Spencer Milligan, ‘Land of the Lost’ Actor, Dies at 86
Spencer Milligan, who starred as park ranger and father Rick Marshall on “Land of the Lost” died on April 18 at his home. He was 86.
His obituary was published on the website for Huehns Funeral Home & Crematory in Sturgeon bay, Wisconsin.
Milligan played the father of Will Marshall (Wesley Eure) and Holly Marshall (Kathy Coleman) on the first two seasons of the Saturday morning series created by Sid and Marty Kroft.
Though the show launched Milligan to fame, he left because he didn’t receive royalties for merchandise with his likeness on it. Still, he did enjoy his time with Eure and Coleman, he said in a 2009 interview with the Associated Press. “I did love working with the kids. I did enjoy spending time with them. We had a lot of fun.” He was replaced by Ron Harper for the show’s third season.
Milligan added that he spent the years that followed directing local theater. He also directed episodes of TV shows, including “The Bionic Woman,” “Alice,” “Quincy M.E.” and “General Hospital.”
The actor revisited the series in 2018 when he, Eure, and Coleman reunited at the 2018 Pop Con in Milwaukee. “I really didn’t know these were going on,” Milligan told the Green Bay Gazette. “They said they’d have a driver come up here and pick me up. It was quite a scene. Something I didn’t expect.”
Milligan was born on Sept. 10, 1937, in Oak Park, Illinois. He trained at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre before he enlisted in the Army. Following his discharage in 1966, Milligan studied with Lee Strasberg in New York and with Joan Darling in Los Angeles. His acting debut was 1973’s “Sleeper.”
Milligan is survived by his wife, Kathy, and his godchildren Andee, Hilary and Spencer.
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