1999 Updates

1999 UPDATES
September 9, 1999
"Summer's almost gone...where will we be when the summer's gone?"
Sang Jim Morrison back in 1968. Good question, Mr. Mojo Risin....
Well, let's take a look at what's been happening Mumy-wise since our last update a few months back. Thankfully, my work as a voice over actor has continued to be prolific. I've done eight more commercials for Farmer's Insurance recently and that's a real good thing! I've just taped an on camera interview for an E! special on the late great Twilight Zone creator and writer Rod Serling, and I've been to several conventions recently.
First, I traveled to Boston with my "Lost in Space" family, Angela, Marta, Jonathan, and Mark, along with Veronica Cartwright, and shared a little time there with friends like Nicole de Boer from "Star Trek DS9", Gerard Christopher from "Superboy", Jason Carter, Stephen Austin, Robert Krimmer, and Robin Atkins Downes from "Babylon 5", and other sci fi/fantasy actors at the Infinite Visions show. It was very well attended, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Boston is always nice. I've been there several times. We did experience some incredible lightning, thunder and rainstorms while there! Really intense. Got to ride on the subway, go into town and see the sights, and have some excellent food. I did several few radio interviews from the Samuel Adams Beer Brewery. Good beer! Cool tour. I promoted "In the Current" which as you know, has just been released.
Then back to Los Angeles where I attended the Fantasticon. I always try to support that convention which is run by Bill Cambell, because the proceeds benefit the Actor's Home and Hospital which is a worthy cause. There were many, many cast members from Babylon 5 there, including Peter Jurasik, Claudia Christian, Rick Biggs, Jason Carter, and about a dozen more. The panel was totally chaotic, but the fans seemed to love it. Angela Cartwright and I represented the Lost in Space series at that show. Again, it was fun to see the fans, and Glennda Kountz was there to help me and to spread the news that she's taken over the "Official Mumy Fan club". Anyone interested in that can email her from the homepage here. She's a very positive and capable lady who is straightening out what unfortunately became a mess. Give her a chance, and I know all will soon be running smoothly with the club.
Then, it was off to San Diego to play the 30th Anniversary party for the ComicCon. Over 30,000 fans attended the convention, and the party was packed! "Seduction of the Innocent", the goodtime rock band that I'm a part of, reunited to perform for the first time in five years. Max Allan Collins on vocals and keyboards, Chris Christensen on vocals, drums, harmonica, and guitar, Miguel Ferrer on vocals, drums, and percussion, Steve Leialoha on bass, and me on vocals and guitar. We played two hour plus long sets and had a really fun time. The crowd danced from top to bottom, and we closed with "Fish Heads". The sets were professionally recorded, and it's possible that a live CD may be put together one of these days. San Diego was gorgeous. Sunny and breezy, and we stayed in a very nice hotel right on the harbor. My wife and kids came and we stayed for six days doing all the tourist things like Sea World, LegoLand, the San Diego Zoo, and Old Town. It was hectic and nice.
Then back home to deal with all sorts of showbiz potential projects like "Overload" which had now OFFICIALLY been optioned for a feature film by Galaxy Pictures. More on that as it progresses. "Outpost Omega" the television project written and created by Mark Hamill and I is now being represented by a great literary agency, and we're hoping to have more good news regarding that soon.
I've been doing phone interviews to promote "In The Current". And I've also been writing and recording new songs for my next CD which I believe is scheduled for a February or March release.
And, Angela and I continue to prolifically write our fantasy novel, and we're currently well past 200 pages! We have the rest of it all outlined, and it's really coming along nicely. Can't wait to get it all done and hear what you guys think about it! So, that's all I can think to report on at the moment.
The world has been a very chaotic and dangerous place lately... Let's do our best to send out positive energy and visualize peace and harmony around us all.
Bill
"One look at you and I'm out of control Like the universe has swallowed me whole" Bob Dylan

June 22 1999
Hi There,
    Mumy here with an early summer update.
    Most all of my recent work has been "behind" the camera... so, although I've been very prolific and busy lately, I have no new acting film or TV gigs to report. Voice over wise, I've done two more "Twix" commercials recently... "one smart cookie deserves another...Twix." This past week saw the debut of Fox Family Channel's special "Famous Families" biography of the youthful rock trio "Hanson", narrated by your friend and mine,... me. Ahhh, showbiz...

