Land of the Lost

Land of the Lost

Information
Title:	Land of the Lost
Format:	Live-action
Genres:	Children's<br.Adventure
Rating:	TV-G
Running time:	30 min.
country:	USA
Network:	NBC
Seasons:	3
Episodes:	43
Production
Production company:	Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions
Executive producers:	Sid Krofft; Marty Krofft
Producers:	Jon Kubichan; Jim Washburn
Principal cast:	Wesley Eure; Kathy Coleman; Spencer Milligan; Philip Paley; Ron Harper
Air dates
First aired:	September 7th, 1974
Last aired:	December 4th, 1976

The Land of the Lost was an American children's television series produced by Sid & Marty Krofft Television Productions. It aired on the NBC network on Saturday mornings from September, 1974 to December, 1976, spanning three seasons and a total of forty-three episodes. Season one was comprised of seventeen episodes, while seasons two and three had thirteen episodes a piece. The series spun off into a revival series in 1991 and a feature film starring Will Ferrell in 2009.

The premise of the show revolved around the Marshall family, which was comprised of Father Rick Marshall, his teenage son Will Marshall and Will's younger sister Holly. As the opening credits of each episode reveal, the Marshalls were engaged in a "routine expedition" while rafting down a river, when the area is struck by a massive earthquake, sending them toppling down a waterfall. When they awaken, they find themselves on another world; a world populated by dinosaurs, primitive cave people known as Pakuni and the reptilian hunters known as the Sleestaks. Each episode introduced new threats as well as new allies, while focusing on the Marshalls' efforts to survive in the Land of the Lost, as well as their ongoing commitment towards finding a way back home.

Season three saw a change in the cast line-up of the series. Spencer Milligan, who played Rick Marshall, left the series and was replaced with the character's brother Jack Marshall, played by Ron Harper. Actor Philip Paley, known for playing the role of the Paku Cha-Ka, became a credited cast member in season three and was seen in nearly every episode. Walker Edmiston, who played the stoic Altrusian Enik was never a credited cast member, but was a stable presence throughout all three seasons of the show.

Theme song[]

One of the most recognizable elements of the show was its theme song. The original song was used in the first two seasons of the series when the main cast consisted of Spencer Milligan, Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman. The music was accompanied by footage of the main characters first arriving in the Land of the Lost. The theme song was also parodied by actor Will Ferrell in the 2009 feature film remake of Land of the Lost. The original lyrics are as follows:

Marshall, Will and Holly.
On a routine expedition,
Met the greatest earthquake ever known.
High on the rapids,
It struck their tiny raft,
And plunged them down a thousand feet below.
To the Land of the Lost.

With season three of the show, actor Spencer Milligan had departed from the program and was replaced with actor Ron Harper, who filled in as the Marshall family adult figure, Uncle Jack Marshall. Given the change in cast, series creators Sid and Marty Krofft could no longer use the original opening credit montage or its memorable theme song. As such, a new song was composed and the opening sequence was filled with stock scenes from previous episodes.

Will and Holly Marshall
As the Earth beneath them trembled.
Lost their father through the door of time.
Uncle Jack went searching. And found the kids at last.
Looking for a way to escape...
From the Land of the Lost.