Space: 1999's Prof. Bergman Dies

[mattblack]

Excellent actor, extremely nice man, best known for "The Fugitive" and "Space: 1999. Rest in Peace, Mr Morse...<br /><br />http://edition.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/02/05/obit.morse.ap/index.html?iref=mpstoryview <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[vogon13]

IIRC, he was written out of Space:1999 (Grrr!) between the 1st and 2nd seasons, and his absence was never explained.<br /><br />He deserved better. Granted Space:1999 was a tough viewing experience, but at least he tried.<br /><br />Barbera Bain on the other hand, could be the poster zombie for tranquilizer abuse.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[docm]

Barbara Bain: <br /><br />studied acting under Lee Strasberg at The Actor's Studio and dancing under Martha Graham. The first actress in the history of television to be awarded three consecutive Emmy Awards (1967, 1968, 1969) for "Best Actress in a Leading Role" for playing Mission: Impossible's Cinnamon Carter. <br /><br />Not too shabby. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogon13]

Her catatonic portrayal of Dr. Carter all the more inexplicable.<br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[mattblack]

I remember a couple of the "Mission Impossible" episodes that won her Emmies -- despite her occasional woodeness in "Space: 1999" (mostly scripts), she is a VERY good actress. One "Mission" episode had her playing a role inside of a role -- her character, Cinnamon Carter was playing at being a lawyer for Martin Landau's character on death row. But it was all a ruse -- the death row jail wasn't real!! The man in the next cell was someone they had kidnapped to try and trick information out of him. He was drugged and placed in this 'death row' cell and told he was to be executed because he had brutally murdered someone. He loudly protested his innocence but was bluntly told "Come on, mack -- don't try that amnesia schtick again, nobody believes you". <br /><br />This of course, messes with his mind. And more so when Bain and Landau brilliantly portray the increasingly desperate lawyer and client, losing appeal after appeal until Landau is dragged, kicking and screaming to the chair while his lawyer, Bain breaks down and loses it. But it's all an act!!<br /><br />Then, the guy looking on finally cracks, thinking he's next, and they get what they're after.<br /><br />Sheer genius television, made in the 1960s with very good actors like Bain and Landau. Barbara Bain was also very good in another "Mission" episode where Cinnamon Carter is captured and tortured. Instead of "disavowing" and abandoning a captured IMF agent as is policy, her team decide to screw the rules and stage a brilliant rescue. Barbara Bain's scenes as she is tormented and hallucinating are first class -- Don't anyone tell me the lady couldn't act because that is B.S. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p>One Percent of Federal Funding For Space: America <strong><em><u>CAN</u></em></strong> Afford it!!  LEO is a <strong><em>Prison</em></strong> -- It's time for a <em><strong>JAILBREAK</strong></em>!!</p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

Characters in that time were known to disappear for no apparent reason - and were never referred to again.<br /><br /><img src="/images/icons/frown.gif" /><br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[vogon13]

And recall Darrin Stevens entire body replacement . . . <br /><br />In the very first episode of the Brady Bunch, Mike's (or was it Carol's?) parents were in atttendance at the wedding.<br /><br />The 6 kids NEVER saw those grandparents AGAIN !!!!!!<br /><br /><br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[drwayne]

MASH was one of the first series that I noted make a big deal about characters leaving - and had them referred to after they left.<br /><br />I am not saying they were the first, just the first I noticed.<br /><br />I find myself mixing 1999 with UFO in my head at times...<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[larper]

<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The 6 kids NEVER saw those grandparents AGAIN !!!!!! <p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />They did meet some great-grandparents, though. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Vote </font><font color="#3366ff">Libertarian</font></strong></p> </div>

 

[jsmoody]

Boy, Space 1999 wasn't very good as far as predicting the future...not a bad show but the special effects could have been better. <br /><br />But Barry Morse was great in The Fugitive. He was actually a better actor than David Janssen in my book. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> No amount of belief makes something a fact" - James Randi </div>

 

[venator_3000]

I always felt Barry Morse was one of the main reasons to watch the first season. I recently watched many episodes (hadn't seen them in 30 years) from Season 1 and he did a good job with, honestly, quite little. He seemed to have a sense of humor about it all that was quite likable. I've also seen him in some old movies and a few BBC shows.<br /><br />I don't think he was written out so much as there was a contract dispute (although I've heard and read both). Whatever the cause when he left he reportedly said something about "moving on to work with grown-ups." At the time there was a lot of on-set angst about the marriage of the 2 producers breaking up, etc. Also, many people were very unhappy about the producer who ran the series during the second season. This was the same chap who did Star Trek's 3rd season. <br /><br />I think when they wrote Dr. Bergman out there was some talk in the second season's first episode about an Eagle crash or a spacesuit malfunction. It's been quite a while!<br /><br />BTW, at the Sept 13 1999 convention I thought the fans did a good job wrapping it all up with the fan-produced "Message from Moonbase Alpha." Much better conclusion than what the pro's did (just left everyone hanging and wondering whatever happened to those Alphans.)<br /><br />Sad news though.<br /><br />v3k <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[bobw]

Did they trade him off for the gal who turned into a dog, or was she there earlier? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[venator_3000]

I think you mean Maya, who was played by Catherine Schell, who is now retired, I believe. <br /><br />No, I don't think that was the case. They brought Maya in to sort of be someone who would observe human nature. I think this was Fred Freiberger's idea, who was the second season producer and who had worked on the last season of Star Trek. He was familiar with Spock and wanted someone like that. The Andersons, who at this point were splitsville, sort of said something to the effective of a creative "yeah, okay, whatever."<br /><br />Freiberger also wrote several of the scripts that year. According to my ancient copies of Starlog the cast actually refused to do some of the things in the script. Starlog is so famously upbeat that that must mean there was some sort of revolt on the set. Freiberger didn't use his name, so the phantom pseudonym writer collects the retrospective critique. I remember one really bad episode where some sort of rock invades Moonbase and demands water. It was really poor, even by TV sci-fi standards.<br /><br />Thanks for jarring my memory!!<br /><br />v3k <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>