Spencer Milligan, renowned for his role as Rick Marshall in the 1970s television series “Land of the Lost,” passed away on April 18, 2024. Milligan died at his home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin at the age of 86.
Born on September 10, 1937 in Oak Park, Illinois, Milligan’s interest in performance art emerged early as he entertained his peers with magic tricks. After a stint in the U.S. Army, he decided to pursue acting. His training included time at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Joan Darling Actors Workshop in Los Angeles, and the Lee Strasberg Senior Workshop in New York.
Milligan landed a significant role in 1974 as Rick Marshall in “Land of the Lost.” The character was a widowed park ranger who, along with his children, finds himself in a prehistoric world. The NBC series, a brainchild of Sid and Marty Krofft, combined live-action with stop-motion animated dinosaurs and quickly gained a cult following. However, Milligan departed after two seasons due to disagreements about royalties from merchandise featuring his image.
Milligan’s co-stars from “Land of the Lost,” Wesley Eure and Kathy Coleman, expressed their heartfelt respects. Eure said, “He truly was the dad everybody wanted to have.” Coleman stated, “He not only became the father figure I needed but a father to all the other children in need of that missing puzzle piece.” Both underscored Milligan’s humor and kindness.
Following “Land of the Lost,” Milligan featured in several popular TV shows, including “Gunsmoke,” “The Bionic Woman,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and “Police Squad!” His last television role was in “General Hospital” in 1987. Later, he relocated to Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, dedicating over two decades to teaching and directing at Third Avenue PlayWorks.
Reflecting on his career, Milligan once said about his experience on “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. At the time, I thought it was very good. We had some fun with it.”
He is survived by his wife, Kerry, whom he met in 1991 and married in 2002, and his godchildren, Andee Solis, Hilary Williams, and Spencer Williams.
