Skip to main content

Journey Into Space Radio Program

By Old Time Radio





In the mid 1950's the British Light Programme service had the idea that a Science Fiction radio series would be popular. The assignment was handed over to producer Charles Chilton. Chilton didn't have any background in science, or science fiction, but the general thought was that if he could produce a successful western from London (Riders of the Range had six seasons, ending in 1953) he should be able to handle a trip to the moon!

Originally scheduled for eight episodes, Journey to the Moon proved to be somewhat tedious listening through the first four episodes, as the "groundwork' was established for a moon launch using the best guesses of the potential technology from a 1953 perspective. Once the mission "got off the ground, following the launch of the spacecraft in episode 5, the popularity soared as well, and the series was extended to 18 episodes (the network re-recorded the original series for overseas distribution in 1958, as Operation Luna. This time the story began with the action of episode 5!) It was to be the last time a radio program would attract a larger evening audience than Television. One television producer challenged Chilton to create an episode that couldn't have been broadcast on TV, and he responded with episode 8, where most of the action takes place in the dark after the space ship looses power on the lunar surface. Eventually the crew is able to lift off from the moon, only to be taken back in time to land on a prehistoric earth.

The crew is led by Jet Morgan, and composed of Doc Matthews and Stephen "Mitch" Mitchell. Lemmy Barnet is the cockney radio operator.

In the next series , the Red Planet, the explorers lead a fleet of ships that leave from the moon to Mars. The fleet consists of Jet's flagship, the Discovery, and eight freighters carrying cargo for the expedition. From the beginning there is interference which we learn is from the Martians, who are in the process of their own invasion of Earth! In the third serial, the World in Peril, the crew attempts to avert the Martian invasion.

The Journey Into Space radio series is a marvelous science fiction adventure, as well as a terrific radio serial, featuring numerous cliff-hangers and plot twists. The series would influence the later producers of the Doctor Who, and was a favorite of physicist Stephen Hawking.
Labels:

Comments

  1. Mike HobartMarch 25, 2018 at 3:04 AM

    one of my favorites -- probably time to listen to it again.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Candy Matson Old Time Radio Show

By Old Time Radio
Candy Matson  was no GIRL detective...she was all woman. Candy Matson was a response to all the hard-boiled detectives on the radio like  Jeff Regan ,  Rocky Fortune ,  Pat Novak , and all those  other detectives  who were beaten up on a regular basis. Candy, played by Natalie Parks, was  hard-boiled  in her own way. She never compromised her femininity but she did know how to use a gun and didn't hesitate to use when it was necessary. She didn't take any guff from the guys--the good guys or the bad guys. With a snappy comeback, she could take anybody's head off. Candy was fearless, never hesitating to go wherever she needed to solve a case from the lowest dive to the classiest night club. Candy worked hard to get her goon. Men orbited around her like she was the sun. Her best friend and partner in detection was Rembrandt Watson, a flamboyant photographer. All private detectives need a police detective foil and, in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Old Time Radio: Spies and Espionage

By Old Time Radio
Old time radio featured many spy-themed shows , which were popular during the Cold War era . These shows often depicted heroic spies and agents who worked to protect their countries from enemy spies and espionage, adding to the cultural fascination with the world of espionage and intrigue during this time. Spy shows were popular in the 1950s for several reasons. Firstly, the Cold War was in full swing , and the fear of Soviet espionage and infiltration was widespread. As a result, there was a heightened interest in stories and characters that dealt with the world of espionage and intrigue. Spy shows offered a way for listeners to vicariously experience the world of espionage and feel a sense of excitement and danger. Additionally, radio was one of the primary sources of entertainment during this time, and spy shows offered a way for audiences to escape the anxieties of everyday life and engage with exciting stories and characters. Many of these shows also featured strong, heroic prot...
Post a Comment
Read more

A Clown Laughs and Cries: Red Skelton

By Old Time Radio
  The Clown is one of the most traditional and enduring elements of show business. There are several vital characteristics which add up to define just what a clown is. One of the most important is that under the makeup, the clown is very often laughing on the outside while crying on the inside. America's favorite clown, Red Skelton typifies laughing and crying at the same time. Few performers have given as much to bring happiness to their audience, especially while living through their own personal tragedies. Joe Skelton had performed as a clown with the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus, but settled down to life as a grocer, and sired four sons with his wife Ida Mae. Joe was taken from his family two months before his youngest son, Richard Bernard Skelton, was born in 1913 (the same year, the Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus lost 8 elephants, 8 performing horses and 21 lions and tigers when the Wabash River flooded). Richard soon became Red Skelton . With no father, Red went to work early to hel...
Post a Comment
Read more