D I M E N S I O N X
----------------- -
1950 - 1951
First Show: Apr 8, 1950 Last Show: Sep 29, 1951
Number Shows: 50 Audition Show: none
Series Description:
DIMENSION X was first heard over NBC on Apr. 8, 1950 and ran until
Sept. of 1951. Although not the first adult science fiction radio
series, DIMENSION X is remembered because of the quality of the
shows. Some of the writers whose works were dramatized were Ray
Bradbury, Robert Block, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and Kurt
Vonnegut.
These stories were adapted for radio by in-house script writer George
Lefferts. Cast regulars were Joe Desantos, Wendell Holmes, Santos
Ortega, Joseph Julian, Jan Minor, Roger Decovan, John Gibson, Ralph
Bell, and many others. The narrator was Norman Rose.
It was one of the first shows to be recorded on tape. This was so
new that one show, "Mars is Heaven", had to be re-recorded 3 times
because the engineer kept erasing the tape while editing it.
Many of the scripts for DIMENSION X were used in its successor, X
MINUS ONE, which ran Apr. 24, 1955 through Jan. 9, 1958.
Log Comments:
The series is well represented in vendor and club catalogs, and there
is little disagreement on dates and titles. Cast members came from
the Radio Showcase catalog. Authors came from a log posted by Jim
Widner.
Besides his log, Jim and Meade Frierson III collaborated on a book
covering Dimension X and many other shows, a "must-have" for science
fiction fans. See the "References" section below.
Alphabetical and author's name listings are provided after the
chronoloogical log.
Chronological Log:
Date Num Title / Author / Notes In The Cast
------------ --- ------------------------------ ------------------
.. starts Saturday evenings ..
Apr 08, 1950 1 "The Outer Limit" Wendall Holmes
by Graham Doar Joe DeSantis
Apr 15, 1950 2 "With Folded Hands" Phillip Bourneuf
by Jack Williamson Alexander Scourby
Apr 22, 1950 3 "Report on the Barnhouse Bill Quinn
Effect" Ed Jerome
by Kurt Vonnegut
Apr 29, 1950 4 "No Contact" Wendall Holmes
by George Lefferts Lawson Zerbe
May 06, 1950 5 "Knock" Arnold Moss
by Frederic Brown Joan Alexander
May 13, 1950 6 "Almost Human" Santos Ortega
by Robert Bloch Rita Lynn
May 20, 1950 7 "The Lost" Matt Crowley
by Murray Leinster Roger DeKoven
May 27, 1950 8 "To the Future" John Larkin
by Ray Bradbury Jan Miner
Jun 03, 1950 9 "The Embassy" Joseph Julian
by Donald Wollheim Berry Kroeger
Jun 10, 1950 10 "The Green Hills of Earth"
by Robert Heinlein
Jun 17, 1950 11 "There Will Come Soft Rains" / Norman Rose
"Zero Hour" Roger DeKoven
by Ray Bradbury
Jun 24, 1950 12 "Destination Moon" Joe DeSantis
by George Pal and Robert Wendall Holmes
Heinlein
Jul 01, 1950 13 "A Logic Named Joe" Joseph Julian
by Murray Leinster Roger DeKoven
.. moves to Friday evening ...
Jul 07, 1950 14 "Mars is Heaven!" Wendall Holmes
by Ray Bradbury Peter Kapell
Jul 14, 1950 15 "The Man in the Moon" Louis Van Rooten
by George Lefferts Santos Ortega
Jul 21, 1950 16 "Beyond Infinity" Les Damon
by Villiers Gersen Joe DeSantis
Jul 28, 1950 17 "The Potters of Firsk" Raymond E. Johnson
by Jack Vance Wendall Holmes
Aug 04, 1950 18 "Perigi's Wonderful Dolls" Les Damon
by George Lefferts Joe DeSantis
Aug 11, 1950 19 "The Castaways" Santos Ortega
by Ernest Kinoy Greg Morton
Aug 18, 1950 20 "The Martian Chronicles" Roger DeKoven
by Ray Bradbury Donald Buka
Aug 25, 1950 21 "The Parade" Joseph Curtain
by George Lefferts Berry Kroeger
Sep 01, 1950 22 "The Roads Must Roll" Ralph Bell
by Robert Heinlein Wendall Holmes
Sep 08, 1950 23 "The Outer Limit"
by Graham Doar
Rebroadcast of 04-08-50
show.
