea grumpy was the big t rex I guess you could tell his head was a hand puppet, I loved it!
DeleteYeah, Grumpy was a constant threat in the first two seasons.
ReplyDelete