Lost In Space - S3 E8 - Flight into the Future (1967)

We've looked at Lost in Space before, both the original series Robinsons' spacesuits as well as the movie and Netflix reboots.

For this post though we are returning to a specific episode of the original run - season three's Flight into the Future, the eighth episode that first aired in 1967.  This story features two Destination Moon style suits which may even be the originals or at least a very accurate reproduction.

What's particularly interesting about this spacesuit though is that's its an ensemble of very mixed origins because while the suit may be from 1950, the helmets are from 1966's Way...Way Out.  They have been modified to reflect the 50's aesthetic but that actually appears to have been done for an earlier Irwin Allen production; episode two of  The Time Tunnel.  There is lots more to be said about this but at the risk of repeating myself its perhaps best to follow the link and read all about here:

The Time Tunnel - Episode 2: One Way to the Moon (1966)

or go here:

A Suitography of the "Way... Way Out" Spacesuit (1966 and onwards)

Steve

The Time Tunnel - Episode 2: One Way to the Moon (1966)

The Time Tunnel was the third of Irwin Allen's four classic sci-fi serials following on from Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1964–1968), Lost in Space (1965–1968) and preceding Land of the Giants (1968–1970).  The time travel themed adventure series ran for just one season of 30 episodes from 1966 to 1967 and in true Irwin Allen tradition, made good creative use of stock film footage to add cinematic value that far exceeded a normal television show's budget.

With that particular trait in mind we can easily deduce why the space suit costumes seen in episode 2; One Way to the Moon have more than a passing similarity to those seen in the1950's iconic Destination Moon as indeed, scenes from that movie are intercut into the TV episode to broaden the spectacle.

 The Time Tunnel

 

Destination Moon

I'm tempted to suggest, given the passage of time between the two productions, that the spacesuits seen on TV are reproductions but who knows they might indeed be the actual movie originals, they're certainly a very close match and other spacesuits have enjoyed equally long lives

The helmets on the other hand are not the movie ones getting a second outing but are, I now believe, far more interesting in their origin in that they are most probably the helmets from Way...Way Out (1966).

This theory was suggested to me by blog-follower Tim Armstrong who's spent a lot of time trying to solve the mystery, because neither of us believed that they were originals produced for that one episode, because, well;  why would Allen go to the expense!  Tim said this in a blog comments made back in June 2014:

"Damn those suits have had a long life, any idea where the helmets seen in this episode came from, I find it hard to believe that they would have had helmets custom made for just this episode."

And then 6 years later in January 2020:

"I think I`ve just cracked the riddle of the helmets on the Destination Moon type suits that we first saw in episode 2 of The Time Tunnel and that also made an appearance in the Lost in Space season 3 episode flight into the future [ep8]
These are actually the Way... Way Out helmets prior to receiving their new opening visors. The profile looks identical and there are 4 of them [we see 4 in The Time Tunnel] it looks like they've covered part of the original visor in some new material and added a raised lip to the new visor's edge, in fact in a couple of the scenes in Lost in Space you can actually see this in profile as the actor turns his head.

These ARE the Way...Way Out helmets! I`m certain of it!"

And do you know what; I'm going to agree with him because when you look and compare the images for long enough, you can see it.

You may also wish to follows the label below: Way Out Spacesuits to trace the history of the suits and the helmets or;  A Suitography of the "Way... Way Out" Spacesuit (1966 and onwards)  which gets updated with each new discovery so feel free to let me know of any gaps.

 

So a massive thanks to Tim, whose fascination and dedication to this site has been greatly appreciated over the years. Cataloguing spacesuits is one thing but unearthing these cultural hand-me-downs and exposing their secret histories is for me the most satisfying part of it all.  Top work.

 

 

Steve

A Suitography of the "Way... Way Out" Spacesuit (1966 and onwards)

A work in progress.

Below are the links to all the films, TV shows and other places you will find all or some part of the spacesuits originally featured in; Way... Way Out.

I'll update it when necessary and will hopefully also identify alterations, customisations and variations.  If you think you've found a new appearance not listed then let me know in the comments below.  Otherwise; Go explore the Suitography.

Way... Way Out (1966)  Film
The Time Tunnel - Episode 2: One Way to the Moon (1966) TV Show
Lost In Space - S3 E8 - Flight into the Future (1967) TV Show
The Green Hornet - Invasion from Outerspace (1967) TV Show
The Invaders - Moonshot (1967) TV Show
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Journey with Fear" (1967)  TV Show
In Like Flint (1967) Film
Get Smart – Pheasant Under Glass (1969)  TV Show
Future Blues by Canned Heat (1970)  Album cover
The Bob Hope Show (1971) TV Show
Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971)  Film
Star Wars: A New Hope - Part 2 - (1977)  Film
Warp Speed (1981)  Film
The Philadelphia Experiment (1984) Film


Steve

The Green Hornet - Invasion from Outerspace (1967)

The Green Hornet, episode 25....

Can't get any sharper images than these at the moment but hopefully you can still see that those are the Way... Way Out space suits and helmets.


Steve

The Bob Hope Show (1971)

Bob Hope in the "Planet of the Shapes" skit from The Bob Hope Show Season 22, Episode  1, Aired September 1971

And of course that is the Way.. Way Out space suit


Steve

The Invaders - Moonshot (1967)

Say; Hello Spaceman

 

Stumbled across this episode as a re-run on the TV this evening. Should have thought to look, really.  A show like The Invaders was bound to have at least one spacesuit appearance, and what a suit it is!  If you are not familiar with it or this blog then follow the "Way Out Spacesuit" label below to marvel at all the place these suits end up.

Steve

Way... Way Out (1966) - A Gallery

 What a fantastic image.