Musically, I've wrapped up the packages for two brand new CD releases. The "Be Five: Trying To Forget" CD finally hits the stores mid July with an eighteen page booklet that includes liner notes from, Claudia Christian, Mira Furlan, Peter Jurasik, Andreas Katsulas, and myself... photographs by the legendary Henry Diltz, and lots of "in the studio" snapshots taken by me and Jamie Seyberth, the mixing engineer. Fans of Babylon 5 will definitely want to check this package out.
My second solo CD "In The Current" has officially gone to press, and will be out in record stores or available through this website and others, on August 3rd. I wrote all the songs on both projects, collaborating with Peter Jurasik and Mira Furlan on two songs for "The Be Five". Both CD's are on Renaissance Records.

Last week I performed live at the Agamemcon sci-fi convention, debuting "the Bill Mumy Band"... a rock n roll group put together to showcase my solo material. Jennifer Condos on bass and vocals, who has toured with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks and many many others... Deborah Dobkin on percussion and vocals, Deb's been working with Bonnie Raitt steadily for many years now... Tom Hebenstreit on guitar and vocals, Tom's been in the Jenerators with me for 9 years now! Harpo Hilfman on keyboards,... Harpo did the Be Five record and is an amazing player... and from the Jenerators, Chris Ross on drums. I'm really lucky to make music with such great players. We played 14 songs, all original Mumy tunes with the exception of "So You Wanna Be A Rock N Roll Star" (by the Byrds) and Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower"... songs from "Dying To Be Heard" "In The Current", "The Jenerators" "The Jenerators: Hitting The Silk" and "The Be Five" CD's. Plus three brand new ones. I had a real good time, and the packed room at the Hilton seemed to enjoy it alot. I was very pleased to see such a big audience show up. We had a few special guests in the set... David Jolliffe, from the Jenerators, (who played "Bernie" for five years on the old "Room 222" tv series) came up and sang on a song he and I wrote together... and for the last three songs of the show, the lovely Claudia Christian joined us. She sang lead on "If You Want Candy" and shared the vocals on "Might Be You' and "It's Just A TV Show". Needless to say the audience, largely made up of B5 fans, loved that. I hope to play with this ensemble more often. I also hope to get some photos from the gig, and when and if I do, I'll post them here at the website. I know the "official" photographer for the Babylon 5 fanclub was there snapping away, so... that should be forthcoming.

Next for the Bill Mumy Band is a gig booked at the Tropicana hotel in Las Vegas September 18th... to celebrate a sci fi event that Claudia's putting together featuring "Women of Space". Should be wild. I hope we'll play before then, though! I'll keep you posted of any upcoming shows, here at the website.

I also recently performed my children's album "Kiss My Boo Boo" as a solo acoustic show at the "Storyopolis" book store/gallery. There were lots of kids and parents there, and everyone had fun. Actually, it wasn't a totally solo performance, because my son Seth joined me on harmonica for a few numbers, and my daughter Liliana also got up a sang a couple of tunes with me.

There's nothing I enjoy more than making music.
My pal Angela Cartwright, who has taken all the photographs for my second solo CD 'In The Current" (which hits the stores on August 3rd; Renaissance Records) was discussing her love of faerie folklore with me, and to her surprise she found out that I too am a big faerie folklore fan... (say it five times fast!)... and I'm pleased to say that the two of us are currently writing a book... a "faerie" tale if you will... the story crosses into some sci-fi territory and really is quite different... I like it. I don't know when that will be completed... but it's coming along nicely... It's fun to be working with my old TV "sister" again. Be sure to check out her websites at www.angela-cartwright.com and www.rubberboots.com.

