in memoriam
For reasons I've never quite understood, Gerry Anderson's Space: 1999 seems to be a forgotten franchise.
Now, some of this might be owed to the premise: our planet's satellite gets blasted out of its orbit and is sent hurtling through space on a journey to undiscovered worlds. While I think anyone might concede that -- ahem -- that's a bit far-fetched indeed, the show still had some solid production details, some interesting stories, and a pretty fabulous cast ... of which Prentis Hancock is included. While he may not exactly have been one of the bigger regulars, it was an incredible 23 episode run (throughout the first season as I'm pretty sure he wasn't around for the second) that I'd always argue is worth a look. British storytelling from that era occasionally seemed a bit talk (at least to me), but there are some very vivid yarns in there, of which Hancock gave it his very best.
A quick rundown of the man's professional resume on IMDB.com will show that he had a pretty incredible run in television roles, always managing to slip like a chameleon into any property requiring his particular skill set. There were several other forays into the realms of the Fantastic, too -- stints aboard Doctor Who and the Chocky serials come to mind -- so it goes without saying that his legacy stretches beyond Space: 1999. Here's hoping fans might take a gander at something he did in the days ahead just to see what a talent like his contributed to genre entertainment when answering the call.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Prentis Hancock.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
Now, some of this might be owed to the premise: our planet's satellite gets blasted out of its orbit and is sent hurtling through space on a journey to undiscovered worlds. While I think anyone might concede that -- ahem -- that's a bit far-fetched indeed, the show still had some solid production details, some interesting stories, and a pretty fabulous cast ... of which Prentis Hancock is included. While he may not exactly have been one of the bigger regulars, it was an incredible 23 episode run (throughout the first season as I'm pretty sure he wasn't around for the second) that I'd always argue is worth a look. British storytelling from that era occasionally seemed a bit talk (at least to me), but there are some very vivid yarns in there, of which Hancock gave it his very best.
A quick rundown of the man's professional resume on IMDB.com will show that he had a pretty incredible run in television roles, always managing to slip like a chameleon into any property requiring his particular skill set. There were several other forays into the realms of the Fantastic, too -- stints aboard Doctor Who and the Chocky serials come to mind -- so it goes without saying that his legacy stretches beyond Space: 1999. Here's hoping fans might take a gander at something he did in the days ahead just to see what a talent like his contributed to genre entertainment when answering the call.
Our warmest prayers are extended to the family, friends, and fans of Prentis Hancock.
May he rest in peace.
-- EZ
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