2002 UPDATES

 

DECEMBER 2002

 Ho Ho Ho hope you're all feeling the holiday spirit and finding joy in this poor crazy world of ours... that's what I'm tryin to do...

I wanted to say a few quick things for those of you who may be interested...
Lately, I have been posting answers to questions you've been asking me in the guestbook.  There are lots of "mini mumy posts" (sounds like a cereal!) in the guestbook and you might try scrolling through the back pages to check on them.  I'll re-answer the most commonly asked recent question now though...

Since the sad passing of Jonathan Harris last month, the proposed NBC "Lost in Space" movie of the week has been cancelled.  I've been told by my friend in charge of it all, Kevin Burns, that there will be a re-write of the script and he will continue to shop it to other networks. But as of now that is a non-happening project. We all had hoped to see it become a reality, but... that's showbiz. You never know... it might still happen.

I hope some of you caught the brand new "Twilight Zone" story I wrote a few weeks ago. "Found and Lost" aired on November 25th... The same night as Jonathan Harris' A&E Biography...

Speaking of Biography I've been quite busy narrating them and in fact, have to cut this update short because I'm due in the recording studio in 34 minutes to narrate "The Munsters".

I've been enjoying gigging with my acoustic ensemble and have been talking to the Jenerators about going into the studio and making gig plans for next year. I hope to make a lot of different music in 2003, on stage and in the studio.  Barnes and Barnes are even talking about making a new album soon! (again!)

This year, like so many others, has been good for the Mumy family.. I hope you guys have seen my daughter Liliana co-starring in Disney's "The Santa Clause 2" feature. If not... get out and see it!  It's a fine fun family film and she's fantastic in it, if I do say so myself. She's a busy little working actress these days. Look for her as a recurring character, "Rachel" in "My Wife and Kids". She's filming her 4th episode of that comedy series next week.

Well, I must dash off to work. I'll be back with new updates next year. In the meantime, I will continue to answer your questions as often as possible with short posts in the guestbook.

I don't need to remind you what a fragile and frightening world we're on these days... Please send it and those on it thoughts of love and peace.  It can't hurt!  Count your blessings and do your bit to help those who need it.  Good for you. Good for them. 
I wish you all peaceful, healthy, happy holidays.

Cheers,
Bill
"...War is over if you want it. War is over now."  John Lennon

 

NOVEMBER 2002
Jonathan Harris passed away on November 2, 2002.  His funeral was held at the Westwood Memorial cemetery on November 4th.  I delivered the following eulogy there.

I was 11 years old when I first met Jonathan on July 19th, 1965.  And for three years he and I worked almost everyday together on Lost in Space.  Alongside Bob May in the Robot suit we quickly developed into a successful TV team. And 37 years later, for better or worse, both Jonathan and I are best remembered for the work we did during those 3 years. 
I'm here today to tell you without any doubt that he absolutely loved that experience.  And so did I.  Every minute of it.  Jonathan loved creating the character of Dr. Smith, and make no mistake about it… HE created that character.  It was Jonathan who turned the black and white one-dimensional villain of Dr. Smith that was on the page into the wonderful, humorous, cowardly, selfish, dangerous, yet also lovable character we all remember.  It was Jonathan who created the wonderful alliterative insults that Smith spat at the Robot week after week.

I would memorize my lines and then prepare to rehearse with Jonathan, but he'd call me into his dressing room and tell me that he'd re-written all of the scenes we were scheduled to shoot that day.   He'd boldly X'd out his dialogue as written by Peter Packer or Barney Slater or whoever had penned that week's episode, and reworked it. And most importantly, he improved it.
Jonathan loved to hold court on the Lost in Space sets at 20th.  Everyday that we filmed Lost in Space was a day that Jonathan brought a treat for the entire cast and crew. Bubble gum…tootsie roll pops… just a little sweet treat for after lunch… but it was a consistent ritual.  Not a day passed without it.

Thirty years later, we had the wonderful experience of returning to those roles in a television special that I was fortunate enough to co-produce and co-write with Kevin Burns, who of course directed it.  I really wanted to please Jonathan, and I had worked very hard writing the scene where Dr. Smith, the Robot and Will Robinson are reunited on the Jupiter 2. And, just like in the old days, when we showed up to film it, Jonathan had X'd out his lines and re-structured and re-written them. And, also just like in the old days… he improved them.  No one knew the character of Dr. Smith better than Jonathan.  And no one loved that character better than Jonathan. 

I learned a lot about the business from him.  I remember wanting to do the "Will" stunts for myself on the show… they weren't serious stunts, I was maybe 13 and totally into it… but he took me aside and said, " Billy Person," (he always called me that) And I said "Yes, Himself?" (I always called him that)… "Never deny a stuntman a paycheck."  And he was right. Years later I heard his wise words echo in my head several times when I was asked to do some stunts that were a little risky, and I always deferred to the stuntmen.  He used to tell me, "Don't GIVE it away, Billy Person…"  Referring to requests for interview shows and testimonials  for companies that had deep pockets but didn't want to spend any of it on talent.  But you know, when it came to friends… Jonathan didn't heed his own advice. He DID give it away.

I was producing a direct to video project in the late 1980's, and even though Jonathan and I didn't socialize much in those days, I called and asked him to do an on camera scene for it… He showed up… He was wonderful, of course, and… he wouldn't take a penny.  He did the same thing for Kevin Burns when we were filming "The Fantasy Worlds of Irwin Allen".  I had suggested Jonathan show up and do a cameo in character at the very end to "button" the show.  He agreed to do it… for nothing.  As a favor to Kevin.  He did indeed give it away.  When it was for his friends.

