R.I.P. Don Marshall of 'Land of the Giants' and 'Star Trek'

He was a trailblazing black actor in the sci-fi genre.

The Everett Collection

With Land of the Giants, visionary science-fiction creator Irwin Allen pushed the boundaries of small-screen special effects. The producer also helped to add diversity to the genre, casting Don Marshall in one of the lead roles as Dan Erickson. Marshall would become one of the earliest African-American actors in a recurring role in genre television, joining fellow barrier-breakers like Greg Morris (Barney on Mission: Impossible) and Nichelle Nichols (Uhura on Star Trek).

Speaking of Star Trek, Marshall had his own ties to the worlds of Gene Roddenberry. One of the actor's earliest roles was on Roddenberry's The Lieutenant. Marshall portrayed a Marine engaged to be married to Nichelle Nichols in the episode "To Set It Right," which boldly confronted the topic of racism. Unfortunately, the network got cold feet and refused to air it (let alone pay for it) and it was never aired.

Marshall, a San Diego native, would get another chance to appear with Nichols a few years later on Star Trek, appearing in the early episode "The Galileo Seven" as Lt. Boma. He would go on to guest on The Bionic Woman, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century and The Incredible Hulk.

On Sunday evening, October 30, Marshall passed away at Cedars Sinai Hospital, according to StarTrek.com. He was 80 years old.

You can watch Marshall each Saturday night on MeTV at 12AM | 11C as Land of the Giants airs as part of Red Eye Sci-Fi.

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  • GARRY MARSHALL
  • PATTY DUKE
  • BETH HOWLAND FROM 'ALICE'
  • MIKE MINOR OF 'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
  • WILLIAM SCHALLERT OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'
  • MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'
  • ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'
  • RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'
  • THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'
  • FRANK SINATRA, JR.
  • EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'
  • BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'
  • JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'
  • DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR
  • JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'
  • PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS
  • MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'
  • GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'
  • MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'
  • SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'
  • RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'
  • GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'
  • GARRY SHANDLING, COMIC AND STAR OF 'THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW'
  • RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER
  • JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK
  • KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'
  • PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'
  • ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'
  • JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'
  • STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW
  • WAYNE ROGERS, TRAPPER JOHN OF 'M*A*S*H'
  • FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'
  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'
  • GARRY MARSHALL
  • PATTY DUKE
  • BETH HOWLAND FROM 'ALICE'
  • MIKE MINOR OF 'PETTICOAT JUNCTION'
  • WILLIAM SCHALLERT OF 'THE PATTY DUKE SHOW'
  • ROBERT HORTON OF 'WAGON TRAIN'
  • MICHU MESZAROS OF 'ALF'
  • ANN MORGAN GUILBERT OF 'THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW'
  • RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS OF 'THE WALTONS'
  • THERESA SALDANA FROM 'THE COMMISH'
  • FRANK SINATRA, JR.
  • EARL HAMNER, JR., CREATOR OF 'THE WALTONS' AND 'FALCON CREST'
  • BUCK KARTALIAN FROM 'PLANET OF THE APES'
  • JOE SANTOS OF 'THE ROCKFORD FILES'
  • DORIS ROBERTS, 'RAYMOND' MOM AND 'REMINGTON STEELE' STAR
  • JANET WALDO, VOICE OF JUDY JETSON ON 'THE JETSONS'
  • PETER BROWN, STAR OF 'LAWMAN,' 'LAREDO' AND SOAPS
  • MADELEINE SHERWOOD, MOTHER SUPERIOR ON 'THE FLYING NUN'
  • GEORGE KENNEDY, STAR OF 'COOL HAND LUKE,' 'AIRPORT' AND 'THE NAKED GUN'
  • MARTIN E. BROOKS OF 'THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN' AND 'HUNTER'
  • SYLVIA ANDERSON, CO-CREATOR OF 'THUNDERBIRDS' AND 'SPACE: 1999'
  • RICHARD DAVALOS OF 'EAST OF EDEN'
  • GEORGE GAYNES OF 'POLICE ACADEMY' AND 'PUNKY BREWSTER'
  • GARRY SHANDLING, COMIC AND STAR OF 'THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW'
  • RET TURNER, EMMY-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER FOR CAROL BURNETT AND CHER
  • JOE ALASKEY, VOICE OF BUGS BUNNY AND DAFFY DUCK
  • KEN HOWARD, STAR OF 'THE WHITE SHADOW'
  • PAT HARRINGTON, JR. OF 'ONE DAY AT A TIME'
  • ALAN YOUNG OF 'MR. ED'
  • JAMES NOBLE OF 'BENSON'
  • STUART NISBET, WHO APPEARED IN (ALMOST) EVERY TV SHOW
  • WAYNE ROGERS, TRAPPER JOHN OF 'M*A*S*H'
  • FYVUSH FINKEL OF 'PICKET FENCES'
  • BARRY JENNER OF 'FAMILY MATTERS' AND 'STAR TREK: DEEP SPACE NINE'

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1 Comments

KMT6600 29 months ago
Sorry 4 the lost of Don Marshall he was a good actor in all he did. Rest in Peace
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