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The year is 1987 when space explorer Captain Buck Rogers and his Ranger 3 got unexpectedly diverted and Buck was frozen for five whole centuries. This was the very dawn of sci-fi back before it saturated the market. The series’ movie-length pilot episode was given a theatrical release before appearing on television, and the film garnered over 21 million dollars in North America alone. While the show only lasted two seasons, they were two very memorable ones, sometimes conjuring a deja vu affect, mostly because to cut costs, some footage and various props were used from creator Glen Larson's previous project, 1978’s Battlestar Galactica. But we’re not here to talk about that Lorne Greene vessel, we’re here discussing Gil Gerard’s Buck Rogers, a cross between Han Solo and James Bond, and the cast that joined him on this intergalactic adventure. Starting in the late '70s, audiences got to enjoy hour-long specials with this crew across 37 episodes on NBC. It is a testament to the series that its impact is still felt decades later with the limited presence it had on-screen, and it's in big part thanks to this cast. Gil Gerard (Captain Buck Rogers) Gil Gerard in the 25th and 21st century, respectively / Everett Collection / Flickr Captain Buck Rogers was a former U.S. Air Force pilot and astronaut who, following a freak accident during a deep space flight, finds himself awakened in 2491, when he tragically learns that everyone he ever knew was gone. Do you remember his frozen look from the pilot? Gerard was sprayed all over with an ordinary dry shampoo, so he couldn’t open his eyes or move. And apparently while he was waiting to shoot the scene, he fell asleep. SURGE OF POWER: REVENGE OF THE SEQUEL, from left, Gil Gerard, Linda Blair, 2016. ©Indie Rights/courtesy Everett Collection RELATED: ‘Lost In Space’ Cast Then And Now 2021 But his actor Gil Gerard was wide awake when he stepped onto the scene in 1971, though his big break came from ‘73 to ‘76 when he played Dr. Alan Stewart in over 300 episodes of The Doctors. Then in ‘77 he was part of probably the best entry in the Airport-franchise, as Gerard played Frank Powers. Then it was time to lead the cast of Buck Rogers. After the short but memorable sci-fi hit, Gerard began a stream of TV movies before headlining the short-lived 1986 series Sidekicks, playing the cop who tutored the martial arts-skilled sidekick, played by Ernie Reyes Jr. Soon, however, the roles were drying up, best exemplified by his 1990 series E.A.R.T.H. Force, which was canceled by CBS after just 3 episodes. Gerard was the subject of a documentary that was written and directed by his then-longtime companion, Adrienne Crow. The film documented his life-saving mini-gastric bypass surgery done in October of 2005. Gerard struggled with his weight, a battle that stemmed from addictive personality, having gone through recovery for cocaine and alcohol abuse after his divorce from actress Connie Sellecca in the mid-1980s; his compulsive eating habits increased and by the time of the documentary and his weight had risen to over 350 pounds, with many life-threatening health problems in tow, including type 2 diabetes. But the surgery proved life-changing, and within ten months, Gil lost a total of 145 lbs. And it helped him get back in front of the camera too, even reuniting with his Buck Rogers co-star Erin Gray for the TV movie Nuclear Hurricane in 2007. And from Bone Eater to Dire Wolf, sure he’s not making any classics, but at least the 78-year-old actor is still at it. And he actually did have a small part in the 2016 quality action comedy The Nice Guys. Check that one out if you haven’t seen it. Twiki: Felix Silla and Mel Blanc Felix Silla and Mel Blanc shared their talents for the same character in the Buck Rogers cast / Wikimedia Commons / Everett Collection Here we must toast to two parts of the essential Twiki, the small drone that was created to work in the space mines. Felix Silla provided the physical performance. He was born in Italy and trained as a circus performer before coming to the United States in 1955, where he jumped right back into things, with The Ringling Brothers Circus. In 1963 he began acting, and just two years later he became the ever-so-hairy Cousin Itt as part of the ever so creepy Addams Family. Actor Felix Silla / Flickr His small stature also lent him to some iconic roles, from the Polka Dotted Horse in HR PufnStuf to an Ewok in 1983’s Return of the Jedi. His last big small role, was as the Emperor Penguin in 1992’s Batman Returns. Sadly, Silla died in April of 2021 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 84 years old. We also have to include the legendary Mel Blanc, who providing the voice of Twiki. The many voices of Mel Blanc / Everett Collection Originally, Twiki was intended to just make unintelligible electronic noises, you know, the biddibiddbiddibiddi... but they determined that to be too similar to R2-D2 in Star Wars, so his vocal patterns were altered. Everyone should know, but Mel Blanc was nicknamed "The Man of a Thousand Voices," and is regarded as one of the most influential voice actors of all time, giving life to such iconic characters as Bugs Bunny, Mr. Spacely, and Barney Rubble. Blanc