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Bob Mathias (Space: 1999)
Encyclopedia
Bob Mathias is a fictional character
from the British science-fiction television
series Space: 1999
. He is played by actor Anton Phillips
.
at the time of 'Breakaway
', Space: 1999's opening installment. During this time, he acted as Doctor Helena Russell
's deputy as well as one of her closer friends.
Like Helena Russell, Mathias had served a role in the 1996 Ultra Probe
mission. Mathias was present on Moonbase as a staff physician when astronaut Tony Cellini's lifeboat was recovered and Cellini - barely alive - brought to Alpha. Between this incident and the arrival of John Koenig
as the new commander of Moonbase Alpha in September 1999, Helena Russell became the base's medical chief and Mathias became her primary associate.
', he gave his life to allow as many casualites as possible to be removed from a treatment room in danger of decompression; Mathias was blown out the broken window he had attempted to shore up when an alien strafing attack shattered it completely. One can surmise from several altercations with Paul Morrow
over command decisions that threatened the operation of Medical Section (see 'Force of Life' and 'The Testament of Arkadia
') that the two men were not on the best of terms for this very reason. One wonders if there was another falling out, between Mathias and Koenig (possibly over the Tony Cellini case); in the first few episodes, Koenig calls him as 'Mathias' or 'Doctor'; during the 1997 flashback sequence in 'Dragon's Domain', Koenig addresses him as 'Bob'.
Mathias seems to have a background in pathology
, as he is seen or referred to as performing several autopsies during the course of the first year. He also seems to be well-versed in the maintenance of the Medical Centre equipment
Mathias was not often seen outside of his duties as physician. In 'Black Sun', he is seen playing chess with Technical chief David Kano
, stating that Kano would never beat him. Under the influence of the Guardian of Piri, Mathias was seen to be entertaining one of the nurses with acts of prestidigitation at a party in the Medical Diagnostic Unit.
for Year Two and would appear in the first two episodes 'The Metamorph
' and 'The Exiles
'. Dissatisfied with his minor role in these episodes and at having not been given a contract, Anton Phillips
left the series.
He would get a verbal mention in the third installment 'One Moment of Humanity'. He would be replaced by actor Jeffery Kissoon as Doctor Ben Vincent, then a revolving door of other physicians -- Doctor Raul Nunez and Doctor Ed Spencer. The fan-produced Moonbase Alpha Technical Journal explained his absence as his taking a sabbatical from his physician duties to pursue a research project in psychiatry.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the British science-fiction television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
series Space: 1999
Space: 1999
Space: 1999 is a British science-fiction television series that ran for two seasons and originally aired from 1975 to 1977. In the opening episode, nuclear waste from Earth stored on the Moon's far side explodes in a catastrophic accident on 13 September 1999, knocking the Moon out of orbit and...
. He is played by actor Anton Phillips
Anton Phillips
Anton Phillips is an actor who found success appearing in British television. He remains best known for his role as Dr. Bob Mathias in the science fiction series Space 1999.-Early life and education:...
.
Character Biography
Bob Mathias is a medical doctor, serving on Moonbase AlphaMoonbase Alpha
Moonbase Alpha is a fictional moon base and the main setting in the science fiction television series Space: 1999.-Moonbase Alpha:Located in the Moon crater Plato and constructed out of quarried rock and ores, Moonbase Alpha is four kilometres in diameter and extends up to one kilometre in areas...
at the time of 'Breakaway
Breakaway (Space: 1999)
"Breakaway" is the first episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by George Bellak ; the director was Lee H. Katzin. Previous titles include 'Zero-G', 'The Void Ahead' and 'Turning Point'. The final shooting script is dated 22 November 1973...
', Space: 1999's opening installment. During this time, he acted as Doctor Helena Russell
Helena Russell
Helena Russell is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. She was played by Barbara Bain. She is American and apparently in her mid-thirties....
's deputy as well as one of her closer friends.
