Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Television»Shows by Decade»1960s Television
    1960s Television Drama Shows L 5 Mins Read

    Land of the Giants

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    1 9 6 8 – 1 9 7 0 (USA)
    51 x 60 minute episodes

    This was the last of Irwin Allen’s 1960 fantasy quartet following on from Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, The Time Tunnel and Lost In Space.

    This space-age version of Gulliver’s Travels had the commercial rocket ship Spindrift entering a space warp en route from Los Angeles to London in the future (1983!) and ending up in a land where everything mirrored Earth – but was twelve times normal size.

    The crew and passengers trapped in this giant land were Captain Steve Burton (Gary Conway) – an arrogant macho man in a body-hugging red jumpsuit; co-pilot Dan Erickson (Don Marshall); engineer and wealthy tycoon Mark Wilson (Don Matheson); stewardess Betty Hamilton (Heather Young); beautiful but spoiled jet-setting heiress Valerie Scott (Deanna Lund); mystery passenger Alexander B Fitzhugh (Kurt Kaznar); and orphaned boy Barry Lockridge (Stefan Arngrim), travelling with his dog Chipper

    Fitzhugh, masquerading as a naval commander, is ultimately revealed to be a master thief who is being pursued by authorities for stealing one million dollars (which he is carrying with him in a briefcase).

    The gang were regularly menaced by gigantic insects, cats and scientists who tried to experiment on them – and this is where my pre-pubescent fantasies about a 1:12th scale Betty or Valerie kicked in . . . and I’ll say no more.

    In 1969, adolescent boys could be found sitting in front of the television captivated by the antics of red-haired, mini-skirted Valerie as she was menaced by cats, imprisoned in a dollhouse, cloned, prodded by scientists, carried off by an ape and even used as a human pawn on a giant’s chessboard.

    With a mane of red hair (although the actress was naturally blonde) and clad in the shortest of mini-skirts, Deanna Lund was the first crush of many teenage boys at that time.

    The castaways constantly battled to repair their craft and escape from their own little Brobdingnag, all the while hunted by Inspector Kobick (Kevin Hagen) of the SID (Special Investigations Department), a Nazi-esque police force.

    One bizarre episode, ‘Pay the Piper’, featured Jonathon Harris (Doctor Smith from Lost In Space) as a pied piper who lured children away.

    The biggest thing about the series was the effects budget. Costing $250,000 per episode (unprecedented at the time) Land of the Giants was the most expensive TV series made to date. This ultimately brought the downfall of the show which was cancelled because it was too expensive to produce.

    The final episode, ‘Graveyard of Fools’, was broadcast on 22 March 1970 and fans were never given the chance to see the shipmates return home.

    The show went on to air in syndication around the world and was a huge hit with overseas viewers.

    The effects – such as a slice of bread made from a four-foot slab of rubber and a nine-foot revolver – were truly impressive, even though a viewing of the show today will reveal a few inconsistencies in scale from scene to scene.

    There were many other inconsistencies, such as the fact that the little people could carry a giant D Cell battery but could not break out of a spider web!

    Co-stars Don Matheson and Deanna Lund were married in 1970 but divorced in the late 70s. Matheson died on 29 June 2014, in Los Angeles from lung cancer, aged 84. Deanna Lund died on 22 June 2018 at her home in Century City, California of pancreatic cancer, aged 81.

    Kurt Kasznar died on 6 August 1979, six days before his 66th birthday, in Santa Monica, California. Ten months earlier, he had been diagnosed with cancer.

    Don Marshall died on 30 October 2016, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

    Steve Burton
    Gary Conway
    Dan Erickson 

    Don Marshall
    Betty Hamilton 

    Heather Young
    Alexander B Fitzhugh 

    Kurt Kaznar
    Mark Wilson 

    Don Matheson
    Valerie Scott 

    Deanna Lund
    Barry Lockridge 

    Stefan Arngrim
    SID Inspector Kobick 

    Kevin Hagen

    Episodes

    The Crash | Ghost Town | Framed | Underground | Terror-Go-Round | The Flight Plan | Manhunt | The Trap | The Creed | Double-Cross | The Weird World | The Golden Cage | The Lost Ones | Brainwash | The Bounty Hunter | On a Clear Night You Can See Earth | Deadly Lodestone | The Night of Thrombeldinbar | Seven Little Indians | Target: Earth | Genius at Work | Return of Inidu | Rescue | Sabotage | Shell Game | The Chase | The Mechanical Man | Six Hours to Live | The Inside Rail | Deadly Pawn | The Unsuspected | Giants and All That Jazz | Collector’s Item | Every Dog Needs a Boy | Chamber of Fear | The Clones | Comeback | A Place Called Earth | Land of the Lost | Home Sweet Home | Our Man O’Reilly | Nightmare | Pay the Piper | The Secret City of Limbo | Panic | The Deadly Dart | Doomsday | A Small War | The Marionettes | Wild Journey | Graveyard of Fools

