Journey Into Space is a BBC Radio science fiction programme written by BBC producer Charles Chilton. It was the last UK radio programme to attract a bigger evening audience than television. Originally, four series were produced (the fourth was a remake of the first), which was translated into 17 languages (including Hindi, Turkish and Dutch) and broadcast in countries worldwide (including Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and The United States). Chilton later wrote three best-selling novels and several comic strip stories based upon the radio series.
The first series was created in 1953, soon after Riders of the Range (a popular Western, also written by Chilton) ended its six series on the BBC Light Programme. Michael Standing, then Head of the BBC Variety Department, asked Chilton if he could write a sci-fi programme, and Journey to the Moon (later known as Operation Luna) was the result. Each half-hour episode would usually end with a dramatic cliffhanger, to increase the audience's incentive to tune into the next episode.
The original magnetic recordings of the show were erased shortly after broadcast, and for several decades it was believed that no recordings of the show had survived, although some were broadcast by the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS, formerly AFN) in Europe during the late 1970s. In 1986, a set of misfiled Transcription Service discs (produced for sale to overseas radio stations) was discovered, containing complete copies of the three original series (more accurately, the surviving version of the first series is a cut-down remake of the original, produced for the Transcription Service during the 1950s). This discovery enabled the BBC to begin re-broadcasting the show in the late 1980s, and release copies of the show, first on audio cassette, and more recently on CD and internet download.
The first two series of the iconic 1950s science fiction trilogy, set in the unimaginably far-flung future of the late 20th century
Written by veteran radio producer Charles Chilton, Journey into Space kept Light Programme listeners enraptured between 1953 and 1958. Almost eight million people tuned in to the interstellar adventures of Jet Morgan and his intrepid crew, making it the last UK radio drama serial to beat television in the ratings. This audio collection contains the complete Series 1 and 2 of the groundbreaking trilogy, complete with extra-terrestrial sound effects and atmospheric music.
Operation Luna – It’s 1965, and with the world watching, the rocket ship Luna blasts off for the Moon. On board are Captain Andrew ‘Jet’ Morgan, ship’s doctor Daniel ‘Doc’ Matthews, engineer Stephen ‘Mitch’ Mitchell and radio operator Lemuel ‘Lemmy’ Barnet. As they prepare to set foot on the lunar surface, Lemmy hears strange music – and on landing, they soon realise that they are not alone. Something is out there – something alien… This futuristic 13-part serial stars Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley-Poynter, David Williams and Alfie Bass.
The Red Planet – Set six years after the events of Operation Luna, this thrilling 20-part serial finds Jet and his crew aboard the flagship Discovery, leading a mission to explore Mars. But their journey is plagued by disturbing events, and what they find on the red planet’s dusky surface will challenge their sanity and threaten their survival – and that of Earth itself… Starring Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley-Poynter, Bruce Beeby and David Kossoff.
Production credits
Written and produced by Charles Chilton
Music composed and orchestra conducted by Van Phillips
Operation Luna
Jet Morgan – Andrew Faulds
Lemmy Barnett – Alfie Bass
Doc – Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch – David Williams
Other parts played by John Cazabon, Alan Keith, David Jacobs, Duncan McIntyre and Deryck Guyler
The original 1953 recordings of this series were erased. It was re-recorded and first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 26 March-18 June 1958
The Red Planet
Jet Morgan – Andrew Faulds
Lemmy – David Kossoff
Doc – Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch – Bruce Beeby
Other parts played by David Jacobs, Anthony Marriott, Miriam Karlin, John Cazabon, Madi Hedd and Don Sharp
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 6 September 1954-17 January 1955
The final series of Charles Chilton’s classic 1950s sci-fi trilogy and the gripping 1981 sequel
Written by veteran radio producer Charles Chilton, Journey into Space kept Light Programme listeners enraptured between 1953 and 1958. Almost eight million people tuned in to the interstellar adventures of Jet Morgan and his intrepid crew, making it the last UK radio drama serial to beat television in the ratings. This audio collection contains the complete Series 3 of the groundbreaking trilogy, as well as the special 90-minute sequel The Return from Mars.
