Spencer Milligan, who starred in the 1970s children’s series “Land of the Lost,” has died. He was 86.
The actor passed away April 18 at his home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, according to his obituary.
The cause of death wasn’t made public.
Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman, who played Milligan’s son and daughter on the show, paid tribute to Milligan on Facebook.
“This is a video we didn’t want to have to make,” Eure, 72, said. “We heard rumors, and finally it was confirmed. Not an easy day.”
Coleman, 62, added, “I’m a little speechless. He was a true father to us all. Thank God we got to see him one last time and spend some really beautiful moments with him. He was a great man. I really truly believe that. He will be missed.”
Eure captioned the video, “It is so hard saying goodbye to our friend and TV dad, Spencer Milligan. We love you Spencer.”
Milligan played protagonist Rick Marshall in “Land of the Lost.”
The series, which aired on NBC from 1974 to 1976, followed Rick and his kids Will (Eure) and Holly (Coleman) as they are caught in an earthquake and transported into an alternate universe during prehistoric times.
Milligan quit the show after two seasons because of a dispute with producers. He wanted to be compensated for the show’s merchandise including lunch boxes and toys.
“We had a difference of opinion, let’s put it this way, on using my face for stuff and paying me—lunch boxes, compasses—where they were selling them, and I thought it was only fair that everyone should get their fair share,” he told the Associated Press in 2009.
Milligan was replaced in the third and final season by Ron Harper, who played Will and Holly’s Uncle Jack.
After leaving the show, Milligan made guest appearances on various shows including “Gunsmoke,” “The Bionic Woman,” “Alice,” “The Dukes of Hazzard” and “Quincy, M.E.”
However, his career really slowed in the 1980s.
His final acting role was a seven-episode gig on “General Hospital” in 1987.
According to his obituary, Milligan moved back to his hometown in Wisconsin and taught stage classes and directed plays.
“His commitment to his community and his love for theatre were evident in these efforts, and his impact will be felt for years to come,” the obituary said.
Milligan met his wife Kerry in 1991 in Sturgeon Bay, and they got married the in 2002.
He is survived by Kerry and his three godchildren, who referred to him as Kunk.
Credit: Source link