Sep 15, 1950 24 "Hello, Tomorrow" Nancy Olsen
by George Lefferts Santos Ortega
Sep 22, 1950 25 "Dr. Grimshaw's Karl Webber
Sanatorium" Roger Dekoven
by Fletcher Pratt
Sep 29, 1950 26 "And the Moon Be Still As Alexander Scour
Bright" Wendall Holmes
by Ray Bradbury
... No programs from 10-06 ...
... to 10-29 then moves to ...
... Sunday evening. ...
Oct 29, 1950 27 "No Contact"
by George Lefferts
Remake of 04-29-50 show.
Nov 05, 1950 28 "The Professor Was a Thief" Arthur Maitland
by L. Ron Hubbard John Larkin
Nov 12, 1950 29 "Shanghaied" John Sylvestor
by Ernest Kinoy William Griffis
Nov 19, 1950 30 "Competition" Les Tremayne
by E. M. Hull Elaine Ross
Nov 26, 1950 31 "Universe" Mason Adams
by Robert Heinlein Peter Kapell
.. moves to Sunday afternoon .
Dec 24, 1950 32 "The Green Hills of Earth"
by Robert Heinlein
Rebroadcast of 06-10-50
show.
Dec 31, 1950 ... no program ...
Jan 07, 1951 33 "Mars is Heaven!"
by Ray Bradbury
Rebroadcast of 07-07-50
show.
Jan 14, 1951 34 "The Martian Death March"
by Ernest Kinoy
... No programs from 01-21 ...
... to 06-03 then moves to ...
... Sunday evening. ...
Jun 03, 1951 35 "The Last Objective" Lawson Zerbe
by Paul Carter Ralph Bell
Jun 10, 1951 36 "Nightmare" John Gibson
by George Lefferts Rita Lynn
Jun 17, 1951 37 "Pebble in the Sky" Santos Ortega
by Isaac Asimov Susan Douglas
Jun 24, 1951 38 "Child's Play" Leon Janey
by William Tenn Karl Weber
... No programs from 07-01 ...
... to 07-12 then moves to ...
... Thursday evening. ...
1951
Jul 12, 1951 39 "Time and Time Again" Joseph Curtain
by H. Beam Piper David Anderson
Jul 19, 1951 40 "The Dwellers in Silence" Peter Kapell
by Ray Bradbury Gertrude Warner
Jul 26, 1951 41 "Courtesy" Lawson Zerbe
by Cliffird Simak Bill Zuckert
Aug 02, 1951 42 "Universe"
by Robert Heinlein
Rebroadcast of 11-26-50
show
Aug 09, 1951 43 "The Veldt" Leslie Woods
by Ray Bradbury Bill Quin
Aug 16, 1951 44 "The Vital Factor" Raymond E. Johnson
by Nelson Bond Louis Van Rooten
Aug 23, 1951 45 "Untitled Story" George Petrie
by Frank M. Robinson Ann Sargeant
.. moves to Saturday evening .
