Spencer Milligan

Spencer James Milligan (September 10, 1937 – April 18, 2024) was an American actor. He was best known for the role of Rick Marshall, the father of Will and Holly Marshall, on the first two seasons of the 1970s children science fiction TV series, ''Land of the Lost''.

Career

Prior to breaking into proper TV and film, in 1970, Milligan appeared, at age 33, in a United Airlines short tourism film about the City of Chicago, along with Shelley Long, during her modeling days at age 20-21, years before starring in Cheers.

Milligan left ''Land of the Lost'' after the second season due to a dispute with the producers of the show. Milligan wanted his share of any merchandising profits or royalties that the show generated. In a 2009 interview with the Associated Press, Milligan elaborated:

The show replaced Milligan's character Rick Marshall with Rick's brother Jack Marshall, played by actor Ron Harper. Milligan did not return for the brief scene at the beginning of "After-Shock," the first episode of the third season. This scene, which was also used in the opening credits of the third season, showed Rick Marshall being transported out of the ''Land of the Lost''. Jon Kubichan, who both wrote and produced the episode, played the role instead, wearing a wig resembling Milligan's hair and standing with his back to the camera.

Although Spencer Milligan made various guest-starring roles on TV in the 1970s, his career slowed down in the 1980s. During the 1980s, Milligan lived in Malibu. He then relocated to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area in the 1990s, where he taught acting at Adam Roarke's Film Actors Lab (where Lou Diamond Phillips studied). One of Milligan's students was actor Benton Jennings. Milligan eventually moved back to his family's home in Wisconsin. His last known televised acting performance was in 1987, when he appeared on ''General Hospital''.

In addition to teaching acting, Milligan directed local plays.

Death

Milligan died in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin on April 18, 2024, at the age of 86.

Filmography

A partial filmography follows.

Film

* '' Sleeper'' (1973) as Jeb Hrmthmg
* '' The Man From Clover Grove'' (1975) as Fester McLong
* ''The Photographer'' (1974) as Clinton Webber

Television

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Milligan, Spencer
1937 births
2024 deaths
Male actors from Fort Worth, Texas
American male television actors
20th-century American male actors