Steve

Warp Speed (1981)

A ship is found adrift in space with no trace of its crew, or any signs of life at all. A psychic is brought in to try to "join" her mind with the memories lingering in the craft so that she can find out what happened to the crew.

That suit is all kinds of interesting.  It appears to be one of the Mercury inspired suits that was first seen in Way... Way Out in 1966 and then pops up all over the place until this outing in 1981.  The helmet keeps going a bit longer.  Follow the: Way Out Spacesuit label to enjoy the journey.

Steve

The Philadelphia Experiment (1984)

One of our occasional "Not Really a Space suit but..."

It's been a few years since I last saw The Philadelphia Experiment but if memory serves this was an electrical insulation suit for surviving the temporal vortex thingy at the end of the movie.  I quite like it and am somewhat surprised it didn't pop up after as a actual spacesuit.  Maybe you all know different.

I think the helmet is familiar and looks to be one of the ones seen in Escape from the Planet of the Apes, Star Wars New Hope and Gets Smart.  I believe it started life in Way..Way Out (1966)  If it is the same then this would be the most recent appearance.

 

 

Steve

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Journey with Fear" (1967)

Journey with Fear is the 4th episode from the 4th season of the long running American TV series Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. (1964 to 1968), an underwater adventure series not averse to dealing with an outer space plot or two. 

Aliens snatch a manned space probe launched from Seaview with Chip Morton aboard, and transport it at the speed of light to their observation post on the rocky, unstable surface of Venus

 

 

 

Here you will notice the very same spacesuits as first seen in Way... Way Out (1966) which then went on to feature in various other films and a variety of other TV shows.  Follow the Way Out Spacesuit label below to be truly amazed at where this suit winds up.

.....go on then... off you trot


Steve

Star Wars: A New Hope - Part 2 - (1977)

Lets look back at Star Wars IV (The first one)  I keep trying to re-watch it to capture a little of the excitement I once felt about it as a kid but it's just not there anymore. I find this very odd because I watch all sorts of other old stuff from back then and get right into it again but not this.  ?
Ah well!

Anyway lets look at the few remaining spacesuits on view in the cantina scene.

As well as Bo Shek in his black Windak, which we looked at ages ago, there are a few others.

Unfortunately it's hard to get really good images of them so we'll just have to settle for these.

There are three spacesuited characters in this background scene.  Some of them may well have inherited character names in the intervening years but clearly at the time they were just there to make the place look sufficiently sci-fi.  And they were there to do it within a budget as well which is why they are all existing suits and helmets.  What we have to do now is identify them...well we don't have to but it's a fun game to play.

lets do the easy one first.

That's the yellow Windak, the twin of Bo Shek's black one.  The two suits have had something of a career but their most famous previous appearance will be in the 1964 film; The First Men in the Moon.

Sitting next to him is Danz Borin who's suit has that distinctive black patch that suggests it's from the same place as Duros (?) Ellors (?), the blue skinned, red eye'd chap below.  The helmet is from somewhere else and I know I've seen it before but I just can't place it.  If anybody wants to chip in with an idea or two, feel free to post a comment. I thought it would come to me but it's not happening.

 

Not sure about the silver suit above. It's been suggested elsewhere that it's from the TV series Lost In Space but I can't be sure.  The helmet however is from Escape from the Planet of the Apes, 1971 and has also done the rounds in a series of film and TV shows prior to this. 

This image, if you've the eyes of a hawk and look into the top left hand side seems to suggest that there might have been two of these identically clad spacemen, both with their back to us while talking to Borin.  Mr yellow Windack, is sitting down by this point, on the very edge of the picture trying to pull some space floozie

 

And that white suit there, identical to Borin's above, is one of the actual spacesuits from the 3rd of the Ape movies although like the helmet it started life in the early 60's, featuring in a number of films and TV shows.  It used to be a classic silver colour too, like the Gemini suits.

 

 

Steve

Future Blues by Canned Heat (1970)

Future Blues is the fifth album by the band Canned Heat.  I know nothing at all about them except what I read on wikipedia but you can go and do that for yourself if you're that way inclined. 

What we do have to admire though is the cover artwork.  A recent find for me but a quick glance tells me that we've got spacesuits from a couple of different eras here.  There's the Destination Moon style of suit from  the1950's and the suits from Way... Way Out from 1966.  Both of which pop up all over the place.

 

 

Steve

Get Smart – Pheasant Under Glass (1969)

Pheasant Under Glass is the 1^st episode from the 5^th and final season of the long running and much loved American TV show; Get Smart.

Get Smart was a spoof of that staple of 60’s fiction; the secret agent genre.  In its opening scene, that has nothing to do with the plot and everything to do with Neil Armstrong, Max and 99 go to the moon for one of their mission briefing with the Chief who’s already there and waiting for them.

The Chief tells them that it will probably be the last time that they’ll meet there as it’s about to become very busy.  Max says that at least they had a good four years using it.  The show aired September 1969 just a few months after the Eagle had landed.

And when returning to Earth, Max offers the Chief a lift back but apparently he’s not going that way!

It still made me smile and I’m watching some four decades later but maybe I’m easily pleased.

Anyhow, these are those space suits that were first seen in Way... Way Out, then; In Like Flint and, after a whitewashing for Escape from the Planet of the Apes, went on to put in an appearance at the Mos Eisley Space Port.  Interestingly, I’ve a notion that the helmets were also seen in the Star Wars cantina too but we’ll look into that when we get to there. 

It’s also interesting to note, because it’s very easy to see in these pictures, that there is a subtle difference between the helmets seen here, with Don Adams’ having a smaller, rounder visor which is particularly noticeable when viewed sideways on.

Steve