When it came to friends… Jonathan not only talked the talk, he walked the walk.  When my father passed away 7 years ago, Jonathan was there on a hot August day to attend his funeral… When my mother was in the hospital he called me several times a week to check on her, "She's a tough cookie, that old broad. She'll be fine, Billy Person, you'll see." Always offering positive words.  He loved my children, Seth and Liliana, and he doted on them whenever he saw them.  I'm so grateful that my wife Eileen and I got to spend several evenings in recent years enjoying wonderful meals in classy restaurants with Jonathan and his beautiful wife of 64 years, Gertrude. (Although he indeed usually found some fault with something on the menu or the service and made no bones about letting it be known!)

No matter how many times I would hear his stories they always were told with such gusto that I was freshly entertained each time.
Jonathan's "Dr. Zachary Smith" will certainly live on forever in syndication, on video tapes, on DVD discs and in other yet to be invented technical formats… but the memory of Jonathan Harris, my friend, my teacher, will definitely live on forever even stronger in my heart.

Bill

 

The sky is clearing and the night has cried enough

The sun he comes the world to soften up

Rejoice, rejoice, we have no choice but to carry on

"Carry On" Stephen Stills

 

AUGUST 2002

 Hi there, Mumy here...
I know it's been quite awhile since the last update, sorry about that.  I haven't felt like I really had very much of interest to share, although as usual I've been quite busy. 

Acting work wise, I've been narrating a lot of Biographies and TVographies for A&E, I did a guest character voice for Warner Bros. Animation on an episode of "Scooby Doo" that was a lot of fun. I worked with my friend Terri Garr and Casey Kasem and several other talented actors recording our parts "live" like a play.  I've also done several new "Farmer's Insurance" commercials recently.  Barnes and Barnes are taping an on camera "Fish Heads" interview for V-1's "One Hit Wonders" series in a few days, and I'm not sure how that will turn out...

The Jenerators have been gigging a lot.  The highlights of our recent gigs have been on the road opening for my pals "America".  If you were at these gigs you know how much fun they were. If you weren't... trust me, they were fun.  We're also playing our "standing" monthly gigs at Rusty's Surf Ranch on the Santa Monica Pier which are always fun and you never know who's gonna show up to jam with us. Shaun Cassidy and Steve Lukather are among those who often get onstage with us. If you're in LA when we're gigging, stop by and check it out. Upcoming gigs are always posted on the homepage here and there's a page full of new photographs from recent gigs in the galleries.

Musically, I've put together a second band to play acoustic music found on my four solo CD's. and we've been gigging here at a very nice folky club in Hollywood called Genghis Cohen.  Bryan Garafalo is on bass and harmony vocals, for those of you music buffs out there, amongst his long list of credits Bryan played bass with Glenn Frey's solo band for 18 years.  Chris Ross from the Jenerators is playing percussion and keeping the groove with some very interesting instruments, and Michael Starr (no relation to Ringo) is playing violin, mandolin, dobra, and guitar.  Me, I'm playing acoustic guitar, harmonica and a little dobra.  It's a lot of fun to be able to play these songs live. We're also playing a few brand new songs in our sets.

Personally, the summer's brought both joyful and sorrowful times.  My kids are happy and healthy and have been enjoying their time out of school. Both of them have been doing some acting projects. Seth recently did a voice over for a Harry Potter commercial, and he's been making his own movies on a consumer digital camera. Liliana's been working in commercials and television. She recently did an episode of "Strong Medicine" for the Lifetime network as well as a two part "My Wife and Kids" which filmed in Hawaii.  Her Dell computer and MacDonald's commercials are running all the time. Remember to look for her in "The Santa Clause 2" Disney film this winter. 

Sadly, my dear friend Rosemary Clooney passed away this summer.  I will cherish the memories of our 30 year friendship.  And Eileen's father passed away recently and she and I just returned from Michigan.  Losing a parent is never easy.  I was thankful I could be there for my wife and her family.  Her father was a very good man. Happily, my mother turned 90 last month and she's doing great.

Otherwise, my many other projects continue to inch forward at their own pace... the novel, the pilot scripts, the Lost in Space NBC movie of the week, etc... all of them are still "in the game".

I'd like to note that some of you may have noticed the guestbook here was "closed" for repairs recently. As I've posted in it several times over the past few months, I don't mind "creative" posts that get a little "out there", but when it becomes a pornographic and profane wasteland then... it's not what I want it to be.  Also, someone was continuously posing as me in those pages, and I won't stand for that. So, it's up to you guys... a few bad apples can indeed spoil the bunch.  The guestbook here is open for business once again and I hope it can be a fun and interesting place for all of us. However, it's on "probation".  If it falls back into the gutter, then I will simply close it for good.  Okay, nuff said about that.

This beautiful planet of ours has certainly been tested to the max.  Sometimes I can only shake my head and hope for the best.  Seems like forces way beyond anyone's control have been kicking the chaos ball around in every arena of reality, doesn't it?  Wouldn't it be nice to live in a flourishing, healthy, peaceful world?  The ancient Hawaiian religion of Huna had a basic philosophy; "if you hurt no one, you've done nothing wrong".
Peace,
Bill
Laurel Canyon, CA
8-19-02

"I'm a cork on the ocean floating over the raging sea, how deep is the ocean?"
Brian Wilson " 'Til I Die"
 

The dogs are waggin' their tails so everything must be okay.
There's a whole lot of stars beyond the sky... you can see em at night.
It's a big universe. Makes our problems seem smaller.
Kids still howling with delight cuz Santa remembered to bring em something to play with they really wanted.
So, joy is alive and well.
Fish are still swimmin' so dive in the water's not that bad.
Happy New Year
Peace,
Bill

PS.  Yeah, I'm still workin'.
"It's not always gonna be this grey. All things must pass."
George Harrison