PENINSULA PROFILE: Spencer Milligan

Jon Gast

Spencer Milligan was born in Oak Park, Ill., in 1937 and went on to carve an impressive résumé of acting credits in theater, television, and movies. He is most endeared by fans for his role as Rick Marshall in the hit 1970’s children’s television series “Land of the Lost.”Marshall, with his children Will and Holly, is trapped in an alternate universe inhabited by dinosaurs. The storylines focus on the family’s efforts to survive and find a way back to their own world. In real life, Milligan eventually found his way back to his boyhood vacation home in Door County, where he and his wife Kerry own a classic piece of property in rural Sturgeon Bay. Kerry is a talented artist, whose work is on display on the Peninsula.

Q: Spencer, tell us how you got bit by the acting bug.

A: I grew up LaGrange Park, Ill, and went to high school. Actually, that’s where I started acting. I did a couple of plays in junior college and then I went out to California and finished up my degree, at what was at that time, San Fernando Valley State College where I majored in speech and drama. We had a great little theater there. It was a campus of Quonset huts. Remember the theater in Baileys Harbor? That was like our theater. It could fit 95 to 100 people. I graduated and left California and came back to Chicago and tried to be in “the corporate world.” I worked for International Telephone & Telegraph. I became a regional manager in three years. But I could see I was not corporate. I had to be free. They wanted me to go to New York. It was just not my world. My dad said that this was great for me and I said “No, dad, I can’t do this any more.” I got an agent in Chicago and started to do plays and commercials. This was the 1960’s and in those days there was a lot of money in commercials. Then I got a break doing a play called Adaptation, which was written by Elaine May of the comedy team of Nichols & May. The director told me I did a great job in the play and I should think about this as a career. I said, “I know. I’m going to stick with it.” After that, it was important for me to establish myself and go to New York even though I was thinking California. I went to New York and got an agent and started working. I think, in that first year I was there I did 17 national commercials.

Q: Was there a turning point in your career?

A: I went in for an interview for a part. I didn’t get it and I decided at that time I was going to leave and go out to California. So, I went back to Illinois and bought a used Cadillac and drove out to Los Angeles. I got there and I got an agent and he sent me over for an interview. I got the job. The name of the character was this hick “Festus” in the movie “The Man from Clover Grove.” When you get a part you have to put it on a tape, today DVD, and my agent would send it around. There was another film with Burt Lancaster called Executive Action, and I played a reporter, not a big role, but it was fun because I got to be with him; very nice man.

Q: How did “Land of the Lost” come about?

A: For some reason my agent called me and he said he wanted me to go over to see this director. I read for him, he called me back and I read for him again. They (eventually) called me again to interview for a television show. They told me to wear khakis. You’re going to be playing this ranger. It’s going to be a kid’s show on Saturday morning. It’s called Land of the Lost. I said, “O.K.” So they put me on tape. I do the interview and I leave. So it’s 3:30 in the afternoon and I believe it’s Friday, and I was sitting there having a beer when my agent called and said, “They want you.” I did it two seasons.

Q: Do you ever watch any of your old “Land of the Lost” episodes?

A: Yes, I bought some.

Q: What do you think when you watch them?

A: I kind of giggle. I laugh.

Q: Are you proud of them?

A: Oh, yes. It’s part of my life. It’s not my full life. I did what I wanted to do and that was it. For the time, I thought it was very good. We had some fun with it. But I don’t know if I would have wanted to do it for five years. There’s a time where you want to get outside the box and play different things. I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I was stuck there.

Q: What came next?

A: I started working in, I don’t know how many television shows, everything from Gunsmoke to Quincy, M.E. I did about four “Quincy’s” with Jack Klugman. I did Police Squad with Leslie Nielsen; very funny man. We were doing a scene and he had one of those fake fart things and we’re right in the middle of the scene and he does that. We all cracked up and director of course yells “Cut! Now Leslie, don’t do that, it’s costing us money.”

Q: Was your versatility a key to your success and longevity as an actor?

A: Yes, that helps. You can go from one role to another without fear of being type cast.