passed away in 1989, at the age of 81. Tim O'Connor (Dr. Huer) Tim O'Connor in the cast of Buck Rogers and after / Everett Collection / TheUnion.com Dr. Huer leads the Defense Directorate. He was the helpful and statesman-like figure who took Buck under his wing; Buck Rogers may lead the cast of characters, but Dr. Huer was integral from the start. Fittingly, he was wise, and gave a bit of stability to this far-out series, even when he had to break it to Buck that Chicago, and everything like it, was no more on Earth. Tim O’Connor began acting in the mid-50s, but is best known as Elliott Carson on the long-running show Peyton Place. From ‘64 to ‘68, he was in over 400 episodes of that soap. Aside from the Buck Rogers cast, he also had recurring roles on Barnaby Jones and the popular drama series Dynasty. One of his final notable roles was in The Naked Gun 2½. O’Connor semi-retired from acting in 1997, with one exception being reuniting with Erin Gray for the 2011 drama, Dreams Awake. O’Connor was an avid sailor, owning a 32-foot Pearson Vanguard sailboat, and enjoyed sailing to the waters off Mexico. Sadly Tim died in 2018, from colon cancer at his home in California at the impressive age of 90. Eric Server (Dr. Theopolis) Eric Server / YouTube screenshot Dr. Theopolis, also known as Theo, was an intelligent computer that looked not unlike a jukebox. He was in charge of assimilating Buck when woke up from his jarring deep sleep. Server and his son, who he now works with outside of acting / YouTube screenshot Eric Server began acting in the early 70s, and was a frequenter of several TV shows, from five episodes of the Streets of San Francisco, to a series regular gig in BJ and the Bear from ‘79 to ‘81. Similar to his co-star O’Connor, he stopped acting after his 1993 role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but returned for a role in 2014’s Moms’ Night Out. Today he’s 76 years old and lives in Burbank with his wife and two children. Now, he works as a licensed tax consultant alongside his son at Server & Associates LLP. Thom Christopher (Hawk) Thom Christopher as Hawk and today / Everett Collection / ImageCollect Hawk was known as a half-man, half-bird warrior in the second season of the show. Where his wings went we cannot follow, but his bird spacecraft was the envy of all viewers with lofty dreams. Thom Christopher after his time with the Buck Rogers cast / ImageCollect Thom Christopher is definitely best known for his role in the Buck Rogers cast, but you may remember his two-parter from season four of Kojak, or his 24-episode arc in One Life to Live as Carlo Hesser. He hasn’t acted much since that soap arc, but he was part of the 2017 film, ADDicted. Today he is 81 years old, and hopefully still rocking that bird helmet. Erin Gray (Colonel Deering) Erin Gray then and now / Everett Collection / ImageCollect Colonel Deering was in charge, and a romantic interest for Buck, as well as a hopeful romantic interest for all the young men watching Buck Rogers back in the day. Her character was a loyal defender of Earth and inspiration to all viewers. Gray today / ImageCollect Erin Gray began working first as a model, dropping out of UCLA and moving to New York City to further pursue this career path. The choice paid off; by 1975, she was one of the nation's best, earning around $100,000 a year. She even played a model in her first ever acting gig, a 1976 episode of Maude. But her work on the cast of Buck Rogers is what she is best remembered for, especially by the male sex. But Erin was aware her sex appeal; it wasn’t hard to pick up on when her costume was so tight that she had to be sewn into it. This was not unlike Sandy from Grease, who sported another notable tight final costume. But Erin Gray was high-profile within the show, and as the female lead, second only to the title character, she represents one of the early examples of a strong female character in a sci-fi setting. She stated, quote, “A woman can be a colonel! A woman can be in charge! Those were new ideas then.” Then in the 80s, she co-starred another hit TV series, Kate Summers on the five-season sitcom Silver Spoons. She may never reach Buck Rogers or Silver Spoons height again, but she’s still working, starring in the 2006 musical comedy, Siren. Most recently she’s populated some Lifetime holiday flicks, most popular being 2018’s My Christmas Inn. Aside from acting, she also dabbles as a booking agent. Her agency, Heroes for Hire, specializes in booking sci-fi and fantasy stars for personal appearances, speaking engagements, and charity events. Today Erin is 71 years old, and a longtime enthusiast regarding ancient arts, channeling this passion to work as an instructor of Tai Chi at UCLA. Time to make our way back to the 21st century. We must admit, they nailed the 25th century. What was your favorite episode of Buck Rogers? Who saw the pilot movie in theaters? Did you have a favorite character from the show? Let us know in the comments below, we read every one. BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25TH CENTURY, (key art): Gil Gerard, Erin Gray, Twiki, 1979-81. © Universal Television / Courtesy: Everett Collection RELATED: 1969 Sci-Fi Film ‘Moon Zero Two’ Predicted Moon Colonies And Asteroid Hijacking In 2021