1951
Aug 30, 1951 46 "Marionettes, Inc." Ross Martin
by Ray Bradbury Kermit Martin
Sep 06, 1951 47 "First Contact"
by Murray Leinster
Sep 13, 1951 48 "Kaleidoscope" Joe DeSantis
by Ray Bradbury Leon Janey
Sep 20, 1951 49 "Requiem" Bill Quin
by Robert Heinlein Rod Hendrickson
Sep 27, 1951 50 "Nightfall" Lyle Sudrow
by Isaac Asimov John McGovern
Final show
Alphabetical Listing:
Title Author Num Date
------------------------------- ----------------- --- --------
Almost Human Bloch, Robert 6 05-13-50
And the Moon Be Still As Bright Bradbury, Ray 26 09-29-50
Beyond Infinity Gersen, Villiers 16 07-21-50
Castaways, The Kinoy, Ernest 19 08-11-50
Child's Play Tenn, William 38 06-24-51
Competition Hull, E. M. 30 11-19-50
Courtesy Simak, Cliffird 41 07-26-51
Destination Moon Heinlein, Robert 12 06-24-50
Dr. Grimshaw's Sanatorium Pratt, Fletcher 25 09-22-50
Dwellers in Silence, The Bradbury, Ray 40 07-19-51
Embassy, The Wollheim, Donald 9 06-03-50
First Contact Leinster, Murray 47 09-06-51
Green Hills of Earth, The Heinlein, Robert 10 06-10-50,
(repeat) 32 12-24-50
Hello, Tomorrow Lefferts, George 24 09-15-50
Kaleidoscope Bradbury, Ray 48 09-13-51
Knock Brown, Frederic 5 05-06-50
Last Objective, The Carter, Paul 35 06-03-51
Logic Named Joe, A Leinster, Murray 13 07-01-50
Lost, The Leinster, Murray 7 05-20-50
Man in the Moon, The Lefferts, George 15 07-14-50
Marionettes, Inc. Bradbury, Ray 46 08-30-51
Mars is Heaven! Bradbury, Ray 14 07-07-50,
(repeat) 33 01-07-51
Martian Chronicles, The Bradbury, Ray 20 08-18-50
Martian Death March, The Kinoy, Ernest 34 01-14-51
Nightfall Asimov, Isaac 50 09-27-51
Nightmare Lefferts, George 36 06-10-51
No Contact Lefferts, George 4 04-29-50,
(repeat) 27 10-29-50
Outer Limit, The Doar, Graham 1 04-08-50,
(repeat) 23 09-08-50
Parade, The Lefferts, George 21 08-25-50
Pebble in the Sky Asimov, Isaac 37 06-17-51
Perigi's Wonderful Dolls Lefferts, George 18 08-04-50
Potters of Firsk, The Vance, Jack 17 07-28-50
Professor Was a Thief, The Hubbard, L. Ron 28 11-05-50
Report on the Barnhouse Effect Vonnegut, Kurt 3 04-22-50
Requiem Heinlein, Robert 49 09-20-51
Roads Must Roll, The Heinlein, Robert 22 09-01-50
Shanghaied Kinoy, Ernest 29 11-12-50
There Will Come Soft Rains Bradbury, Ray 11 06-17-50
Time and Time Again Piper, H. Beam 39 07-12-51
To the Future Bradbury, Ray 8 05-27-50
Universe Heinlein, Robert 31 11-26-50,
(repeat) 42 08-02-51
Untitled Story Robinson, Frank M. 45 08-23-51
Veldt, The Bradbury, Ray 43 08-09-51
Vital Factor, The Bond, Nelson 44 08-16-51
With Folded Hands Williamson, Jack 2 04-15-50
Zero Hour Bradbury, Ray 11 06-17-50
Listing By Author:
Author Title Num Date
------------------ ------------------------------- --- --------
Asimov, Isaac Nightfall 50 09-27-51
Pebble in the Sky 37 06-17-51
Bloch, Robert Almost Human 6 05-13-50
Bond, Nelson Vital Factor, The 44 08-16-51
Bradbury, Ray And the Moon Be Still As Bright 26 09-29-50
Dwellers in Silence, The 40 07-19-51
Kaleidoscope 48 09-13-51
Marionettes, Inc. 46 08-30-51
Mars is Heaven! 14 07-07-50,
33 01-07-51
Martian Chronicles, The 20 08-18-50
There Will Come Soft Rains 11 06-17-50
