Questions
What is Land of the Lost about?
It follows the Marshall family, Rick, Will, and Holly, who fall into an alternate universe filled with dinosaurs, the reptilian Sleestak, and the primate-like Pakuni. It aired Saturday mornings on NBC.
When did the original series air?
The original ran from 1974 to 1976, produced by Sid and Marty Krofft, with 43 episodes in total.
Who created Land of the Lost?
Science fiction author David Gerrold created it, though he went uncredited, and Sid and Marty Krofft produced it for NBC.
How did the Marshalls end up in the Land of the Lost?
They were swept down a gigantic 1,000 foot waterfall after being caught up in what the show called the world’s largest earthquake.
Who played the Marshall family?
Spencer Milligan played father Rick, Wesley Eure played Will, and Kathy Coleman played Holly. Phillip Paley played the friendly young Pakuni, Cha-Ka.
Why did the dad get replaced in season three?
Spencer Milligan left the show, reportedly over demands for compensation from merchandise using his image, including rack toys and a Milton Bradley board game. His character Rick was replaced by Uncle Jack, played by Ron Harper.
Is it true a stand-in finished the dad’s final scene?
Reportedly yes. A stand-in wearing a wig, filmed with his back to the camera, portrayed Rick during his departure scene after Milligan left.
Did the Pakuni have a real language?
Yes. Linguist Victoria Fromkin invented an entire Pakuni language based on the sounds of West African speech, designed so viewers could gradually learn it over the episodes.
Did famous science fiction writers work on the show?
Several did, including Larry Niven, Theodore Sturgeon, Ben Bova, and Norman Spinrad. Star Trek connections included D.C. Fontana, Walter Koenig, and creator David Gerrold.
What are the Pylons?
They are metallic obelisk-shaped booths, larger on the inside than the outside, that controlled the time doorways and environmental processes. Inside they housed matrix tables, stone tables studded with a grid of colored crystals.
Who is Enik?
Enik is an Altrusian castaway who occasionally aids the family. The Altrusians were thought to be the ancestors of the Sleestak, though later episodes raised some questions about this.
Did the show ever explain the portal that trapped them?
In the episode Circle, the portal is revealed to have been opened by Rick Marshall himself, as a way for the current Marshalls to return to Earth, resolving the paradox.
How did they pull off the dinosaurs on a kids’ budget?
The effects combined stop-motion dinosaur miniatures, rear projection, hand puppets, and chroma key. It was a rare example of matting filmed stop-motion sequences with videotape live action to avoid the telltale blue fringe.
Who were the famous dinosaurs?
A Tyrannosaurus nicknamed Grumpy was a recurring threat, and a particularly tame young brontosaurus was nicknamed Dopey.
Was Land of the Lost ever remade?
Yes. A 1991 remake ran two seasons, and Brad Silberling directed a 2009 feature film starring Will Ferrell that parodied the series for adults.
