Which Lost in Space Actors Appeared in the 1998 Film Adaptation?

It’s an unspoken rule in Hollywood that if you’re going to turn a classic TV show into a feature film, then cameo offers must be made to the original stars of said TV show. After all, you can’t know where you’re going without acknowledging where you’ve been first.

That filmmaking philosophy has stayed the same for decades, and it wasn’t about to change for 1998’s blockbuster translation of Lost in Space (airing on SYFY later this week; click here for scheduling details) starring William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Lacey Chabert, Jack Johnson, Gary Oldman, Heather Graham, Matt LeBlanc, and Jared Harris.

And indeed, the movie written by Akiva Goldman and helmed by Predator 2‘s Stephen Hopkins does feature brief guest appearances — both physical and non-physical — from most of the actors who enjoyed principal roles on the iconic sci-fi series that ran on CBS for a total of three seasons between 1965 and 1968.

All of these little nods to the small screen source material occur within the first half hour of the runtime because once the Robinson family & Co. blast off for parts unknown in the state-of-the-art vessel known as Jupiter 2, no new characters are introduced. So without further ado, let’s take a closer look at where you can find the old-school Lost in Space stars in the 1998 film adaptation. 

All of the original Lost in Space television stars with cameos in the 1998 film adaptation — and where to spot them

First up, we have Mark Goddard, who played ruggedly handsome Jupiter 2 pilot Don West in the original TV show. In the film version, he cameos as the military superior of LeBlanc’s West, reassigning the character to pilot the Jupiter 2 mission after its original pilot is murdered by rogue elements.

Next, we have June Lockhart, who played Robinson matriarch Maureen on the show. Her film cameo is that of Will Robinson’s concerned school principal, whose holographic appearance is comedically altered by Will himself while she attempts to inform the movie version of Maureen (Mimi Rogers) of her son’s delinquent behavior.

Marta Kristen and Angela Cartwright — who portrayed Judy and Penny Robinson in the television series (Heather Graham and Lacey Chabert in the movie) — take on the role of two reporters during a Jupiter 2 press conference held by Hurt’s Professor John Robinson (originally portrayed by Guy Williams, who passed away in 1989).

Last, but most certainly not least, we have Dick Tufeld, who returned to voice the Robot, whose overall design and exclamatory catchphrase (“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”) were some of the most iconic parts of the TV predecessor.

While hard to confirm definitively, it is reported that Bill Mumy, the original Will Robinson and a Twilight Zone alum to boot, pitched the idea of playing the older Will in the movie’s third act, but Hopkins shot it down. In the end, young Will was played by Jack Johnson, while Jared Harris tackled the character’s adult counterpart.

Jonathan Harris, who played antagonist Dr. Zachary Smith in the TV show (Oldman in the film), is said to have turned down a cameo, purportedly telling TV Guide: “I will have you know I have never done a walk-on or bit part in my life! And I do not intend to start.”

Lost in Space (1998) airs on SYFY this Thursday, May 1 at 11:00 a.m. ET and again on Friday, May 2 at 2:00 a.m. ET. Click here for complete scheduling information!