''X Minus One'' is an American half-hour science fiction radio drama series that was broadcast from April 24, 1955, to January 9, 1958, in various timeslots on NBC. Known for high production values in adapting stories from the leading American authors of the era, ''X Minus One'' has been described as one of the finest offerings of American radio drama and one of the best science fiction series in any medium.

Overview

Initially a revival of NBC's '' Dimension X'' (1950–51), the first 15 episodes of ''X Minus One'' were new versions of ''Dimension X'' episodes, but the remainder were adaptations by NBC staff writers, including

Ernest Kinoy Ernest Kinoy (April 1, 1925 – November 10, 2014) was an American writer, screenwriter and playwright. Early life Kinoy was born in New York City on April 1, 1925; his parents, Albert and Sarah Kinoy (formerly Forstadt), were both high-school ...

and George Lefferts, of newly published science fiction stories by leading writers in the field, including

Isaac Asimov yi, יצחק אזימאװ , birth_date = , birth_place = Petrovichi, Russian SFSR , spouse = , relatives = , children = 2 , death_date = , death_place = Manhattan, New York City, U.S. , nationality = Russian (1920–1922)Soviet (192 ...

, Ray Bradbury,

Philip K. Dick Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928March 2, 1982), often referred to by his initials PKD, was an American science fiction writer. He wrote 44 novels and about 121 short stories, most of which appeared in science fiction magazines during his l ...

, Robert A. Heinlein,

Frederik Pohl Frederik George Pohl Jr. (; November 26, 1919 – September 2, 2013) was an American science-fiction writer, editor, and fan, with a career spanning nearly 75 years—from his first published work, the 1937 poem "Elegy to a Dead Satelli ...

and Theodore Sturgeon, along with some original scripts by Kinoy and Lefferts. Included in the series were adaptations of Robert Sheckley's "Skulking Permit", Bradbury's "

Mars Is Heaven "Mars Is Heaven!" is a science fiction short story by American writer Ray Bradbury, originally published in 1948 in '' Planet Stories''. "Mars Is Heaven!" was among the stories selected in 1970 by the Science Fiction Writers of America as one ...

", Heinlein's " Universe" and " The Green Hills of Earth", Pohl's " The Tunnel under the World",

J. T. McIntosh James Murdoch MacGregor (14 February 1925 – 22 July 2008National Library of ScotlandSpecial and Named Printed Collections in the National Library of Scotland ''J.T. McINTOSH COLLECTION'') was a Scottish journalist and author best known for wri ...

’s "Hallucination Orbit", Fritz Leiber’s "

A Pail of Air "A Pail of Air" is a science fiction short story by American writer Fritz Leiber. It originally appeared in the December 1951 issue of ''Galaxy Magazine'' and was dramatized on the radio show '' X Minus One'' in March 1956. Plot The story is nar ...

", and George Lefferts' "The Parade".OTR Plotspot: ''X Minus One''
/ref> The program opened with announcer Fred Collins delivering the countdown, leading into the following introduction (although later shows beginning with Episode 37, were partnered with '' Galaxy Science Fiction'' rather than ''

Astounding Science Fiction ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

''): The series was canceled after the 126th broadcast on January 9, 1958. However, the early 1970s brought a wave of nostalgia for

old-time radio The Golden Age of Radio, also known as the old-time radio (OTR) era, was an era of radio in the United States where it was the dominant electronic home entertainment medium. It began with the birth of commercial radio broadcasting in the early ...

; a new experimental episode, "The Iron Chancellor" by Robert Silverberg, was produced in 1973, but it failed to revive the series. NBC also tried broadcasting the old recordings, but their irregular once-monthly scheduling kept even devoted listeners from following the broadcasts. The series was re-released in podcast form beginning on June 22, 2007. In November 2008, Counter-Productions Theatre Company became the first theater company to stage three episodes, "The Parade", "A Logic Named Joe", and "Hallucination Orbit".

Episodes based on stories by famous writers

* Poul Anderson – "The Light" *

– " Nightfall", " C-Chute", " Hostess" * James Blish – "Surface Tension" *

Robert Bloch Robert Albert Bloch (; April 5, 1917September 23, 1994) was an American fiction writer, primarily of crime, psychological horror and fantasy, much of which has been dramatized for radio, cinema and television. He also wrote a relatively small ...

– "Almost Human" * Ray Bradbury – "And The Moon Be Still As Bright", " Mars is Heaven!", " The Veldt", "Dwellers in Silence", "Zero Hour", "To the Future", "

Marionettes, Inc. "Marionettes, Inc." is a short story by American writer Ray Bradbury, originally published in '' Startling Stories'' (March 1949) and later reprinted in his collection of short stories ''The Illustrated Man''. In the story, Bradbury conjures a ...

", " There Will Come Soft Rains" *

L. Sprague de Camp Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biog ...

– " A Gun for Dinosaur" *

Mark Clifton Mark Clifton (1906–1963) was an American science fiction writer, the co-winner of the second Hugo Award for best novel. He began publishing in May 1952 with the widely anthologized story "What Have I Done?". Series About half of his work fa ...

– "Star, Bright" *

– " The Defenders", " Colony" * Thomas Godwin – "

The Cold Equations "The Cold Equations" is a science fiction short story by American writer Tom Godwin, first published in ''Astounding Magazine'' in August 1954. In 1970, the Science Fiction Writers of America selected it as one of the best science-fiction short s ...

" * Robert A. Heinlein – "Universe", " The Green Hills of Earth", "Requiem", " The Roads Must Roll" * Fritz Leiber – "

", "Appointment in Tomorrow", "The Moon is Green" *

– "The Haunted Corpse", " Tunnel under the World", "Target One", "The Map Makers" * Robert Sheckley – "Skulking Permit", "The Lifeboat Mutiney", "Protection", "Early Model", " The Seventh Victim", "Something for Nothing", "The Native Problem", "Bad Medicine" * Robert Silverberg – "Double Dare", "The Iron Chancellor" *

Clifford D. Simak Clifford Donald Simak (; August 3, 1904 – April 25, 1988) was an American science fiction writer. He won three Hugo Awards and one Nebula Award. The Science Fiction Writers of America made him its third SFWA Grand Master, and the Horror Wr ...

– "Courtesy", "Junkyard", "How-2", "Project Mastodon", "Drop Dead", "Lulu" * Theodore Sturgeon – "Mr. Costello, Hero", " Saucer of Loneliness", "The Stars are the Styx" * William Tenn – "Venus is for Men"

Episodes

References

External links

* *
OTR Plot Spot: ''X Minus One''
– plot summaries and reviews
''X Minus One'' the official fansite!
at xminusone.com * *
X Minus One at oldclassicradio.com
{{Authority control 1955 radio programme debuts 1958 radio programme endings American radio dramas Anthology radio series American science fiction radio programs Science fiction podcasts 1950s American radio programs NBC radio programs

Overview

Episodes based on stories by famous writers

Episodes

See also

References

External links