I was at Universal (Studios) in 1976, when I was doing Quincy and they sent me for a movie of the week called The Keegans. The Keegans was an Irish family and Judd Hirsch was the detective in it and I was Pete Keegan, football player. And my brother was Adam Roarke, who is now deceased. They were hoping to make a series out of it. They never did. After that I kind of wanted to do more theater so I did Come Back Little Sheba. I played Doc, who was a reformed alcoholic, except on occasion. That got me some very good reviews. My agent called me and told me to go to Paramount and see the casting director. She asked if I’d be interested in doing a film with Woody Allen and I said “Sure.” It wasn’t a huge part, but it was a part in which I’m working with Woody and it’s pretty funny. I do this interview and what I didn’t know was Woody was hiding behind this curtain listening. I do the whole thing and I leave and they run after me telling me I’ve got the part. I called my parents and told them I was going to be in the film Sleeper. It was an outrageous scene and played this effeminate character. I put it on my reel and I’d crack up because here comes this guy who in “The Keegans” was punching people out, and in Gunsmoke, I’m a bad guy. I guest starred in about 100 television programs.

Q: How long were you on the Hollywood scene?

A: About 22 years − late 1960’s to late the 1980’s. I kind of left and went down and taught acting at the Film Actors Lab in Texas. Then I got to a place where I was doing narrations and voice work. The Hollywood thing changed so dramatically. One of the last things I did was a soap opera. I was in The Young and the Restless and General Hospital. I just didn’t like it. There are some very good actors on the shows and they stay for years, and honestly, I don’t know how they do it. I couldn’t do it. I’d rather go home – direct or do theater.

Q: Did you find the acting to be different in doing a kids’ program like Land of the Lost from your other work?

A: I don’t think so. I was in a parental role and I was in control. And even though I wasn’t a father, there was a lot of me in it, if I actually was a father. I’m in touch with some of the cast. Kathy Coleman who played Holly, my daughter, calls me all the time. She just sent a (Land of the Lost) calendar − which boggles my mind, signed “I’ve always been proud to have you has my “dad.’” Isn’t that wonderful?

Q: I hate to use the term cult following, but isn’t that kind of what’s happening with Land of the Lost?

A: I know. It seems to have happened later. I never thought it would be like this.

Q: Was it because it was so impressionable on the kids of that age?

A: It was. Listen to this letter I just received: “Spencer, I just received the signed photo and I just want to thank you so much. I remember watching the show when I was a kid. I loved it. I’m 46 now and just bought the complete series box set. I’m watching it from beginning to the end like it was new. I’m still a fan. Thank you, Spencer, you are a true gentleman.” It boggles my mind, but I really enjoy it. I always respond. That’s something you must always do. That’s a fan, so I always respond to those who find me.

Q: How do they find you up here in Wisconsin?

A: I don’t know.

Q: Tell me about you connection with Door County?

A: The first year I came here was 1939. My folks bought a cottage and we came up here every summer. I even performed at Peninsula Players one summer about 40 years ago. I loved it. The thing I’ve always loved about Door County is its plainness, how informal it is and the way people have kept things the way they were. This house is 104 years old and they don’t build them like this any more. We’ve been here 20 years. Originally, we went back and forth to California, but then I said let’s just stay here because I love it here. It’s quiet and peaceful. I always knew I was going to retire here. Way back I told my parents that I was going to retire to Door County when I finished acting. “Why would you do that?” they asked. And I told them that’s where I was a kid. You have all these memories. I still feel that way. You can’t get me off this property that much. I don’t even go to Chicago any more.

Q: Tell us a little of what you’ve been doing in Door County since settling here full time.

A: I’ve been working with Theater M with Mark Moede and Mary White. Last summer we did the “Revival of Billy Sunday” at the Woodwalk Gallery. My main interest is directing; working with young people. We did a tribute to Tennessee Williams at TAP (Third Avenue Playhouse). We’ve been at the Town Hall Bakery in Jacksonport. I don’t know what we’re gong to do this fall, but it will be something. It’s fun to direct and I’ve always wanted to. And it’s fun to do it up here. There are some very talented people up here. Why go back to the city. I did that scene. You don’t go backwards. You start something different and new.

— As told to Jon Gast