Land of the Giants

Science Fiction Adventure 1968-1970

Background:

Irwin Allen was an experienced television and film producer. By the time he was formulating his ideas for Land of the Giants, he had already notched up several documentary, comedy and action movies such as The Big Circus (1959). Another of his movies was Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, starring Walter Pidgeon which formed the basis of the series of the same name that Allen brought to television in 1964.

Recognizing the public's thirst for science fiction, Irwin Allen then produced Lost in Space in 1965 followed by Time Tunnel the following year. Having tackled science fiction in the sea, in space and through time travel, Allen hit upon the idea of having an alien planet where the inhabitants are all giants, but otherwise just like humans.

He established production company Kent Productions specifically for Land of the Giants. With his considerable experience and contacts he soon gathered a speculative team of researchers and writers and took the idea to various networks.

ABC liked the idea and was keen on its potential family appeal.

The series was set in the mid 1980's and opened with the occupants of spaceship Spindrift as it travels on a routine journey from New York to London. Suddenly the craft is caught in a space warp and hurtled towards a planet that is virtually the same as Earth, except the fact that everything and everyone is about 12 times normal size.

The Format:

The characters are Spindrift crew comprising of the captain Steve Burton played by Gary Conway, co-pilot Dan Erickson (Don Marshall), engineer Mark Wilson (Don Matheson) and stewardess Betty Ann Hamilton (Heather Young); passengers comprised of a young boy called Barry Lockridge (Stefan Arngrim) and his pet dog, Chipper, sexy Valerie Ames Scott (Deanna Lund) and Commander Alexander B. Fitzhugh (Kurt Kasznar).

The passengers and crew of the stricken spaceship Spindrifthave only one aim in life and that is to escape from the Land of the Giants. In their quest to find ways to repair the Spindrift, they must contend with giant pets, curious giant scientists and ruthless giants that are out to exploit the humans or use them to commit crime. There are also many encounters with fellow "little" humans who also crash on the Land of the Giants.