    Video

    Related Posts

    • Towering Inferno, The (1974)
      Towering Inferno, The (1974)
      This is junk, but it's star-studded junk, with some of Hollywood's greatest actors forced to team up with some of…
    • Lost Saucer, The
      Lost Saucer, The
      1 9 7 5 - 1 9 7 6 (USA) 16 x 30 minute episodes The Lost Saucer was another 70s offering…
    • Time Tunnel, The
      Time Tunnel, The
      1 9 6 6 - 1 9 6 7 (USA) 30 x 50 minute episodes Two young scientists, Tony Newman (James…
    • Fantastic Voyage
      Fantastic Voyage
      1 9 6 8 - 1 9 7 0 (USA) 17 x 30 minute episodes This cartoon version of Fantastic Voyage was inspired…
    • Space
      Space
      1 9 8 5  (USA) 1 9 8 7 (USA) 5 x 150 minute episodes Originally aired as a 13-hour miniseries…
    • SeaQuest DSV
      SeaQuest DSV
      1 9 9 3 - 1 9 9 6 (USA) 1 x 90 minute episode 58 x 60 minute episodes "The…
    • Adventures of Don Quick, The
      Adventures of Don Quick, The
      1 9 7 0 (UK) 6 x 60 minute episodes The Adventures of Don Quick was a space-age version of Cervantes' classic…
    • Phoenix Five
      Phoenix Five
      1 9 6 9 (Australia) 26 x 25 minute episodes "The year: 2500 AD. The Phoenix Five. The crew: Captain Roke,…

    Irwin Allen
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleBulman
    Next Article Burke’s Law

    Comments are closed.

    Can you help?
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love for me since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with the running costs of the site and ensure I can keep Nostalgia Central running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.


    Thank you so much, and please enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    Follow us
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    You May Also Like
    • Circle Skirts
      No 1950s girl’s afternoon would have been complete without […]
    • Educating Marmalade/Danger: Marmalade at Work
      1 9 8 1 (UK) 10 x 30 minute episodes 1 9 8 3 – 1 9 8 4 […]
    • Groovie Goolies, The
      1 9 7 1 – 1 9 7 6 (USA) 60 minute episodes After being a […]
    • Bill Cosby
      William Henry Cosby Jr was born in 1937 in the Mount Airy […]
    • Hound Dog Man (1959)
      This 20th Century Fox production was set in the backwoods around […]
    • Rab C. Nesbitt
      1 9 8 9 – 1 9 9 9 (UK) 2 0 0 8, 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 1, 2 […]
    Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

    OUR LATEST FACEBOOK POSTS

    Happy 81st to Anita Harris 🫶

    Happy 81st to Anita Harris 🫶Happy 81st Birthday to Anita Harris, born 3rd June 1942 in Somerset, England. She is an all round entertainer, singer/dancer/actress.
    As a child she was a keen ice skater, and just before her 16th birthday she was talent spotted and invited to join a dance troupe and headed for Las Vegas, performing 3 shows a night. She stayed 6 months.

    While she enjoyed dancing, singing was always her first love. Upon returning to England she joined the Cliff Adams Singers and was with them for 3 years. In 1961 she made her first recordings with the John Barry Seven. Possibly two of her best known recordings are 'Just Loving You' and 'We're Going on a Tuppenny Bus Ride'.

    In the 1960's She appeared in a two 'Carry On' films. On TV in the 70's among other things she was on David Nixon's Magic Box for 8 years as his assistant. She continued working on stage and screen with entertainment legends – everyone from Bob Monkhouse and Tommy Cooper to Bruce Forsyth, Morecambe and Wise and Harry Secombe. In 1986 she made her debut in 'legitimate theatre' playing Grizabella in the West End production of Cats.
    Today she continues to perform on stage and in cabaret with her band. You can hear her recordings on
    serenade-radio.com the Best in Easy Listening.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    2 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 11
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    ... See MoreSee Less

    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    I remember using whatever one was cherry-flavoured.

