Obituaries in the news

Tony Hart, a British television presenter who charmed generations of children with his artsy antics, died Sunday. He was 83.

No cause of death was given but Hart's health had been in decline following two strokes several years ago, Hart's agent Roc Renals said.

Hart's 50-year television career took in everything from lightning-fast magic marker sketches to a giant paint-spattered Jackson Pollock-like composition and an even larger elephant whitewashed onto an airfield.

Throughout it all, Hart's bubbly demeanor and endearing grin kept children hooked. The British Broadcasting Corp., where he worked, said one of his shows, Hartbeat, attracted as many as 5.4 million viewers.

Hart received between 6,000 and 8,000 children's drawings and paintings in the mail every week — some of the best were tacked to the walls of his studio.

Bob May, who donned The Robot's suit in the hit 1960s television show "Lost in Space," died Sunday of congestive heart failure. He was 69.

May died at a hospital in Lancaster, said his daughter, Deborah May.

He was a veteran actor and stuntman who had appeared in movies, TV shows and on the vaudeville stage when he was tapped by "Lost in Space" creator Irwin Allen to play the Robinson family's loyal metal sidekick in the series that debuted in 1965.

"He always said he got the job because he fit in the robot suit," said June Lockhart, who played family matriarch Maureen Robinson. "It was one of those wonderful Hollywood stories."

Although May didn't provide the robot's distinctive voice (that was done by announcer Dick Tufeld), he developed a following of fans who sought him out at memorabilia shows.

"Lost in Space" was a space-age retelling of "The Swiss Family Robinson" story in which professor John Robinson, his wife and their children were on a space mission when their craft was knocked hopelessly off course by the evil Dr. Zachary Smith, who became trapped in space with them.

May's robot was the Robinson family's loyal sidekick, warning them of approaching disaster at every turn. His line to one of the children, "Danger, Will Robinson," became a national catch phrase.

He appeared in numerous films with Jerry Lewis and in such TV shows as "The Time Tunnel," "McHale's Navy and "The Red Skelton Show." He was also a stuntman in such 1950s and '60s TV shows as "Cheyenne," "Surfside 6," "Hawaiian Eye," "The Roaring 20s" and "Stagecoach."

Taken from : associated press