Lost in Space
1965–68 American science fiction television series
Lost in Space is an American science fiction television series created and produced by Irwin Allen, which originally aired between September 15, 1965, and March 6, 1968, on CBS. Lightly dramatic, sometimes comedic in tone, the series was inspired by the 1812 Johann David Wyss novel The Swiss Family Robinson. The series follows the adventures of the Robinsons, a pioneering family of space colonists who struggle to survive in the depths of space. The show ran for 84 episodes over three seasons. The first season comprised 29 one-hour episodes, filmed in black and white. The 29th episode, however, had a few minutes of color at the end. Seasons 2 and 3 were shot entirely in color.
Series synopsis
Overview
Amidst overpopulation on Earth, the United States is gearing up to colonize space. The Jupiter 2, a futuristic saucer-shaped spacecraft, stands on its launchpad undergoing final preparations. Its mission is to take a single family on a five-and-a-half-year journey to an Earth-like planet orbiting the star Alpha Centauri.
The show's ensemble cast focuses on the Robinson family, parents John (Guy Williams) and Maureen (June Lockhart), and their three children, Judy (Marta Kristen), Penny (Angela Cartwright) and Will (Bill Mumy).
The public source identifies “Lost in Space” as 1965–68 American science fiction television series. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Lost, Space and American.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Lost in Space”, the useful work is to connect “1965–68 American science fiction television series” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Attribution, date and provenance are strongest when supported by the original work, a catalogue record and documented transmission. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q536137. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1965, 1968 and 1812.
Rights, attribution and provenance may remain disputed even when a general reference summary presents a stable account. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.
- Identifying works and editions
- Tracing reception history
- Finding collection records
The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Lost in Space”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Lost in Space primary sources, Lost in Space archive and Lost research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Lost in Space”?
- How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
- Where is authorship, date or provenance documented?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Lost in Space” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.