Like Helena Russell, Mathias had served a role in the 1996 Ultra Probe
Ultra Probe
The Ultra Probe was a fictional spacecraft in the Space: 1999 episode "Dragons Domain".A long-range explorer ship, the Ultra Probe was designed to take a crew of four to the planet Ultra, which had been discovered by Professor Victor Bergman in 1994...
mission. Mathias was present on Moonbase as a staff physician when astronaut Tony Cellini's lifeboat was recovered and Cellini - barely alive - brought to Alpha. Between this incident and the arrival of John Koenig
John Koenig
John Koenig is a fictional character from the television series Space: 1999. He was played by Martin Landau. He is American, apparently in his early forties.-Character Biography:...
as the new commander of Moonbase Alpha in September 1999, Helena Russell became the base's medical chief and Mathias became her primary associate.
Series One
Mathias was always seen to be protective of his patients and the Medical department. In a possible future in 'War GamesWar Games (Space: 1999)
"War Games" is the seventeenth episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by Christopher Penfold; the director was Charles Crichton. The final shooting script is dated 15 October 1974...
', he gave his life to allow as many casualites as possible to be removed from a treatment room in danger of decompression; Mathias was blown out the broken window he had attempted to shore up when an alien strafing attack shattered it completely. One can surmise from several altercations with Paul Morrow
Paul Morrow
Paul Morrow is a fictional character who first appeared in 'Breakaway', the premiere episode of the science fiction television show Space: 1999, and was portrayed by Prentis Hancock. He is a British national who appears to be in his early thirties....
over command decisions that threatened the operation of Medical Section (see 'Force of Life' and 'The Testament of Arkadia
The Testament of Arkadia
"The Testament of Arkadia" is the twenty-fourth and final episode of the first series of Space: 1999. The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was David Tomblin. The final shooting script is dated 5 February 1975, with a revised final shooting script dated 25 February 1975...
') that the two men were not on the best of terms for this very reason. One wonders if there was another falling out, between Mathias and Koenig (possibly over the Tony Cellini case); in the first few episodes, Koenig calls him as 'Mathias' or 'Doctor'; during the 1997 flashback sequence in 'Dragon's Domain', Koenig addresses him as 'Bob'.
Mathias seems to have a background in pathology
Pathology
Pathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
, as he is seen or referred to as performing several autopsies during the course of the first year. He also seems to be well-versed in the maintenance of the Medical Centre equipment
Mathias was not often seen outside of his duties as physician. In 'Black Sun', he is seen playing chess with Technical chief David Kano
David Kano (Space 1999)
David Kano is a fictional character who regularly appeared during the first season of the science fiction television series Space: 1999. He is of Jamaican origin and in his mid-thirties. He was played by actor Clifton Jones.-Character biography:...
, stating that Kano would never beat him. Under the influence of the Guardian of Piri, Mathias was seen to be entertaining one of the nurses with acts of prestidigitation at a party in the Medical Diagnostic Unit.
Series Two
Unlike other supporting characters from the first series, the Mathias character was invited back by American producer Fred FreibergerFred Freiberger
Fred Freiberger was an American film and television screenwriter and television producer, with a career spanning four decades including The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, Star Trek, and Space: 1999...
for Year Two and would appear in the first two episodes 'The Metamorph
The Metamorph
"The Metamorph" is the first episode of the second series of Space: 1999 . The screenplay was written by Johnny Byrne; the director was Charles Crichton. Previous titles were 'The Biological Soul' and 'The Biological Computer'. The final shooting script is dated 19 January 1976...
' and 'The Exiles
The Exiles
"The Exiles" is a science fiction short story by Ray Bradbury. It was originally published as "The Mad Wizards of Mars" in Maclean's on 15 September 1949 and was reprinted the following year by Fantasy Fiction, Inc...
'. Dissatisfied with his minor role in these episodes and at having not been given a contract, Anton Phillips
Anton Phillips
Anton Phillips is an actor who found success appearing in British television. He remains best known for his role as Dr. Bob Mathias in the science fiction series Space 1999.-Early life and education:...
left the series.
He would get a verbal mention in the third installment 'One Moment of Humanity'. He would be replaced by actor Jeffery Kissoon as Doctor Ben Vincent, then a revolving door of other physicians -- Doctor Raul Nunez and Doctor Ed Spencer. The fan-produced Moonbase Alpha Technical Journal explained his absence as his taking a sabbatical from his physician duties to pursue a research project in psychiatry.
External links
- Space 1999 Cybermuseum - Moonbase Alpha Technical Manual Bio Bob Mathais
- Space 1999 Catacombs - Character Profile Bob Mathais