- Name: Irwin Allen
- Date of Birth: June 12, 1916
- Place of Birth: New York, New York, USA
Mini-bio:
Irwin Allen started in journalism before thrilling two generations as,
firstly, the king of 1960s science fiction tv, then secondly, as "The Master
Of 1970s Disaster" movies. His tv work is less tal...( read more)
firstly, the king of 1960s science fiction tv, then secondly, as "The Master
Of 1970s Disaster" movies. His tv work is less tal...( read more)
Irwin Allen Wiki Profile
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Irwin Allen mini-bio: Irwin Allen started in journalism before thrilling two generations as,
firstly, the king of 1960s science fiction tv, then secondly, as "The Master
Of 1970s Disaster" movies. His tv work is less talked about so this
Biography will centre more on his tv work.
Irwin Allen's 1960s material and 1970s material both fit under the headings
of disaster or style over substance. Granted, the tv material was often
intended for younger viewers (however the first season of Voyage to the
Bottom of the Sea was more or less adult), while the 1970s films were made
for all ages. The style in Irwin's sci-fic tv came from talented actors such
as Richard Basehart as Admiral Nelson and Dick Tufeld doing a great robot
voice. Also the style in the striking miniature effects of spaceship Jupiter
2 and submarine Seaview. Let us not forget the attention grabbing scores
from cinema legends Leith Stevens and John Williams.
The substance, or should I say the characterisation, was often missing and
Irwin Allen was mostly responsible for that. Irwin was not a family man, his
20th Century Fox co-workers were his family, so small talk heard in The
Waltons would not be welcome in an Irwin production. So when actors and
writers requested a love interest or deeper characters on submarine Seaview
or spaceship Jupiter 2, Irwin - "The Big Kid" - would not have it for a
second. Irwin was too busy standing on the corner of the set yelling "more
explosions!". With the exception of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea year
one, the bulk of Irwin tv was best enjoyed, or best understood, by males who
were young at heart.
Irwin Allen has gone on record as saying that Voyage to the Bottom of the
Sea episodes Jonah And The Whale and The Terrible Toys were his two
favourites of the 110 episode sub series. "Jonah" is of motion picture
quality - with strong disaster movie roots - so it is not too hard to
understand Irwin's love of this hour. As for "Toys", a show dealing with
Seaview explosions, old Hollywood stars getting another go and killer toys
running around the Seaview. I think Irwin's love of "Toys" says a lot about
this "Big Kid". A tv show called The Fantasy Worlds Of Irwin Allen (1995)
says even more about Irwin and his need to "get that monster in" his shows.
Today, Irwin Allen's Lost In Space (1965-68) is more popular than
Voyage/Sea, but it should be remembered that Irwin gave Jonathan Harris
script control of the Dr Smith character. So, in a way, a lot of Lost In
Space is more a Jonathan Harris production than Irwin production.
The Time Tunnel (1966-67) was the least popular of the big four Irwin tv
shows but it still plays in re-runs with a big internet following. Land Of
The Giants (1968-70) lasted one season longer than Time Tunnel but played
more as another version of Lost In Space...which some like.
Disaster movie The Poseidon Adventure (1972) was rich in characterisation
but the more cold blooded follow up - The Towering Inferno (1974) - seemed
to cash in on Irwin's 1960s style over substance or style over
characterisation. Irwin Allen died in 2 November 1991, Santa Monica,
California, USA. (heart attack) at a time when he was making phone calls to
Jonathan Harris about making a remake, or follow up, to Lost In Space.
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