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Bob May, Lost in Space Robot, Dies

Actor moved the suit, but never said "Danger, Will Robinson"

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 19, 2009 2:37 PM CST

(Newser) – Bob May, famous for inhabiting the robot suit on 1960s sci-fi hit Lost in Space, has died at 69 of heart failure, the AP reports. “He always said he got the job because he fit in the robot suit,” a co-star said. May did not voice the robot—and so didn't get to say "Danger, Will Robinson"—but his job wasn’t easy: He would memorize the script to respond to cues and stayed in the suit during breaks.

“He was a smoker,” the co-star said. “From time to time, we'd see smoke coming out of the robot. That always amused us.”

Bob May.
Bob May.   (AP Photo)
The cast of the show as the Robinson family.
The cast of the show as the Robinson family.   (Getty Images)
A replica of the robot.
A replica of the robot.   (©Erik Charlton)
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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 Irwin Allen about the part. Allen said, "If you can fit in the suit, you've got the job." - June Lockhart

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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
vendetta
Jan 19, 2009 7:07 PM CST
Danger Will Robinson, Danger. RIP

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