Who was Mark Goddard? ‘Lost In Space’ Actor Dead at 87

Mark Goddard, famed for his role as Major Don West in CBS’s “Lost in Space,” passed away from pulmonary fibrosis in Hingham, Massachusetts on October 10. He was 87.

A Facebook statement by Goddard’s wife, Evelyn Pezzulich, detailed that he was initially hospitalized due to pneumonia. Later, he was moved to a rehabilitation facility, where he was diagnosed with the terminal stages of pulmonary fibrosis.

Bill Mumy, Goddard’s co-star from “Lost in Space,” shared a heartfelt Facebook post, commemorating their 59-year-long friendship. He revealed their touching final exchange during a phone call on Goddard’s 87th birthday in July: “I love you.”

The iconic series “Lost in Space,” which aired between 1965 and 1968, was the brainchild of Irwin Allen. It chronicled the space voyages of the Robinson family aboard the Jupiter 2, piloted by Goddard’s character, Major Don West. Notably, in subsequent adaptations, Matt LeBlanc and Ignacio Serricchio have portrayed this character.

Mumy, in his tribute, acknowledged Goddard’s natural and honed acting talents. He noted how Goddard sometimes grappled with the show’s campy tone but ultimately embraced it with passion.

Goddard, born Charles Harvey on July 24, 1936, grew up in Scituate, Massachusetts. Although he began studies at Holy Cross, he left during his junior year in 1958 to chase his acting dreams. He honed his craft at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and then moved to Hollywood in 1959. There, he featured in projects like “The Rifleman” and a TV film, “Woman on the Run,” with the legendary Joan Crawford, under Dick Powell’s direction. His association with Four Star Television also led to roles in “Johnny Ringo” and “The Detectives,” before his iconic stint with “Lost in Space.”

Beyond the series, Goddard starred in movies like “The Monkey’s Uncle” (1965), “A Rage to Live” (1965), and “The Love-Ins” (1967). Post the show’s conclusion, he graced soap operas like “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital” and featured in the 1977 film “Blue Sunshine.”

In a shift from acting, after obtaining a master’s degree, Goddard dedicated over two decades to teaching children with special educational needs in Massachusetts.