Mark Goddard

Mark Goddard (born Charles Harvey Goddard; July 24, 1936) is an American actor who has starred in a number of television programs. He is probably best known for portraying Major Don West in the CBS series ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). He also played Detective Sgt. Chris Ballard, in '' The Detectives'', starring Robert Taylor.

Early life

Charles Harvey Goddard was born in Lowell, Massachusetts, the youngest of five children, and grew up in Scituate. He was raised Catholic.

He led both his high school baseball and basketball teams to the state championship finals. Goddard dreamed of becoming a basketball player, but eventually turned to acting. He originally attended Holy Cross College after high school, but he then transferred and studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City. After two years, he moved to Los Angeles.

Career

In 1959, after just three weeks in Hollywood, he landed a role in the CBS Four Star Television series ''Johnny Ringo'', having played the character of Cully, the deputy to Don Durant's character of Ringo. At this time, he changed his name to Mark Goddard at the suggestion of his friend and mentor Chuck Connors of ''The Rifleman''. Goddard appeared as Norman Tabor in the 1960 episode "Surprise Party" of the CBS anthology series ''The DuPont Show with June Allyson''. He was cast as Sheldon Hollingsworth in the 1960 episode "To See the Elephant" of the ABC Western series '' The Rebel'', starring Nick Adams. He played Tod Rowland in the 1960 episode "The Mormons" on ''Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theatre''.

'' The Detectives'', another production of Four Star Television, was a hit series which ran on ABC and NBC from 1958 to 1961;
Goddard was signed for a role lasting three years (64 episodes). In 1963, Goddard appeared as Roy Mooney on the ''Perry Mason'' episode "The Case of the Potted Planter". In 1964 Goddard appeared as Richard on '' The Virginian'' in the episode titled "The Secret of Brynmar Hall." That same year he guest starred as a wild killer named “Boyd” in the episode “Journey For Three” on the TV Western series ''Gunsmoke'' (S9E36).

In 1965, he played Lester Crawford in another ''Perry Mason'', "The Case of the Frustrated Folk Singer". He also appeared with Keir Dullea as sparring college roommates in an episode of ABC's drama series '' Channing'', costarring Jason Evers and Henry Jones. He was featured in the 1965 film ''A Rage to Live'', starring Suzanne Pleshette. From 1964 to 1965, Goddard starred in '' Many Happy Returns,'' in which he portrayed Bob Randall, the young husband of Joan Randall, played by Elinor Donahue.

''Lost in Space''

Goddard's next role was Major Don West on ''Lost in Space'' (1965–1968). A blossoming romance initially existed between West and Judy, the elder daughter of the Robinson family, but by the middle of the second season, West maintained an adversarial relationship with the hapless, sociopathic Dr. Zachary Smith.

On October 16, 1997, Goddard and the rest of the surviving cast appeared on the inside cover of ''TV Guide'' to promote the feature film of ''Lost in Space''. Goddard, along with Harris and the rest of his cast, were planning in 2002 for the movie ''Lost in Space: The Journey Home'' to air on NBC, which never came to fruition.

Later acting career

Goddard guest-starred on three ABC series, '' The Fugitive'', ''The Mod Squad'', and ''The Fall Guy'' and for a while, moonlighted as a Hollywood agent. In 1976, he starred as politician Edward Fleming in the movie '' Blue Sunshine''. In 1970, Goddard co-starred with Kent McCord and Martin Milner in an episode of ''Adam-12'', in which he plays a friend of Pete Malloy (Milner), who is killed in the line of duty. The episode was entitled "Elegy for a Pig

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