Vital Factor (Aired August 16, 1951)
Dimension X was first heard on NBC April 8, 1950, and ran until September 29, 1951. Strange that so little good science fiction came out of radio; they seem ideally compatible, both relying heavily on imagination. Some fine isolated science fiction stories were developed on the great anthology shows, Suspense and Escape. But until the premiere of Dimension X -- a full two decades after network radio was established -- there were no major science fiction series of broad appeal to adults. This show dramatized the work of such young writers as Ray Bradbury, Robert (Psycho) Bloch, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Kurt Vonnegut. In-house script writer was Ernest Kinoy, who adapted the master works and contributed occasional storied of his own. Dimension X was a very effective demonstration of what could be done with science fiction on the air. It came so late that nobody cared, but some of the stories stand as classics of the medium. Bradbury's "Mars Is Heaven" is as gripping today as when first heard. His "Martian Chronicles" was one of the series' most impressive offerings. Dimension X played heavily on an "adventures in time and space, told in future tense" theme. Actors who worked regularly on the show included Joe Di Santis, Wendell Holmes, Santos Ortega, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Roger De Koven, John Gibson, Ralph Bell, John Larkin, Les Damon, and Mason Adams. It was directed by Fred Weihe and Edward King. The deep-voiced narrator was Norman Rose. The series played heavily on the "X" factor in the title, as did X-Minus One a few years later. The signature was boomed out of and echo chamber as "DIMENSION X X X X X x x x x x . . . "
THIS EPISODE:
August 16, 1951. NBC network. "The Vital Factor". Sustaining. A ruthless millionaire is determined to be the first man to conquer space...no matter what the cost. The script was used subsequently on "X Minus One" on November 30, 1955. Albert Buhrman (music), Fred Weihe (director, transcriber), Howard Rodman (adaptor), John McGovern, Luis Van Rooten, Nelson Bond (author), Norman Rose (host), Raymond Edward Johnson, William Welch (producer), Fred Collins (announcer), Guy Repp, Dan Ocko, Martin Wolfson, Arthur Gary (announcer). 29:30.
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