We saddly report the passing of one of the most distinctive voices in the television business, Dick Tufeld. While many will not immediately recognize the name, they would certainly immediately register the voice of the Robot on Lost in Space. His passing was mentioned by fellow cast member Bill Mumy on his Facebook page, then confirmed by other sources.
Tufeld provided the voice for Mr. Bubble commercials, as well as on shows such as The Time Tunnel and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (both from Lost in Space producer Irwin Allen), among many others, but he was best known for the robot saying, “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!” and other phrases, some of them lovably silly.
While a number of cast members from the series made cameos in the 1998 feature film version of Lost in Space, he was the only to reprise his role.
Tufeld's voice career began in radio. He was the announcer on The Amazing Mr. Malone on the American Broadcasting Company in early 1950 (before the show moved to New York and NBC), then on Alan Reed's Falstaff's Fables, an ABC five-minute program, starting in the fall radio season of 1950. From October 25, 1952 to March 19, 1955, he was the announcer for the entire run of ABC Radio's Space Patrol. He moved to television news, anchoring The Three Star Final, a 15-minute newscast on KABC-TV, Los Angeles, which debuted on October 3, 1955 at noon (replacing Wrangler Jim), then moved to 11 p.m. on April 2, 1956.
Tufeld was often used as the announcer on various Disney television shows, including the 1957–1959 series, Zorro, starring future Lost in Space lead Guy Williams. He had stints as the house announcer on two ABC variety series, The Hollywood Palace and The Julie Andrews Hour.
