The Original Iron Man Gone
Jan. 19 2009, Published 1:10 p.m. ET
One of the most beloved performers in TV history died.
Stuntman Bob May died of heart failure on Sunday. He was 69 and is best known for having worn the suit of "The Robot" in the beloved TV series Lost in Space, which debuted in 1965. No one could wiggle their tubular arms like May.
"It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories," said June Lockhart, who starred as "mom" Maureen Robinson. "He just happened to be on the studio lot when someone saw him and sent him to see Irwin Allen about the part. Allen said, 'If you can fit in the suit, you've got the job."'
Unfortunately, she added, "He was a smoker." During breaks, she recalled, "we'd see smoke coming out of the robot. That always amused us."
Though May made the robot move, he didn't make it talk. The famed voice was provided by announcer Dick Tufeld.