T A L E S O F T O M O R R O W
--------- --- ---------------
1953
First Show: Jan 01, 1953 Last Show: Apr 09, 1953
Number Shows: 15 Audition Show: none
Series Description:
The 1950's saw both the twilight of the Golden Age of Radio and the
birth of the science fiction radio series. Science fiction was not
new to radio before 1950, but it was either targeted to juvenile
audiences or were SF shows in a broader series, for example, ESCAPE:
"The Time Machine". On March 15, 1950, the first show of Mutual's
2000 PLUS aired, becoming the very first true science fiction series
in the US.
TALES OF TOMORROW was the third attempt, this time by the American
Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), to bring a pure science fiction radio
series to the air in the United States. It following the second,
DIMENSION X, by almost 2 years.
The host of the show was Raymond Edward Johnson, of INNER SANCTUM.
Mr. Johnson handled the TALES OF TOMORROW openings in a similar
fashion to INNER SANCTUM openings, but with a "science fiction"
flavor, instead of a "macabre" sense.
The shows of this series were quite good, borrowing ideas from
stories in "Galaxy" magazine. Some of the story titles may seem
familiar, like "The Stars Are The Styx", "The Girls From Earth" or
"The Old Die Rich". These titles would appear later in CBS's X MINUS
ONE. "Watch Bird" would later be done in South Africa, in a series
entitled SF68. But radio was on the decline. TALES OF TOMORROW
lasted only until April of that year, airing only 15 shows.
Log Comments:
The information for this log came primarily from Jim Widner's and
Meade Frierson's book mentioned below, a "must-have" for Sci-Fi radio
fans. The other major source of information was Gordon Payton's
catalog. In the catalogs I searched, I found only 5 of the 15 shows
aired in the series. The name of the original story the show was
based on is listed below the title when known.
Chronological Log:
Date Day Num Title Avail
------------ --- --- ------------------------ -----
Jan 01, 1953 Thu 1 "Made To Order"
Jan 08, 1953 Thu 2 "The Biography Project"
Jan 15, 1953 Thu 3 "Betelgeuse Bridge" yes
by William Tenn
Jan 22, 1953 Thu 4 "The Other Now" yes
Jan 29, 1953 Thu 5 "The Stars Are The Styx" yes
by Theodore Sturgeon
Feb 05, 1953 Thu 6 "Syndrome Johnny"
Feb 12, 1953 Thu 7 "The Unimars Plot"
Feb 19, 1953 Thu 8 "Watch Bird" yes
by Robert Sheckley
Feb 26, 1953 Thu 9 "Inside Earth"
Mar 05, 1953 Thu 10 "The Moon Is Green"
by Fritz Leiber
Mar 12, 1953 Thu 11 "Martians Never Die" yes
Mar 19, 1953 Thu 12 "The Girls From Earth"
by Frank M. Robinson
Mar 26, 1953 Thu 13 "The Old Die Rich" yes
by H.L. Gold
Apr 02, 1953 Thu 14 "Morrow On Mars" yes
Apr 09, 1953 Thu 15 "The Drop"
last show
References:
* "Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975" by James
F. Widner and Meade Frierson III. (currently out of print)
* "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:
* Jerry Haendiges Productions, Jerry Haendiges, 13808 Sunset Dr.,
Whittier, CA 90602
* North American Radio Archives, 134 Vincewood Dr., Nicolasville, KY
40356
* Radio Showcase, Steve Kelez, PO Box 4357, Santa Rosa, CA 95402
* The Sci-Fi Guy, Gordon R. Payton, 118 E. Palmer Ave., Collingswood,
NJ 08108 (no longer sells shows)
* University of Memphis Radio Program Archive, Microforms Dept.,
McWherter Library, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152
* Vintage Broadcasts, Andy Blatt, PO Box 50065, Staten Island, NY
10305
Other Logs or Books:
* TALES OF TOMORROW log, Jay Hickerson, Box 4321, Hamden, CT 06514
* TALES OF TOMORROW log, Jerry Haendiges Productions, 13808 Sunset
Dr., Whittier, CA 90602 (http://www.otrsite.com)
Reader Feedback:
* David J. Johnson, Hampton, VA, sent a network correction. He
found that the series only aired on ABC.
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).