Lost in Space - Jonathan Harris at Orlando MegaCon 1998

And I was serious, I was. So I said "Good afternoon gentlemen."

And they said "Who the hell do you think you are no film." That was a lovely how do you do.

And I said "Well, Mr. Allen, I hesitate to show you the wrong film. I prefer to show you the real thing, me."

And he turned to Frank and said "What did he say Lateraina?"

And Lateraina said "He said he didn't want to show us the wrong film."

And I thought (about the secondary conversation between Allen and Lateraina) "What's this? Is he deaf or what?" [Audience laugh]

Allen said, "Do you want to be in this series?" [gestures pointing with finger] with a finger, that I threatened years later to bite off. And I'm sorry I didn't.

"Mr. Allen, I don't know, I . . . I haven't read the script."

[Allen] "What did he say Lateraina?" [audience laugh]

[Lateriana] "He hasn't read the script."

[Allen] "Somebody give him a script."

Now I'm really wondered what was this game, or how he really acted, or what? I never knew for sure.

Somebody gave me a script [and after I read] and he turned to his cast of men in his office, and . . . this is engrained in blood in my head, by the way, I'll never forget it. It was the weirdest experience of my theatrical career. And he [Allen] says, "Hire him up, and don't pay him too much money." [audience laugh]

I changed that very soon, too. [audience laugh]

Then he [Allen] said, "I suppose you want billing?"

"It is only proper that an artist of my stature receive proper billing on the screen."

[Allen] 'What did he say Lateraina?'

[Lateriana] "He wants billing." Now my head is spinning. What is going on here? In 40 years I never figured it out. Never. I never knew whether it was a game, or whether he was stalling for time, or what? But I've never gotten to the bottom of it.

And he [Allen] said, "Well let me tell you, you weren't in the pilot, your character didn't exist in the pilot, everyone else is signed, sealed and delivered, and as far as billing is concerned you will have to be last."

And I said "Oh, and Would you mind telling me who else is in the show . . . eh huh . . . very

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