Actor Mark Goddard, Known for Role in ‘Lost in Space,’ Passes Away at Age 87

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Mark Goddard, renowned for portraying Major Don West on the 1960s CBS series “Lost in Space,” has passed away at the age of 87.

His death occurred this past Tuesday in Hingham, Massachusetts, due to complications from pulmonary fibrosis, as confirmed by his son to The New York Times.

Bill Mumy, Goddard’s longtime co-star who portrayed Will Robinson on “Lost in Space,” paid homage to him on Facebook. Mumy reflected that during a conversation on Goddard’s birthday in July, he sensed it would be their last exchange.

Mumy wrote, “Mark was an exceptionally talented actor, both innately gifted and formally trained. Although he sometimes felt limited by the somewhat kitschy framework ‘Lost in Space’ imposed on him, he cherished the experience.” Mumy imagined Goddard enjoying a martini in the afterlife with former colleagues such as Jonathan Harris, Kevin Burns, and Guy Williams, who predeceased him.

Goddard’s character on “Lost in Space,” which aired between 1965 and 1968, served as the pilot of the Jupiter 2 spacecraft, tasked with transporting the Robinson family on a colonization mission in space. He published a memoir in 2008, titled “To Space and Back.”

Born Charles Harvey Goddard on July 24, 1936, in Lowell, Massachusetts, Goddard discontinued his college education in his junior year in 1958 to focus on acting. He funded his education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts by taking evening shifts at Woolworths.

Upon making his way to Hollywood, he secured roles in various television programs and movies, including an episode of “The Rifleman” and a Dick Powell-directed television film “Woman on the Run,” where he acted alongside Joan Crawford. His career also included appearances in shows such as “Johnny Ringo,” “The Detectives,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” and “Perry Mason.”

Goddard made a special appearance in the 1998 revival of “Lost in Space,” where the character he originally portrayed was played by Matt LeBlanc.

In his later years, Goddard returned to academics to obtain a bachelor’s degree followed by a master’s degree in education. He dedicated two decades of his life to teaching special education in Massachusetts.

He is survived by his spouse, Evelyn Pezzulich, and their children.

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More about Mark Goddard obituary

• Mark Goddard’s IMDb Profile
• “Lost in Space” Series Overview
• Bill Mumy’s Tribute to Mark Goddard on Facebook
• The New York Times Obituary for Mark Goddard
• Mark Goddard’s Memoir “To Space and Back”
• Overview of Pulmonary Fibrosis
• American Academy of Dramatic Arts
• Special Education in Massachusetts