''Buck Rogers in the 25th Century'' was a radio drama series based on the popularity of the popular novel and comics series ''

Buck Rogers Buck Rogers is a science fiction adventure hero and feature comic strip created by Philip Francis Nowlan first appearing in daily US newspapers on January 7, 1929, and subsequently appearing in Sunday newspapers, international newspapers, books ...

''. It aired from 1932-1936, 1939, 1940 and 1946-1947, and it was notable for being the first science fiction radio show.

Broadcasting history

''Buck Rogers'' was initially broadcast as a 15-minute show on

CBS Radio CBS Radio was a radio broadcasting company and radio network operator owned by CBS Corporation and founded in 1928, with consolidated radio station groups owned by CBS and Westinghouse Broadcasting/Group W since the 1920s, and Infinity Broadc ...

, from Monday through Thursday. It first ran from November 7, 1932, until May 22, 1936 . In 1936, it moved to a Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule and went off the air the same year (720 episodes, 180 hours).

Mutual Broadcasting System The Mutual Broadcasting System (commonly referred to simply as Mutual; sometimes referred to as MBS, Mutual Radio or the Mutual Radio Network) was an American commercial radio network in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the Old-time radio, golden ...

brought the show back and broadcast it three days a week from April 5 to July 31, 1939 (51 episodes, 12.75 hours), and from May 18 to July 27, 1940, a 30-minute version was broadcast on Saturdays (11 episodes, 5.5 hours). From September 30, 1946, to March 28, 1947, Mutual aired a 15-minute version on weekdays (78 episodes 19.5 hours). The show was directed by Carlo De Angelo and Jack Johnstone. De Angelo also produced it. Sound effects were provided by Ora Daigle Nichols. In 1988, Johnstone recalled how he worked with the sound effects of Ora Nichols to produce the sound of the rockets by using an air-conditioning vent.

Dick Calkins Richard William Calkins (August 12, 1894 – May 12, 1962), who often signed his work Lt. Dick Calkins, was an American comic strip artist who is best known for being the first artist to draw the ''Buck Rogers'' comic strip. He also wrote for the ...

, who also made the comic strip, wrote the scripts. Actors

Matt Crowley Matt Crowley (June 20, 1905 – March 7, 1983) was an American film, television and radio actor. Life and career Matt Crowley was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He was a student of George Pierce Baker at Yale University. As an actor, Crowl ...

, Curtis Arnall, Carl Frank and John Larkin all voiced Buck Rogers at various times.

Wilma Deering Wilma Deering is a fictional character featured in the various iterations of Buck Rogers which have spanned many media over the years.Robert Jennings,"Bucking the Future: From 1928 to the 25th Century With Anthony Rogers". ''Comic Buyer's Guide'' ...

was portrayed by Adele Ronson, and the brilliant scientist-inventor Dr. Huer was played by Edgar Stehli.

Cast

* Buck Rogers:

, Curtis Arnall, Carl Frank, John Larkin. * Wilma Deering: Adele Ronson * Dr. Huer:

Edgar Stehli Edgar Stehli (July 12, 1884 – July 25, 1973) was a French-born American actor of the stage, the screen and television. Early years The son of an English mother and a German-Swiss father, Stehli was born in Lyon, France. The family moved to Ne ...

* Black Barney: Jack Roseleigh, Joe Granby * Buddy: Ronald Liss * Ardala Valmar: Elaine Melchior * Killer Kane: William "Bill" Shelley, Dan Ocko, Arthur Vinton.

Sources

{{Buck Rogers

Radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

American radio dramas American children's radio programs American science fiction radio programs Aviation radio series CBS Radio programs Mutual Broadcasting System programs 1932 radio programme debuts 1936 radio programme endings 1939 radio programme debuts 1939 radio programme endings 1940 radio programme debuts 1940 radio programme endings 1946 radio programme debuts 1947 radio programme endings Radio programmes based on novels Radio programs based on comic strips