Die Weltraum-Akademie

Funny thing is, always thought it was 'My Favorite Martian' Ray Walston as the head here, not Jonathon Harris. Ah the things ya learn at IMDB! It was typical 70s TV Filmation fare-moralistic, hokey, low budget, had cutsie kids, robots, etc. Have not seen it since it's run.

And yes, Pam Ferdyn was in about everything there ala Ike Eisenmann, sure.

This was NOT a bad little show, by the way-those here who heap the criticsm of it, c'mon. It was okay for what it was.

**1/2 outta ****

Those of you who said that James Doohan (Scotty) was on Space Academy made a mistake. He was on the spin off series Jason of Star Command. Anyway Jonathan Harris was great on this show as Commander Gampu and how he would help the cadets on their various space missions. It was fun to see what missions the crew would go on every week and the things they would learn from their missions. Who could forget Peepo and his personality and wisecracks. This show would come on either before or after Fat Albert depending on the year it was on. I'm sure Space Academy will come out on DVD someday. R.I.P. Jonathan Harris (Gampu) and James Doohan (Scotty). You'll be missed but the memories of your shows will live on forever.

The character of Issac Gampu is almost a polar opposite to Jonathan Harris's earlier role in Lost in Space. Whereas Dr. Smith was a foolish ,selfish coward, who often caused whatever predicament the Robinsons had to solve that week, Cmdr. Isaac Gampu was wise, studious and brave. It is my opinion that the memory of this character was lingering in the back of the minds of the writers for Star trek, the Next generation, when they were writing for Capt. Picard. There are strong similarities in both characters. It could also be that the archetype of a wise, noble leader inspired both sets of writers. It is a testament to Harris' talent as an actor that he could play both characters so memorably.

If there was one show I wish I could see again, it's this one. This one, and maybe the time that dog took a crap in our back yard while hopping on one leg.

Synopsis: A group of high school kids run missions to save stalled freighters, starving aliens or to get groceries. All the while learning about readin', 'ritin, 'rithmatic, love, friendship, and why it's not a good idea to go in a dark cave on a distant planet without a sidearm.

The Space Academy shuttles were shaped like the Pink Pearl erasers we were issued at my school each September. I would usually spend my mornings flying the eraser between desks, landing on strange and exotic textbooks, and confronting hostile alien pencils.

The great Pam Ferdyn starred in this show, and seemingly everything else in those days (It seemed like Ike Eisenmann was in everything too). Unfortunately, the best actor on the show, 'Peepo' failed to find work after Space Academy. Whatever happened to 'Peepo?' Or, as I liked to call him, 'Peepoo.'

Short lived space series starring Jonathan Harris. In childhood I felt that, in Space Academy, Jonathan Harris was just too unlike his Dr Smith character and I struggled to warm to 1970s Harris...I was a kid stuck in the 1960s! But it was not all bad news, in childhood, I remember being thrilled by some of the low budget alien planets seen in Space Academy. I discovered that the "special effects" guy in charge had no effects experience before Space Academy! Do you also remember Filmation's Ark 11 series? The bus-like vehicle in that series looks like a spacecraft in Space Academy. Space Academy deserves a DVD rental...mainly for the mild Lost In Space connection and the cool always used "Filmation music cues" that fill the series. There was a spin-off series - Jason of Star Command - which, after a bumpy first season, improved in year two.