To the Future 8 05-27-50
Veldt, The 43 08-09-51
Zero Hour 11 06-17-50
Brown, Frederic Knock 5 05-06-50
Carter, Paul Last Objective, The 35 06-03-51
Doar, Graham Outer Limit, The 1 04-08-50,
23 09-08-50
Gersen, Villiers Beyond Infinity 16 07-21-50
Heinlein, Robert Destination Moon 12 06-24-50
Green Hills of Earth, The 10 06-10-50,
32 12-24-50
Requiem 49 09-20-51
Roads Must Roll, The 22 09-01-50
Universe 31 11-26-50
42 08-02-51
Hubbard, L. Ron Professor Was a Thief, The 28 11-05-50
Hull, E. M. Competition 30 11-19-50
Kinoy, Ernest Castaways, The 19 08-11-50
Martian Death March, The 34 01-14-51
Shanghaied 29 11-12-50
Lefferts, George Hello, Tomorrow 24 09-15-50
Man in the Moon, The 15 07-14-50
Nightmare 36 06-10-51
No Contact 4 04-29-50,
27 10-29-50
Parade, The 21 08-25-50
Perigi's Wonderful Dolls 18 08-04-50
Leinster, Murray First Contact 47 09-06-51
Logic Named Joe, A 13 07-01-50
Lost, The 7 05-20-50
Piper, H. Beam Time and Time Again 39 07-12-51
Pratt, Fletcher Dr. Grimshaw's Sanatorium 25 09-22-50
Robinson, Frank M. Untitled Story 45 08-23-51
Simak, Cliffird Courtesy 41 07-26-51
Tenn, William Child's Play 38 06-24-51
Vance, Jack Potters of Firsk, The 17 07-28-50
Vonnegut, Kurt Report on the Barnhouse Effect 3 04-22-50
Williamson, Jack With Folded Hands 2 04-15-50
Wollheim, Donald Embassy, The 9 06-03-50
References:
* "Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975" by James
F. Widner and Meade Frierson III. (Available from A.F.A.B, PO Box
130969, Birmingham, AL 35213-0969).
* "The Ultimate History of Network Radio Programming and Guide To All
Circulating Shows", by Jay Hickerson, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514
* OTR club and vendor catalogs or web sites:
* AVPRO, Don Aston, PO Box 1392, Lake Elsinore, CA 92531-1392
* Crabapple Sound, Henry Hinkel, 254 Florida Ave., Amsterdam, NY 12010
* Edward J. Carr, 216 Shaner Street, Boyertown, PA 19512
* Erstwhile Radio, PO Box 2284, Peabody, MA 01960
* Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602
* North American Radio Archives, 134 Vincewood Dr., Nicolasville, KY
40356
* Radio Historical Association of Colorado, PO Box 1908, Englewood,
CO 80150
* Radio Memories, Ted Davenport, 1600 Wewoka St., North Little Rock,
AR 72116
* Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
* Society to Preserve and Encourage Radio Drama, Variety And Comedy,
PO Box 7177, Van Nuys, CA 91409-7177
* The Sci-Fi Guy, Gordon R. Payton, 118 E. Palmer Ave., Collingswood,
NJ 08108 (no longer sells shows)
* Vintage Broadcasts, Andy Blatt, PO Box 50065, Staten Island, NY
10305
Other Logs or Books:
* DIMENSION X log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com)
Last Update: May 20, 2004
This log is informational only. It does not imply that I or my
references have these shows for trade or sale. The shows may still
be protected under copyright law and should be obtained only from
authorized dealers.
The log may be freely reproduced and published on a no-profit basis.
Please send error corrections or additional information to Frank M.
Passage, 109 Elmwood Road, Verona, NJ 07044 (email: wb2ntp@arrl.net).