The BBC and other news sources are reporting that actor and stuntman Bob May has passed away at the age of 69 from heart failure. You may be thinking, where do I know that name from? Chances are you won’t recognise his face because his most famous – and apparently one of his favourite – role was the robot from the cult Irwin Allen show Lost In Space (a show still affectionately remembered and often lovingly pastiched in sketches and cartoons to this day). Despite the fact he didn’t provide the robot’s voice he still meticulously learned all the lines from each character for his scenes so he could allow his robot character to react to the human actors.
(Bob May poses with his robot alter ego – and also Robby the Robot – at the South Florida Science Museum, pic (c) the museum and borrowed from their page)
Famously Bob landed the role almost by happy accident, as his fellow Lost in Space star June Lockhart explained: “It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories. He just happened to be on the studio lot when someone saw him and sent him to see [producer] Irwin Allen about the part. Allen said ‘If you can fit in the suit, you’ve got the job’.” Bob made appearances in many other shows – including another Allen cult classic, the Time Tunnel – but its doubtless his willingness to spend several hours a day under hot studio lights inside a pretend robot to give it life that will most be remembered fondly by fans.
Tue, Jan 20, 2009
Film, TV and radio