All
American Old Time Radio Show Classic
Journey Into Space MP3 CD
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great series,
listen to the preview below.
This show comes on CD In MP3
Format
Journey Into Space was a BBC Radio science fiction program and
was written by BBC producer Charles Chilton. There were
three series were produced. The first
series was created in 1953, soon after Riders of the Range, which
was a popular Western and also written by Chilton, ended its six
seasons on the BBC Light Program. Michael Standing, then Head of the
BBC Variety Department, asked Chilton if he could write a sci-fi
program, and Journey to the Moon (later known as Operation Luna) was
the result.
Each half-hour episode would usually end with a dramatic
cliffhanger. This was a popular plot device used to increase the
audience's incentive to tune in to the next episode.
Chilton went on to write three best-selling novels based upon the
radio series.
The show starred, Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley Poynter, Bruce
Beeby, Don Sharp. David Williams, David Kossoff, Alfie Bass, David
Jacobs, and more. Charles Chilton created and produced the series
and Journey to the Moon aired from September 21, 1953 to June 18,
1958.
Initially, the first series was simply
known as Journey Into Space, with the subtitle A Tale of
the Future added by the Radio Times, but
within the BBC it became known as Journey to the Moon.
The series was set in 1965, which was the year in which Chilton
believed humans would first walk on the Moon. It was first broadcast
in 1953–1954 on the BBC Light Program, which later became BBC Radio
2. The series was originally intended to have 12 episodes. The show
had 5.1 million people tuned in to the first episode, but the first
four episodes. which took place on Earth, didn't prove very popular,
and the audience soon shrank to less than 4 million. However, once
the rocket set off for the Moon in episode 5, the audience reaction
was much more favorable. The series was extended to 18 episodes, and
by the time the final episode was broadcast, 8 million people were
tuning in.
In 1958, Journey to the Moon
was re-recorded for the BBC Transcription Services (retitled as Operation Luna),
because the original recordings had been erased. The first four
episodes of the original series were omitted, and episodes 12 and 13
were merged into a single episode.
In addition to the main cast, other cast members in Journey to
the Moon were: Wilfred Walter, Sir William Morgan; Robert Perceval,
Mackenzie; Deryck Guyler, The Time-Traveller ("The Voice"); Mark
Baker; Errol McKinnon; Jessica Dunning; David Jacobs ; Duncan
McIntyre and Wyndham Milligan. Some other cast members in Operation
Luna were: John Cazabon, Earth Control; Alan Keith, London
correspondent; Duncan McIntyre, Jet's great uncle, Hector; Deryck
Guyler, The Time-Traveler ("The Voice") and David Jacobs,
Miscellaneous characters.
The second series, The Red Planet,
followed the adventures of the crew in their first attempt to reach
and explore Mars. Several new characters were introduced, the most
notable of which were Frank Rogers and James Edward Whitaker, the
two original crewmen of freighter #2. Chilton took the name Whitaker
from a copy of Whitaker's Almanack which was sitting on his desk.
Other cast members included: David Jacobs, Frank Rogers and
miscellaneous characters; Anthony Marriott; Miriam Karlin; John
Cazabon; Madi Hedd; and Don Sharp.
Sound control and special effects throughout the series were
provided by Brian Willey and Joe Young. The most memorable
catchphrase from this series was "Orders must be obeyed without
question at all times", which was often repeated by many of the
'conditioned' characters, especially Whitaker.
Series three of Journey Into Space, The
World in Peril, followed Jet Morgan and his crew's return
to Mars in an attempt to avert the impending Martian invasion. The
series consisted of twenty thirty minute episodes, and was broadcast
each Monday at 7:30 pm on The Light Program from September 26, 1955
to 13 February 1956. Andrew Faulds and Guy Kingsley Poynter returned
as Jet and Doc, whereas Mitch was once again played by Don Sharp.
David Kossoff, who left to pursue a stage career, was replaced by
Alfie Bass. Other parts were played by Pat Cambell, John Cazabon,
David Jacobs, Miriam Karlin, Alan Tilvern, Fred Yule and The George
Mitchell Choir.
Van Phillips composed and conducted the music for all three
series. The music was initially recorded beforehand, and played from
acetate discs during the recording sessions. Later, an eight-piece
orchestra was actually present in the studio, and played the music
live. Phillips liked the sound of the clavioline, and obtained one
for use during Journey Into Space. He composed music especially for
it, and it was "bolted onto the piano" in the studio.
A variety of sound effects were used in the episodes, and played
a major role. In addition to basic sounds, such as feet walking
along a corridor or tunnel, more advanced effects were created, such
as the mysterious haunting 'music' which is heard over the rocket's
radio in many episodes of Operation Luna.
The most distinctive effect was the dramatic rocket take-off,
which was played at the beginning of each episode, and whenever
necessary during the episodes. This was actually a recording of a
jet aircraft at Heathrow airport. Often, this would be followed by a
slowly ascending tone (representing the rocket accelerating), which
"was actually a recording of a thermionic valve played through an
echo chamber down at the Physical Research Laboratory at Kingston".
Other sound effects were created at Battersea Power Station, and the
sound made by the televiewer on board Luna was actually a naval
ASDIC.
The BBC had an echo chamber in the studio, which was greatly
utilized during the episodes. Whenever the crew were in contact by
radio with Earth control, or another distant location, the echo
chamber would be applied to the voice of the remote character.
Various sound effects were also created "live" in the studio.
So take a Journey into Space and enjoy
over 24 hours and 55 episodes of this wonderful sci-fi series.
Your CD contains the following great shows.
