Born August 5, 1929, Don Matheson was a decorated Korean War veteran then an officer with the Detroit PD. It was law enforcement’s loss when Don turned to acting. He appeared in some of the more imaginative TV series of the ’60s – Lost in Space, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and here on Land of the Giants (left.)
Matheson’s real-life background as a tough, disciplined Detroit police officer gave him a rare, natural physical presence that made him an instant favorite for legendary television producer Irwin Allen. In Land of the Giants, he played the role of Mark Wilson, a brilliant, arrogant engineer stranded on a terrifying planet of giant humanoids, using his commanding baritone voice and military bearing to turn the high-concept sci-fi series into a compelling weekly drama. His transition from patrolling the streets of Detroit to navigating the avant-garde, special-effects-heavy sets of 1960s Hollywood highlighted a fascinating, unconventional path to television stardom during the golden age of American network television.
