Blogs

Bill has appeared in more than 400 television shows as well as 20 films, but one of those roles in particular that
really put him on the sci-fi radar was his part in the original Twilight Zone episode "It's a Good Life" (a role which he reprised on the second of two Twilight Zone revival's "It's Still a Good Life".

Of course he firmly solidified himself in the science fiction firmament with his iconic role as Will Robinson on the classic series "Lost in Space".
Bill has also played the role of "alien", appearing as the Minbari Lennier on Babylon 5.
He continues to act (including voice over) as well a being a working musician!

Bill has produced a number of albums (with a new one coming out soon) and is also a part of the comedy-rock duo "Barnes & Barnes" known for the novelty song "Fish Heads"!

Shawn: What was your first Con experience?

Bill: As a guest? Hmmmm... It was in the late 70's.
Probably '78 or '79.
I THINK the very first one was for a Creation Convention.
I did a bunch of those, for Adam Malin and Gary Berman.

Shawn: How did it go?

Bill: Great.
In the beginning of my convention experiences, I would be paid an appearance fee by the promoters and then sign autographs for free, which was very natural and comfortable for me.
This of course was like 35 years ago and things changed quickly in that arena... I felt uncomfortable charging people for my autograph for a long time.
I kept seeing Jimmy Stewart in my head, knowing he would never do that.

Shawn: Best Con you've been to?

Bill: Different cons for different reasons... Early San Diego Cons for hanging with people like Jack Kirby and Stan Lee... playing gigs with Seduction of the Innocent to legendary comic book creators... For sci-fi, I'd probably say the Shore Leave in Baltimore about twelve years ago was a great con.
Big enough to be profitable, yet small enough to be comfortable... my whole family went to that con and we had a great time.
I think Babylon 5 was still on the air.
Went to a few lovely cons with the cast of B5 in Blackpool,England that were really great... Jamming at Chiller in New Jersey was always a lot of fun... Very early WonderCon's up in Oakland were cool and I have some funny memories from those... And when the Lost in Space cast got together for the very first time to celebrate our 25th anniversary in 1990 in Boston, that was a really great time.
I've been to so many... the memories get blurred.
I enjoy them, it's flattering getting your ego stroked and seeing old friends... but they are definitely work... I always want people to feel they've had a positive experience when they meet me... But I am not comfortable flying on airplanes anymore though.
I do not enjoy going to airports and flying on planes.
That's the singular reason why I don't do many cons these days.

Shawn: Worst Con?

Bill: I went to a small toy type show on the east coast in the 90's and there was a blizzard and tons of snow and the event was pretty poorly attended and quite slow, and I spent the weekend sitting next to Pete Best, the original drummer in the Beatles.

He was super nice and fab, a true gentleman, but people just came up to him all weekend and talked to him like he was the greatest loser in the history of pop culture and it was uncomfortable to witness.
He was very generous and nice about it all, though.
But, that ranks up there in the worst.

Shawn: Strangest or most unusual fan you've encountered at a Con?

Bill: Ha! Countless... Right now at this moment, my mind goes to some creep in an elevator at DragonCon who insisted that I wish him into the cornfield... He wanted me to "act" for him and do the whole bit, and I was tired, it was the end of a long day and I was just trying to head up to my room, and this guy wouldn't stop, and he put his hands around my neck, like he was gonna strangle me... and I almost went Kung Fu on him.
Peter David was there at the time, we had just created "Space Cases" for Nickelodeon, and he couldn't believe the nerve of this guy, putting his hands on my neck!
I really did come close to hurting him.
I've also had a few people ask me to autograph parts of their body that they were going to have tattooed... I advised them against it, but I did do it... and so did they.

Shawn: Any actual bad experiences?

Bill: Well, The idiot in the elevator was not a good one... I also went to a con in New York once, after receiving death threats traced by the police to New York.
This was before I had kids.
My wonderful wife Eileen wanted me to cancel, but I refused to be run by fear at the time.
I went. But I wore a bullet proof vest the whole time!
Shaun Cassidy took me to a police gear store to get it.
It was winter, so... whatever.
No one shot me, but I was slightly uncomfortable the entire time.
Especially during the Q&A's.

Shawn: What would you do differently if you were running a Con?

Bill: I'd fly me first class and pay me more.

Shawn: Ever want to get an autograph?

Bill: Sure.
I have a lot of autographs. I can totally relate to the fan mentality.

I'm thrilled by some of my personal autographs.
"To Billy, Best wishes, George Harrison" or "To Bill Mumy, Lost in Space! Best Wishes, Bob Dylan"...
It makes me happy to know I was in their consciousness for a few seconds at least.
I get it.
When I was a kid, I always got autographs at the end of the tv shows and movies I did.
I have a ton of classics.

Shawn: What are you currently working on?

Bill: My new album, "Ten Days" is coming out in the next couple weeks on the GRA label... I've been working hard co-producing bonus material for the Lost in Space 50th anniversary Blu Ray box set as well... (Some REALLY cool stuff there!)...
I'm doing voice over work right now for the History Channel 4 part special; "The Civil War: In Color" and I'm honored to be voicing Abraham Lincoln's speeches...I've been gigging musically,  in a band & doing an album with Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill while the late Rick Rosas played bass on our tracks.

Hope to finish that up this year... and Angela Cartwright and I are putting the final tweakage on our fantasy novel,
"On Purpose"....It's a busy time for me.

 Shawn: Future projects?

Bill: Yes.

More.

Please.

Thank you!