Catacombs Reference Library
Press
Space: 1999 moves into its second year

Space: 1999 moves into its second year

By Nancy Anderson
US syndicated news report, 30 August 1976

Out at the Pinewood Studios near London, action was reminiscent of John Wayne's early days In films when he used to make two movies at once, working one side of a western street for a scene In one and the other side for a scene in the other.

Only Barbara Bain and Martin Landau weren't working two sides of a street.

Instead, they were working on two adjacent sound stages, filming two episodes of "Space: 1999" simultaneously.

It was a matter of hurry, hurry, hurry to keep on schedule.

The Bain-Landau team (Mr. and Mrs. Martin Landau) became the darlings of television audiences when they co-starred In "Mission: Impossible."

And now they're reunited in a sci-fi television adventure, playing for a second year In a London-made series which Is the most expensive In television history with a record budget of $300000 per episode or $7.2 million for the 24 hour-long fantasies of the new season.

Last year, as executive producer Gerry Anderson admits, the show didn't quite hit its mark, so changes have been made.

"Since we British and you Americans literally don't speak the same language - we only think we do - we recognized the need for an American mind In the series," Anderson said as his players rushed from set to set. "So we brought In Freddie Frieberger as producer."

Frieberger is an alumnus of "Star Trek" whose talents, Anderson feels, "have given the show much more humor and warmth."

"I think," he hopefully concluded, "we've answered the charges leveled at the series the first year."

The show has been quite obviously changed by the addition to the cast of Maya, a creature with incredible powers of molecular transformation who immediately turns into a dove. Later, she turns into other things, all equally amazing.

In her more or less human form, Maya Is played by Catherine Schell who, as star of "The Return of the Pink Panther," helped turn Peter Sellers into a quivering mass of frustration.

And established characters have undergone personality changes.

As Miss Bain puts it, regarding the lady doctor she portrays, "This year, she fools around."

Taking a short rest on one of the sets he was gracing, Landau spoke almost lyrically of the Improvements in the show.

"The shows are more than just better," he said. "They are totally different this year. We are very, very pleased."

He and Barbara are not only pleased by improvements in the show, he went on, but they are continuing to discover new pleasures in Britain.

"One of the great things about living in London is that there's always something to see and do here," Martin said.

"Since Britain is no longer in a world power struggle, there's something very refreshing about the national attitude. You don't hear the kinds of complaints here that you tend to hear in the United States.

"Everyone seems to feel that, while Britain may no longer be a dominant power, everything is still going to turn out all right."