The World in Peril – Continuing the suspenseful story begun in The Red Planet, this 20-part serial, set in 1972, follows Jet and his comrades as they return to Mars with orders to discover all they can about the impending Martian invasion of Britain. Stretched to their limits, they take on the awesome Martian power – and when they discover the astounding secret of the invasion plan, they must race against time to warn a defenceless Earth… Starring Andrew Faulds, Guy Kingsley-Poynter, Don Sharp and Alfie Bass.
The Return from Mars – It’s an ordinary afternoon at London Landing Control. Suddenly, a voice breaks across another aircraft’s frequency: ‘This is the spaceship Discovery’… To the controller’s astonishment, Jet Morgan and his crew are re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere – more than 30 years after they went missing, presumed dead. What happened to Jet and friends during those years? Consulting his diary, Jet begins to tell their astonishing story… Starring John Pullen, Ed Bishop, Nigel Graham and Anthony Hall.
Production credits
Written and produced by Charles Chilton
Music composed and orchestra conducted by Van Phillips
The World in Peril
Jet Morgan – Andrew Faulds
Lemmy Barnett – Alfie Bass
Doc – Guy Kingsley-Poynter
Mitch – Don Sharp
Other parts played by David Jacobs, Alan Tilvern, John Cazabon, Fred Yule and Pat Campbell
First broadcast BBC Light Programme, 26 September 1955-6 February 1956
The Return from Mars
Jet Morgan – John Pullen
Lemmy – Anthony Hall
Doc – Ed Bishop
Mitch – Nigel Graham
Cassia – Elizabeth Proud
Nichols – Patrick Barr
Wrist radio/Countdown voice – David Bradshawe
Pilot/Talian – Graham Faulkner
Controller/Radio voice – Stephen Garlick
Videophone/Junior officer – John McAndrew
Control/Sotteer 2 – Sion Probert
Sotteer 1/Harry – Christopher Scott
Supervisor/Radio – John Webb
Script by Charles Chilton
Directed by Glyn Dearman
First broadcast on the BBC Light Programme, 7 March 1981
Frozen in Time
A BBC Radio 4 sequel to Charles Chilton's iconic radio sci-fi series.
Between 1953 and 1958, Journey into Space attracted millions of listeners, gripped by the mystery and promise of space exploration in weekly cliffhanging instalments.
In this thrilling episode, the spaceship Ares has been heading back to Earth for 30 years, with the crew in suspended animation—except Captain Jet Morgan, whose sleeper pod failed. With the ship six months from home, Jet picks up an SOS from Mars, and wakes the others to go on a rescue mission.
But when our heroes meet up with the stranded crew, it becomes apparent that all is not what it first appeared. Unwittingly caught up in seismic deception, it is not only the lives of the Ares crew which are at stake—the entire future of planet Earth could be in peril...
David Jacobs - from the original radio series—stars as Jet Morgan, with Michael Beckley as Mitch, Alan Marriott as Doc and Chris Moran as Lemmy.
Production Credits
Written by Charles Chilton. Directed by Nicholas Russ.
Original music and sound design by David Chilton.
Cast
Jet Morgan - David Jacobs
Mitch - Michael Beckley
Doc/Ed - Alan Marriott
Lemmy - Chris Moran
Astnd - Emma Fielding
Jensen - Stephen Hogan
Radio operator / film voice - Kate Harbour
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 12 April 2008.
The Host
A further BBC Radio episode of the classic science fiction series created by Charles Chilton.
In this exciting adventure, Jet Morgan and his crew receive a distress call from an abandoned space freighter. But when they board the ship, Jet and Doc discover a digitised personality locked inside the ship's computer - one with a deadly intent. The crew must find a way to defeat the vastly superior Host: for if they fail, they will not only all perish, but mankind will become a dispensable stepping stone to a new chapter in evolution....
