John "Jack" Marshall is a main character in the Land of the Lost, replacing the character of Rick Marshall played by Spencer Milligan. He was played by Ron Harper
Personality and Appearance[]
Jack Marshall is a tall, athletic male with brown hair and eyes. Dressed in a similar ranger uniform to his brother, he was a logical and rational person capable of using deception to further his goals. He wasn't above using violence against the Sleestak, such as homemade bombs and flare guns, but presumably out of consideration for Enik, he avoided deadly force when possible, using such tactics to scare instead of deliberately taking Sleestak lives.
Background[]
Not much is known about Jack Marshall's past prior to his arrival in the Land of the Lost. It is known he is likely an American park ranger like his brother, Rick Marahall, possibly in the American Southwest (possibly near the Grand Canyon). He is also the uncle of Will Marshall and Holly Marshall. When Rick, Will, and Holly go missing on a river expedition, he began searching for them after six months by taking the same route they had taken, and eventually falling through the same access point between Earth and the Land of the Lost which had claimed Rick and the kids.
Ironically, Jack ended up arriving at the same time Rick disappeared trying to use a newly discovered Pylon, hoping that he and his family could use it return home, but it's never revealed whether or not he succeeded in returning home or landed in yet another third realm. Reunited with Will and Holly, Jack caught on fast to their situation, using his wits to outsmart many of the situation with which they were dealing. It is likely Will informed him of other details afterward.
In one such incident, Jack fooled Malak into thinking he was a god by using a pain killer to help Malak's toothache and later lighting a fire with a match. Malak claimed he could do the same but when he was not looking, Jack dipped the matches in water so they wouldn't work for him. Jack also told him that he had a scepter that could create light which was actually a flashlight with weakening batteries. Jack got Malak to stop draining the river which dehydrated the animals and flooded the home of the Sleestak in exchange for the flashlight. Malak agreed, but the battery soon ran out and Malak was overthrown by the Sleestak. Jack also once tricked a dimetrodon named Torchy into getting trapped in a canyon.
Jack also faced several enemies and evil entities with whom a peaceful settlement or negotiation was inconceivable, such as Medusa, whom he had to trick into turning herself into stone and even the indigenous Sleestak when they gained more intelligence and the guidance from a malevolent power in the form of the Sleestak skull. Jack also encountered Captain Reuben Van de Meer, the captain of the famous ghost ship known as the Flying Dutchman.
Notes and Trivia[]
- Personality-wise, Jack is more of a man of action and while rarely resorting to violence, he will use trickery and deception.
- in the episodes, Jack shows adept engineering skills by training and designed the impenetrable doorway to the temple they start living in during season 3.
- In the series, Jack wasn't as inclined as Rick was to teaching life lessons or moralizing, rather helping Will and Holly to adapt and progress after their father's disappearance.
- It is not known if Jack is older or younger than this brother Rick. No mention is made of whether he has children of his own.