Spencer Milligan, ‘Land of the Lost’ star, dead at 86

Actor Spencer Milligan, who starred in the mid-1970s television series “Land of the Lost,” died on April 18, his family announced on Tuesday. He was 86.

Milligan died at his home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, according to The Hollywood Reporter. According to his obituary, no cause of death was given.

“Spencer James Milligan has taken his final bow and exit,” his obituary read.

The actor appeared in 30 episodes of the Saturday morning children’s program in 1974 and 1975, the entertainment news website reported. Milligan starred as Rick Marshall, a park ranger and widowed father to actors Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman. The family is caught in an earthquake and is transported into an alternative universe where they must fend against dinosaurs and lizard-men known as Sleestak, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

In an Instagram post, Eure wrote that he and former costars Coleman and Phillip Paley were “heartbroken” to hear about Milligan’s death, People reported.

“We heard rumors but today we got the sad confirmation,” Eure wrote. “For many of us, and Spencer’s many fans, he was the perfect dad. We loved his kindness, talent and huge sense of humor.

“We are just processing this news and will post more in the coming days. Our hearts go out to his lovely wife and Spencer’s many friends and family.”

According to his obituary, Milligan was born in Oak Park, Illinois, on Sept. 10, 1937. He attended Lyon’s Township High School and trained at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

Milligan served in the U.S. Army until 1966 and made his film debut in the 1973 film, “Sleeper,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

His television credits included appearances in episodes of “Gunsmoke,” “Baretta,” “McCloud,” “The Bionic Woman,” “Alice,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” “Police Squad!” and “The New Mike Hammer,” the entertainment news website reported.

But Milligan will always be remembered for his role in “Land of the Lost.”

“It’s part of my life. It’s not my full life. I did what I wanted to do and that was it,” Milligan told the Green Bay Press Gazette in 2018. “For the time, I thought it was very good. We had some fun with it.”

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