Between 1953 and 1958, Journey into Space attracted millions of listeners, gripped by the mystery and promise of space exploration in weekly cliffhanging instalments. Toby Stephens stars as Jet Morgan, with David Jacobs - who appeared in the original radio series - as the Host, Chris Pavlo as Mitch, Alan Marriott as Doc and Jot Davies as Lemmy.
Also included are 10 minutes of behind-the-scenes out-takes from the radio recording.
Production Credits
Written by Julian Simpson.
Original music and sound design by David Chilton.
A Goldhawk Essential production for BBC Radio 4.
Cast
Jet - Toby Stephens
Doc/Enceladus Control - Alan Marriott
Lemmy - Jot Davies
Mitch - Chris Pavlo
The Host - David Jacobs
Edie - Jana Carpenter
JJ Andreev - Basher Savage
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 27 June 2009.
S01E01 – Operation Luna – Countdown to Peril
S01E02 – Operation Luna – Moon Music
S01E03 – Operation Luna – Moon Music
S01E04 – Operation Luna – Is There Anybody Out There
S01E05 – Operation Luna – The First of Many
S01E06 – Operation Luna – The Irresistible Force
S01E07 – Operation Luna – Is this The Earth
S01E08 – Operation Luna – The Time Travellers
S01E09 – Operation Luna – An Offer of Help
S01E10 – Operation Luna – The Citadel
S01E11 – Operation Luna – To the Moon or Venus
S01E12 – Operation Luna – A Rocky Send Off
S01E13 – Operation Luna – Set Course for Earth
S02E01 – The Red Planet – Mayhem on the Moon
S02E02 – The Red Planet – What’s Wrong with Whittaker
S02E03 – The Red Planet – Extreme Dreams
S02E04 – The Red Planet – Meteors!
S02E05 – The Red Planet – Communication Lost
S02E06 – The Red Planet – The Mysterious Object
S02E07 – The Red Planet – The Shared Nightmare
S02E08 – The Red Planet – Closing-in on Mars
S02E09 – The Red Planet – The Irresistible Light
S02E10 – The Red Planet – Freighters Approach
S02E11 – The Red Planet – The Desperate Search
S02E12 – The Red Planet – Mysterious Lights and More…
S02E13 – The Red Planet – Dream or Reality
S02E14 – The Red Planet – Lost in Time
S02E15 – The Red Planet – Hypnosis
S02E16 – The Red Planet – Strange Farm
S02E17 – The Red Planet – Escape!
S02E18 – The Red Planet – Invasion Plans
S02E19 – The Red Planet – The Fifth Column
S02E20 – The Red Planet – Return to the Moon
S03E01 – The World in Peril – Episode 1
S03E02 – The World in Peril – Episode 2
S03E03 – The World in Peril – Episode 3
S03E04 – The World in Peril – Episode 4
S03E05 – The World in Peril – Episode 5
S03E06 – The World in Peril – Episode 6
S03E07 – The World in Peril – Episode 7
S03E08 – The World in Peril – Episode 8
S03E09 – The World in Peril – Episode 9
S03E10 – The World in Peril – Episode 10
S03E11 – The World in Peril – Episode 11
S03E12 – The World in Peril – Episode 12
S03E13 – The World in Peril – Episode 13
S03E14 – The World in Peril – Episode 14
S03E15 – The World in Peril – Episode 15
S03E16 – The World in Peril – Episode 16
S03E17 – The World in Peril – Episode 17
S03E18 – The World in Peril – Episode 18
S03E19 – The World in Peril – Episode 19
S03E20 – The World in Peril – Episode 20
Fans of Journey Into Space included Colin Pillinger, Kenny Everett, John Major, Stephen Hawking, Miriam Margolyes and former Doctor Who producer Philip Hinchcliffe.
Replies
Always a pleasure and an excuse to binge listen to this excellent series. Oh how I wish there were high quality editions of The Return From Mars, Frozen in Time and The Host. My old ears appreciate the higher resolution.
Cheers