Irwin Allen Rusty Ryan is doing an 'Irwin Allen' which is a reference to the fake earthquake they stage later in the story. Irwin Allen Irwin Allen (June 12, 1916 – November 2, 1991) was an American television, documentary and film director and producer with a varied career who became known as the "Master of Disaster" for his work in the disaster film genre. His most successful productions were "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) and "The Towering Inferno" (1974). He also created several popular 1960s science fiction television series, such as "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea", "Lost in Space", "The Time
The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present on points for the number of seasons these shows were on and their audience-size ranks for every season. Thus, the series were credited for their popularity and longevity. Some series that were currently on the air had moved up on the list. "60 Minutes", which ranked #9 on the 1985 list, had since risen to #1 by virtue of its continued popularity. The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows 1946–Present The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946–Present is a trade paperback reference work by the American television researchers Tim Brooks and