Posted by : Ray Plumlee in (Dimension X)
Posted on January 2nd, 2010
and last modified on April 20th, 2010
Listen To Dimension X Episode 02 With Folded Hands
Tagged Under : 1950, Anthology, Dimension X, Humanoid, Mechanical, Old Time Radio, OTR, Radio, Robot, sci-fi, science fiction
Dimension X
We find our self in the far distant future of 2006. A future where the Mark 3 Electronic Brain is the latest computer and is used in places like Harvard University. Soon there will be the next generation computer the Mark 4 Electronic Brain.
First we meet Harry Underhill, manufacturer of domestic robots who finds his livelihood threatened when a new competitor appears on the market. Humanoids, which are vastly superior to his, which are inefficient and clunky, are devoted to the protection and service of mankind. Their “prime directive” is to serve man.
The first time Harry speaks to one of these new robots he calls it a robot and he is promptly informed that they are mechanicals and not robots. The mechanical offers a service contract to him but Underhill immediately declines with disgust.
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The Humanoids are arriving at the rate of 5,000/hour from a planet in a remote section of the Galaxy named Wing 4. It is there at Humanoid Central, that all the Humanoids are manufactured and centrally controlled. Very quickly the Humanoids are replacing his robots and with no customers he is soon out of the business.
His wife Cora, in desperation, takes on a border named Mr. Sledge who it turns out is from Wing 4 and is the creator of the Humanoids and Humanoid Central. He is here to prepare a program the will disable the Humanoids. He is not aware that the Humanoids have already started arriving from Wing 4. Upon learning from Harry Underhill that they are indeed already arriving on Earth he doubles his efforts for a solution.
The title of the show is derived from the theme where the day of the Humanoid enables everyone to sit “With Folded Hands”. The Humanoids do not allow humans to do anything their self especially anything hazardous, not even a drink of alcohol. The dilemma Harry Underhill and the rest of the Earths Human race has when it finds itself in this work-less Utopia. This provides the startling climax for this week’s episode of Dimension X.
A version of this story appeared as Episode 14 on the science fiction anthology series “Future Tense,” airing on 28 May 1974.
Broadcast Date: 50-04-15
Cast:
Harry Underhill – Phillip Bourneuf
Humanoid(s) – Alexander Scourby
Mr. Sledge – Peter Kapelle
Cora – Diane Rayburn
Other Credits:
Written By: Jack Williamson
Publication: First published in the July 1947 issue of Astounding Science Fiction.
Adapted for Radio: John Dossell an NBC staff writer.
Produced By: Unknown
Directed By: Fred Wiehe And Edward King
Announcer: Norman Rose
Commercial: None
Promotion: None
Space Age Gizmos:
Mark 3/4 Electronic Brain – Latest computer.
Domestic Robots – Older style of robot used before the Humanoids arrival.
Mechanicals – What the Humanoids call themselves. They insist they are “Not Robots.”
Wing 4 – Planet where Mr. Sledge created the Humanoids.
Humanoid Central – Where all Humanoids are manufactured and controlled without human intervention.
Space Ships/Ports/Stations This Episode:
None
Listen below to Dimension X Episode 02 With Folded Hands:
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