    It was Dr Mopp for me.

    www.raleigh.co.uk/gb/en/look-whos-back/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Look whos back | Raleigh UK

    www.raleigh.co.uk

    They will be available to buy online and at Raleigh Bikes Nottingham. The online sale will have a virtual queuing system in place and at Raleigh Bikes Nottingham there will be a queueing system outsid...
    3 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 5
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    FIREBALL XL-5 begins this Saturday, 3rd June at 2:35pm on #TalkingPicturesTV So here's five fascinating facts about the Gerry Anderson's 'Supermarionation' programme!
    1 - The series was inspired by the 'space race' between the USSR and the USA. 2 - 39 episodes were made in black and white. 3 - The series premiered on ATV London in October 1962. 4 - The voice of Steve Zodiac was provided by actor Paul Maxwell. 5 - The famous theme song was sung by Don Spencer.
    ... See MoreSee Less

    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 8
    • Shares: 3
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    www.theguardian.com/music/2023/may/31/bruce-springsteen-review-murrayfield-stadium-edinburgh

    That's why they call him "The Boss".
    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Bruce Springsteen review – after half a century, still having the time of his life

    www.theguardian.com

    Springsteen and the E Street Band feel like a bar band that can’t believe their luck to be playing a stadium – and the enthusiasm is infectious
    4 days ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 0
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Sad news. We wish her well 🤗

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Dame Esther Rantzen says her lung cancer is in stage four

    www.bbc.co.uk

    The TV presenter and Childline founder says she is on a new form of medication for the disease.
    1 week ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 3

    Comment on Facebook

    Oh no 😢 in my prayers Esther xxx

    Didn’t she want to put the unvaccinated into camps during lockdown…

    That’s not cool 😞

    Another great voice has left us 😪

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Tina Turner: Music legend dies at 83

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Her unmistakable voice on hits like The Best and What's Love Got to Do With It made her a superstar.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 7
    • Shares: 1
    • Comments: 2

    Comment on Facebook

    I found out on tiktok before I saw it on any news channels..

    Terrible, terrible news. Taken far too young. Vale Andy Rourke!

    ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    Andy Rourke: The Smiths bassist dies aged 59

    www.bbc.co.uk

    Guitarist Johnny Marr confirmed Rourke died after a lengthy illness with pancreatic cancer.
    2 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9_xELTfEds

    www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-65576903 ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    The Beatles: Rare first edition White Album given to charity

    www.bbc.co.uk

    A 1968 White Album, complete with original inserts, is given to a Sutton Coldfield charity shop
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 4
    • Shares: 0
    • Comments: 1

    Comment on Facebook

    I recently fulfilled the dream of over 40 years and saw The Zombies perform live (They were amazing!). Their current bass player is a chap called Søren Koch, and this is his regular band - The Beatophonics. If you love 60s Beat music, do yourself a favour and have a listen. They are truly superb. open.spotify.com/artist/5W05FY5rERtVTBippPjold?si=nU5zM8gJSXONAGCWOUrTnA

    variety.com/2023/film/news/beetlejuice-2-release-date-theaters-1235607767/ ... See MoreSee Less

    Link thumbnail

    ‘Beetlejuice 2,’ Starring Michael Keaton and Jenna Ortega, to Hit Theaters in 2024

    variety.com

    Whether or not you say his name three times, Beetlejuice is returning to movie theaters next year. Warner Bros. has announced that “Beetlejuice 2” will be released on the big …
    3 weeks ago
    View on Facebook
    · Share
    Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email
    View Comments
    • Likes: 3
    • Shares: 3
    • Comments: 0

    Comment on Facebook

    Load more
    Please note


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    Search Nostalgia Central
    Tag Cloud
    Action Figures Amicus Arcade games Australia Beach movies Beatles Blaxploitation Board games British Invasion Britpop Canada Cold War Crime Disco Disney Doo-Wop Elvis Presley Girl groups Glam Goth Hammer Heavy Metal Irwin Allen Kraütrock Labels Merseybeat Mod revival Motown New Romantic New Wave NWOBHM Oi! One-hit wonders Politics Power Pop Prog rock Pub rock Punk Radio Scotland Ska Soul music Sport Surf music Video games
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.