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TV: S is for...

Starlost

KEIR “2001” DULLEA starred in this bonkers effort about a space ark (looking like the Valley Forge off Silent Running) carrying survivors from Earth which has forgotten its origins, or something. Creative staff originally included SF authors Ben Bova (as tech consultant) and Harlan Ellison (the show’s original creator, represented by a pseudonym in the credits). All three pissed off at various points in the production, for very good reasons. The show was originally intended for sale to Lew Grade (ATV/ITC) but the producers decided to go really cheap and wound up doing it in Canada (also trying to avoid a US TV writers’ strike going on at the time). Ellison’s original script won top honors that year from the Writer’s Guild of America. He’s said in print it was worth losing the $70,000 profit, just to see the show go in the tank.

1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. borgduck

    June 14, 2014 at 5:44 pm

    I thought the idea was pitched to the BBC? With Moonbase 3 making an equally miserable attempt at about the same time, it would have made more sense to this uber-geek why it was refused flat. Still, both are fab, Winters night, viewing. 🙂

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