I'm working on several projects with my writing partner Peter David... most notably, Peter has joined Mark Hamill and I in the scripting process of the latest draft of our project for television, "Outpost Omega"... wish I had more to say on that... stay tuned.

Also, Peter and I have written "Overload", a sci fi film that will hopefully begin filming by the end of this summer. Directed by Tony Dow, scored by Don Grady, it will star (in alphabetical order) Angela Cartwright, Veronica Cartwright, Johnny Crawford, Tony Dow, Don Grady, Billy Gray, and Bill Mumy.

And Peter and I have signed on to write a new sci fi comic titled "X.R.6: Robot Wars" for a new publishing company called Benchpress Comics. The artwork is being supplied by the very talented Jim Califiore who Peter and I both worked with on DC's "Aquaman" comic. For more info on that, check out www.benchcomics.com. Peter and I are finishing up the plot for one HUGE 12 issue story right now.

Besides that, I'm pleased to announce that the two lost '80's albums that Robert Haimer and I ("Barnes and Barnes") produced for the legendary Wild Man Fisher will finally be re-released this summer from Rhino. They're re-packaging the three Rhino albums by Wild Man Fisher, "Wildmania", "Pronounced Normal" and "Nothing Scary", adding over thirty minutes of outtakes, unreleased gems, and general madness, (including "It's A Hard Business" a duet between Wild Man and Rosemary Clooney!) They're releasing it as a double CD to launch Rhino's new "Handmade" label. The release date is August 3rd, and I think it will only be available via the internet. If you're not familar with Wild Man Fisher, he's a truly unique one of a kind artist who was discovered by legendary Frank Zappa in the late 1960's. Zappa produced one Wild Man Fisher album for Warner Bros, and then Larry (Wild Man) moved to Rhino in the seventies. My partner and I tracked him down and produced "Nothing Scary" and "Produced Normal".

For more info on the label, check out http://www.rhinorecords.com. For more info on Wild Man Fisher check out his "unofficial" website at http://www.erie.net/~bbelovar/wildman/
Currently, autographed copies of my CD's "Dying To Be Heard", "The Be Five; Trying To Forget" and "In The Current" are available through this website. For more info on them and Renaissance Records, check out http://www.skymarshall.com/renaissance.
Well, other than that...I'm gearing up for a rock n roll reunion gig with "Seduction Of The Innocent". A very loose, fun, 60's cover tune band made up of Chris Christensen, Max Alan Collins, Miguel Ferrer, Steve Leialoha and me. All involved are comic book "professionals", among other hats we wear, and August 13th (Friday the 13th!) we'll be rockin' the house (very sloppily) at the San Diego ComicCon. For any comic book fans out there, you know San Diego is THE biggest con of the year. This is their 30th anniversary, and we're happy to be asked back. It's been about 5 years since we played together... considering we'll only have a few hours to rehearse before the show... all I can say is... crank it up and LOOK OUT cuz there's bound to be a train wreck or two in that set!
Again, I want to remind you that I do indeed read every posting in the guestbook here. I check it quite often, and I appreciate all the kind words you've shared with me. Even the weird ones. (you know who you are!) It's nice to know that Lost in Space continues to bring pleasure to people, so many of you report that you grew up enjoying it, and now you're sharing it with your kids... I like that. And of course, I'm quite proud to be a part of such a well written, well acted, well produced show like Babylon 5... And then there's those of you who fondly remember some of the odd episodic or feature films I've been in... Whatever it is, I'm glad you guys seem to like it.
For me, it's been an interesting ride so far, mostly a positive one, and this roller coaster looks like it's still got plenty of twists ahead...hang on. That's all I can do.
Til next time, take care of each other. The ancient Hawaiian Kahuna priests had a very simple philosophy... "If you hurt no one, you've done nothing wrong."
Alrighty then. Peace, Bill
"...And after every plan had failed and there was nothing more to tell, you knew that we would meet again, if your memory serves you well." Bob Dylan
April 28 1999

"April showers bring May flowers"… Well, let’s hope so.

