"My Favorite Martian" (1963) TV series 1963-1966

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Creator:

John L. Greene

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3

Release Date:

29 September 1963 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Family | Sci-Fi

Plot:

A sarcastic Martian comes to live with a hapless young Terran on Earth.

Plot Keywords:

Mars | Martian | Spaceship | Invention | Space

Awards:

5 nominations

Cast

Ray Walston	...	Uncle Martin / ... (107 episodes, 1963-1966)
Bill Bixby	...	Tim O'Hara (107 episodes, 1963-1966)
Pamela Britton	...	Mrs. Lorelei Brown (64 episodes, 1963-1966)
Alan Hewitt	...	Det. Bill Brennan (30 episodes, 1964-1966)

Also Known As:

"My Favourite Martian" (Australia)

Runtime:

30 min (107 episodes) | Argentina:30 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White (1963-1965) | Color (1965-1966)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Desilu Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS)

Trivia:

The character 'Uncle Martin' was ranked #3 in TV Guide's list of the "25 Greatest Sci-Fi Legends" (1 August 2004 issue).

Goofs:

Factual errors: During much of the first season (1963-64), the copyright date was given as MCMXLIII (1943). It should have read MCMLXIII.

Quotes:

Uncle Martin: We don't have love on Mars. Either it was too silly to bother with, or it was something we discarded in our Dusk Ages.
Tim O'Hara: You mean the Dark Ages?
Uncle Martin: We were never that primitive.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mork & Mindy: Invasion of the Mork Snatchers (#2.25)" (1980)

Classic SF comedy in a class of its own

'My Favorite Martian' rapidly became a must-see for me once the first episode premiered on Australian television. It was cutting-edge SF-comedy in a class of its own at the time, decades before 'Third Rock from the Sun' appeared. Ray Walston was born to play Uncle Martin, just as Jonathan Harris was born to play Dr Smith! He and Bill Bixby worked well together and their relationship in some way reminded me of George Reeves and Jack Larson - 'Superman' and Jimmy Olsen'. Their teamwork gave an extra dimension to an often paper-thin script. I still have my autographed photo and the unique envelope it came in though once again (as happened with Connie Hines), the postman folded the envelope and cracked the emulsion. I almost cried at the time!