Man owns replica "Lost in Space" robot

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A northtowns man is sharing his connection to a man who helped define a science fiction movie and TV series.

The man who provided the voice to the robot from "Lost in Space" has died. Dick Tufeld provided the voice of robot model B-9 on the TV series from the 1960s and the 1998 movie with William Hurt.

Lawrence Tetewsky and his wife own a replica of the robot, which is 7'2" tall and stands in their Town of Tonawanda home. Tetewsky says Tufeld helped give the robot a larger role on the TV show.

Tetewsky said, "And gradually as the series wore on, they began to see that there were more comedic and familial possibilities and it eventually essentially became the Robot Dr. Smith and Will Robinson show with occasional appearances by everybody else."

Tufeld died Sunday at the age of 85. Tetewsky tells News 4 people can get into the robot costume. If you move the wires out of the way and the lights do light up. He and his wife plan to use B-9 occasionally at some "Star Wars" fan shows.