    Lots of "potential" things happening lately. Besides doing 7 more "voice over" commercials for "Farmer’s Insurance" and 4 others for "MacDonald’s", it’s been pretty chaotic around Mumyland lately.

    I did an online "chat" with AOL Babylon 5 fans from around the world this month from the old Babylon 5 studios. After going there all the time for five years to film the series, it’s funny how your car just steers itself automatically. The big place is quiet now. "Crusade" the sequel series to Babylon 5 has shut down, and there’s not much going on there. Sure felt different from all the busy activity that I was used to when going there in the past. Karen Harrell, who runs the B5 fanclub, and has been a good pal of mine for years now, organized this live AOL chat. It was fun to get a chance to communicate with the fans. I did get to see a few friends from the old crew who were there taking inventory of props. Who knows what the future holds for Babylon 5? Maybe we’ll return to it again someday. Perhaps "Lennier" will be heard from again sometime down the road. For now, I’m proud to have been a part of such a respected, well written series.

On another side of space sci fi… I went to the wrap party for Star Trek Deep Space 9 the other day. What a classy, fun, crowded, party! Lots of nice people eating great food, and toasting the completion of a successful series coming to an end. I was very happy to be a part of it in a small way. The episode I guest starred in, "The Seige of AR- 558" was re-run a few weeks ago. I liked it. Dark and gritty. It was kind of fun getting blasted by the evil J’em Hadar and dying in the lovely Nicole de Boer’s arms… Did any of you catch it?

    Let’s see… "Overload" a movie I wrote with Peter David for an ensemble cast that includes, Angela Cartwright, Veronica Cartwright, Johnny Crawford, Tony Dow, Don Grady, Billy Gray, and myself has found a home at Galaxy Pictures, and we hope to begin filming this summer. Talk about dark and gritty… I’ll be sure to have more to say on that project as the months pass. Keep your fingers crossed.

Peter and I have also agreed to write a new comic book project for a year. I don’t want to say anymore than that until everything is finalized, and the contracts are signed, but I will add that I’ve already outlined the entire project, and it’s one big sci fi story that takes place in the future with lots of surprises worked into it. Again, more to come as things progress. Keep your fingers crossed.

Mark Hamill and I continue to steer our "Outpost Omega" television project into bigtime showbiz waters. More on that as thing progress.         Keep your fingers crossed.

Does there seem to be a theme to this update?

On top of all that, the musical muse visited me quite unexpectedly and very hard this month. I wrote and recorded no less than 10 songs! Which means, I may have recorded my next solo album already! I couldn’t help it. They just kept pouring out of me… More on that as things progress. Keep your fingers crossed.

    I had a great lunch at 20^th Century Fox studios this month with my "Lost in Space" family, Angela Cartwright, Marta Kristen, Jonathan Harris, and Kevin Burns. Always a treat to get together with those fine folks. We’ll all be appearing together at a sci fi convention in Boston in July. If you’re in the neighborhood, drop by and say hello.

Angela has been taking all the photographs for my "In The Current" CD which comes out June 18^th, and she’s really a fantastic photographer. We’ve had several sessions so far, and I’m very happy that she agreed to be the artistic eye for the project. Make sure to check out her websites.

