Bill Mumy goes beyond ‘Lost in Space’ in new memoir

Think you know your classic TV trivia? Go ahead then, name the second actor to play Darrin Stephens in the '60s comedy series “Bewitched.”

I would have answered Dick Sargent. But then again, I’m just a bubble-headed boobie because the answer is 11-year-old Billy Mumy who played Darrin as a child in the 1965 episode, “Junior Executive,” during Dick York’s initial reign as the long-suffering sitcom hubby.

Many more fascinating facts and stories are crammed into Bill Mumy’s new 400+ page autobiography “Danger Will Robinson: The Full Mumy – A Memoir” to be released Nov. 1 (see NCPBooks.com).

Riding high on the success of early roles in popular '60s series such as “The Twilight Zone” and “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” 1965 proved a good year for little Billy, not yet a teenager. In addition to “Bewitched” and guest-starring in other beloved TV classics such as “I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Virginian,” and “The Munsters,” the young actor portrayed a key character in the Twentieth Century Fox film “Dear Brigitte” starring Jimmy Stewart.

That was also the year Mumy began the series for which he is best remembered: “Lost in Space.” But despite his book’s title, the author examines much more than just the galaxy-wandering Robinson family.

“‘Lost in Space’ is definitely covered, perhaps from a different perspective than what Angela Cartwright and I included in our ‘Lost (and Found) in Space’ book,” said Mumy, from Los Angeles, referring to their 2016 pictorial memoir that was updated last year. “But certainly Will Robinson is the character most people identify with me.”

Riveted to his family’s black and white television screen of the late '50s, 4-year-old Billy longed to emulate his favorite TV adventurers such as Superman, the Lone Ranger and Zorro, even breaking a leg after leaping fearlessly off his bed in full crusader mode and landing hard unlike his more nimble black-caped hero. But he carried that enthusiasm into his youthful acting career that would soon flourish.

Ironically, Mumy ended up working alongside his Zorro idol — Guy Williams, who would play space dad to the adventurous boy astronaut who ‘saved the day’ on many occasions during the three seasons of “Lost in Space.” While he crossed professional paths with numerous other Hollywood legends, he remains especially in awe of one.

“Jimmy Stewart was the best overall artist I ever worked with,” said Mumy of his “Dear Brigitte” co-star. “During the 10 weeks of filming, we were like father and son just hanging out between scenes talking about comic books and playing catch. He truly was a wonderful man and showed me how you strive to be a good actor and to treat your coworkers well.”

That respect was reciprocated by the veteran actor who, according to Mumy in the book, claimed young Billy “was the only child actor I ever worked with who was worth a damn.”

Mumy says there were few professional ‘horror stories’ during his career, an exception being Alfred Hitchcock who terrified 7-year-old Billy on the set of “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” when the director apparently whispered in the boy’s ear during a scene to stop shuffling about or he would nail his feet to the floor!

“The vast majority of actors and directors I worked with as a child were very happy with me because I always knew my lines and got things done quickly with honest performances,” he said.

Beyond “Lost in Space” and his other on-screen work, Mumy has worn many hats including those of musician, singer, songwriter, author, and voice actor (see billmumy.com).

Despite an incredibly productive career in so many areas, Mumy still recognizes the nostalgic value “Lost in Space” has for fans who grew up in the '60s. In 1998, he even briefly reunited with cast member Jonathan Harris who revived his perpetually whiny Dr. Smith character alongside Bob May inside the show’s beloved robot (voiced by Dick Tufeld) for the Kevin Burns special, “Lost in Space Forever.”

Mumy, then several inches taller than the aging Harris, delighted fans by writing a three-minute reunion sketch for the documentary. Despite the 30-year gap, the actors didn’t skip a beat returning to their famed characters with Harris continuing his humorous verbal robot abuses, hurling classic insults such as mechanical moron, lamebrain lump, and Neanderthal ninny.

“It was so interesting how we all just comfortably fell back into the trio of Smith, the robot, and Will,” he said. “I don't think anyone got more joy out of doing it than Jonathan.”

It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that Mumy included the name of his plucky young space adventurer in the new book’s title.

“Every child has a gift and mine from an early age was being able to easily memorize a script and deliver the dialogue believably,” he says. “I loved being little superhero Will Robinson. As a child actor, he was everything I ever wanted to be.”

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama and has written features, columns, and interviews for numerous magazines and newspapers. See getnickt.org.

This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: Bill Mumy's new memoir highlights 'Lost in Space' and much more