Long-time actor Mark Goddard, known for his role as Major Don West on the television show Lost in Space in the 1960s, has passed away at the age of 87 due to pulmonary fibrosis. The news of his death was made public on Monday morning when his son, John Goddard, confirmed it to The New York Times.
Bill Mumy, who played Will Robinson in Lost in Space, posted a heartfelt tribute to his “dear friend and brother” for 59 years on Facebook. Mumy praised Goddard for his talent as an actor and acknowledged that he sometimes felt confined by the show’s framework but also embraced and loved it.
Goddard’s character, Major Don West, was the pilot of the Jupiter 2 ship that carried the Robinson family on a mission to colonize space in the show, which aired from 1965 to 1968. In 2008, he wrote an autobiography titled “To Space and Back.”
Born Charles Harvey Goddard on July 24, 1936, in Lowell, Massachusetts, Goddard left college in 1958 to pursue acting. He worked in Woolworth stores in the afternoons to support his studies at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Goddard began his career playing Detective Sergeant Chris Ballard in Los detectives and Johnny Ringo in 1959.
Aside from Lost in Space, Goddard appeared in various TV series and films, such as The Fugitive, The Mod Squad, and The Fall Guy. In 1976, he portrayed politician Edward Fleming in the film Blue Sunshine and had a cameo in the Lost in Space movie as the general in charge of Mission Jupiter.
Goddard had a passion for sports since childhood and led his high school baseball and basketball teams to the state championship game. Although he initially considered becoming a professional athlete, his passion for acting drove him to attend the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City before settling in Los Angeles.
Throughout his life, Goddard was married three times and had three children. Evelyn Pezzulich, Susan Anspach, and Marcia E Rogers were his wives, and Melissa, Michael, and John were his children.
Mark Goddard will be remembered for his contributions to the entertainment industry and his iconic role in Lost in Space. His talent and passion for acting will continue to inspire future generations of actors and fans alike.