    Several people who have signed the guestbook here at the website have asked if we’ll be making an original cast "Lost in Space" movie of the week, since we did rebuild the upper deck of the Jupiter 2, and Jonathan, Bob May, and I returned to our old characters for the closing of the "Lost in Space: Forever" special… the answer is: Kevin Burns and I would love to see it happen. I know my fellow LIS actors would enjoy doing it, but right now there are no plans to officially do anything more. Keep your fingers crossed. I’d love to see that happen. Also, people have asked if my 12 part Lost in Space comic book story "Voyage to the Bottom of the Soul" will ever be reprinted and completed. Right now there are no plans for that either, but I’ve recently spoken with the super talented Australian artist Michal Dutkievitz who painted the original project, and he said he’d love to complete it. As some of you know, it was completely written… full script… finished all 12 chapters. However, only 6 chapters were published before Innovation Comics closed up shop do to a myriad of complications… SO… there IS a chance we can see that project again and tell the entire story. Those of you who would like to see that are urged to tell Mike Richardson at Dark Horse Comics how you feel. Keep your fingers crossed.

    So… LOTS of new things that are on the verge of either coming your way soon or… going to the cornfield… Time will tell.

Well, that’s it for now.

As John Lennon said: "Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans".

Peace, Bill

PS Next month I’ll sleep.

March 12, 1999
Here's what's been going on in Mumyland lately...
    The original "The Twilight Zone" television series was honored by the Museum of Television and Radio on March 4th, here in Hollywood at the Directors Guild. I was asked to be part of the tribute and to participate in an onstage panel with other Twilight Zone alumni. I was honored to be in such grand company! Martin Landau, Cliff Robertson, Earl Holliman and I made up the acting contingency... while the writers were represented by such legendary talents as Earl Hamner, George Clayton Johnson, and Richard Matheson. Original series producers Buck Houghton and Bert Granet were there as well as Rod Serling's wife Carol Serling. Producer/writer/Twilight Zone expert Marc Scott Zicree was also on hand to make sure we had the right answers!
    The auditorium was packed to capacity with fans and press, and it was indeed an impressive and delightful evening. Of the hundreds of television shows I've been a part of, none have stood the test of time better than the three episodes of The Twilight Zone I was lucky enough to be cast in way back when. "Long Distance Call", "It's A Good Life", and "In Praise Of Pip".
    In my humble opinion, T. Zone is the best TV series ever made, and this tribute to it was long overdue.

    Another March treat for me was acting once again alongside my dear friend Jonathan Harris! The two of us reprised our characters of "Eon" (me) and "Era" (Jonathan) in another episode of the upcoming Disney animated series, "Buzz Lightyear of Star Command". I can't wait to see what our characters will look like when they're fully animated by the Disney artists. Jonathan and I have a wonderful time working together, and even though these characters are nothing like Lost in Space's Dr. Smith and Will Robinson, I think we've got a cool chemistry between us that works well.

    And more March Animation news... Peter David and I wrote an episode of the upcoming "Roswell Conspiracies" animated series. The title of our script is either "Playing With Fire" or "Flying Saucer Down". (The producer's will make that call.) It's a serious science fiction project, full of mysteries, covert government agent conspiracies, danger, and fun. Animation takes quite awhile to complete, but be on the lookout for both these new shows.

    Still got more to report... Barnes and Barnes' last studio album of all new material was 1991's "Loozanteen" on Rhino Records. Yes, a "Best Of Barnes and Barnes" compilation CD is being released June 18th, on Renaissance Records, and yes, that project does include 3 new songs, but... what I'm even more excited about is the fact that Barnes and Barnes, (Robert Haimer and Me) have started writing and recording our next album. We've completed the first basic track for it, "Ice Cream Bed". Even though it's been years since we've seriously worked together, the weird, quirky, unique energy is still there. Like it or hate it, but nobody sounds like B&B but B&B! I'm looking forward to seeing the project, tentatively titled "Middle Aged Men", come together. I'm sure it won't be completed for quite a long time, but... it has begun!

    Other than that, I continue to write and "pitch" my other showbiz projects, audition for acting gigs, and of course make time for goofing around with my family and watching the Lakers games!

        And I do want to remind you once again that I read all the entries in this website's guestbook and continue to be flattered and touched by your kind words. Next update I plan on addressing many of the questions you've written there.
    I hope life is going great for all of you out there in computerland. Til next time...

    Peace, Bill

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