Lost in Space Robot Dies!

[jim48]

<ul class="tools mod ult-section"><li class="buzz ult-position"></li><li class="send yn-menu yn-menu2 ult-position"><div class="menu-bd"></div></li><li></li><li class="share yn-menu yn-menu2 ult-position"><div class="menu-bd"></div></li></ul><div class="byline"><cite class="vcard">By GREG RISLING, Associated Press Writer <span class="fn org">Greg Risling, Associated Press Writer</span> </cite>&ndash; <abbr title="2009-01-18T17:26:40-0800" class="recenttimedate">2&nbsp;hrs&nbsp;25&nbsp;mins&nbsp;ago</abbr></div><div class="bd"><div id="yn-story-related-media"><div class="primary-media"><div id="yn-story-main-media" class="ult-section yn-style1"><div><img src="http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20090118/capt.77f000f5f97245a1b1bc80ec36522552.obit_may_la101.jpg?x=213&y=164&xc=2&yc=1&wc=408&hc=314&q=100&sig=k5EgrzmiGmfiYX2gTPUWcQ--" alt="In this file photo showing the crew from the original cast of the television" width="213" height="164" /> <cite class="caption">AP&nbsp;&ndash;&nbsp;In this file photo showing the crew from the original cast of the television series 'Lost in Space' pose&nbsp;&hellip; </cite></div></div></div></div><div class="yn-story-content"><p>LOS ANGELES &ndash; Bob May, who donned The Robot's suit in the hit 1960s television show "<span class="yshortcuts">Lost in Space</span>," has died. He was 69.</p><p>May died Sunday of congestive heart failure at a hospital in Lancaster, said his daughter, Deborah May.</p><p>He was a veteran actor and stuntman who had appeared in movies, TV shows and on the vaudeville stage when he was tapped by "Lost in Space" creator <span class="yshortcuts">Irwin Allen</span> to play the Robinson family's loyal metal sidekick in the series that debuted in 1965.</p><p>"He always said he got the job because he fit in the <span class="yshortcuts">robot suit</span>," said <span class="yshortcuts">June Lockhart</span>, who played family matriarch Maureen Robinson. "It was one of those wonderful <span class="yshortcuts">Hollywood stories</span>. He just happened to be on the studio lot when someone saw him and sent him to see Irwin Allen about the part. Allen said, 'If you can fit in the suit, you've got the job.'"</p><p>Although May didn't provide the robot's distinctive voice (that was done by announcer <span class="yshortcuts">Dick Tufeld</span>), he developed a following of fans who sought him out at memorabilia shows.</p><p>"Lost in Space" was a space-age retelling of "The Swiss Family Robinson" story in which <span class="yshortcuts">professor John Robinson</span>, his wife and their children were on a space mission when their craft was knocked hopelessly off course by the evil Dr. Zachary Smith, who became trapped in space with them.</p><p>May's robot was the Robinson family's loyal sidekick, warning them of approaching disaster at every turn. His line to one of the children, "Danger, Will Robinson," became a national catch phrase.</p><p>The grandson of famed vaudeville comedian <span class="yshortcuts">Chic Johnson</span>, May was introduced to show business at age 2 when he began appearing in the "Hellzapoppin" comedy revue with Johnson and his partner, Ole Olsen.</p><p>He went on to appear in numerous films with <span class="yshortcuts">Jerry Lewis</span> and in such TV shows as "<span class="yshortcuts">The Time Tunnel</span>," "<span class="yshortcuts">McHale's Navy</span> and "<span class="yshortcuts">The Red Skelton Show</span>." He was also a stuntman in such 1950s and '60s TV shows as "Cheyenne," "<span class="yshortcuts">Surfside 6</span>," "Hawaiian Eye," "The Roaring 20s" and "<span class="yshortcuts">Stagecoach</span>."</p><p>He was particularly fond of his Robot role, once saying he came to consider the suit a "<span class="yshortcuts">home away from home</span>."</p><p>Lockhart said May wore the suit for hours at a time and learned the lines of every actor in the show so he would know when to respond to their cues. Because it wasn't easy to get in and out of the suit, he kept it on during breaks.</p><p>"He was a smoker," Lockhart remembered. "From time to time (when he was on a break), we'd see smoke coming out of the robot. That always amused us."</p><p>May and his wife lost their house in November when a wildfire destroyed their upscale mobile home park in the San Fernando Valley.</p><p>Survivors include his wife Judith; his daughter; his son, Martin; and four grandchildren.</p><p>Funeral services are pending.</p><p>___</p><p>Associated Press writer <span class="yshortcuts">John Rogers</span> contributed to this story</p></div></div> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>