Posted by : Ray Plumlee in (X-1)
Posted on April 23rd, 2010
Listen to X Minus One Episode 02 The Parade
Tagged Under : 1950s, 1955, classic, Dimension X, Galaxy, invasion, Mars, Martian, Martians, Old Time Radio, Radio, science fiction, X-1
X-1 Classic Science Fiction Radio Show
A not so successful Madison Avenue ad executive named Syd Ryan is setting at his office desk when his assistant Oliver comes in and states that there is potential client waiting to see him. Syd has him sent in. The client identifies himself as simply Looshaw a Martian and says he wants to engage the ad agency for a campaign to announce the “Martians are Coming.” Thinking he’s a nut Syd immediately begins to throw Looshaw out when he offers a $5,000 cash retainer.
Once Syd gets his creative thoughts going he proposes a suspense campaign with some mysterious press releases announcing “The Martians are coming. ” Looshaw wants the ad campaign to culminate in a parade on June 1st which will be called “Martian Day.” The parade will herald the Martians arrival. Looshaw immediately approves authorizing a one million dollar budget. Looshaw continues that “We are selling a concept,” he tells the ad-man Syd Ryan. “The concept of invasion–from Mars.”
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Syd and his assistant Oliver get busy with the campaign and parade. Oliver becomes concerned that they don’t know what they are selling. Syd replies he has learned that Century Pictures is secretly filming a space opera titled “Invasion from Mars.” Believing they now no the purpose of the campaign, and sparing no expense, they get into high gear on the ad campaign and the parade.
June 1st comes and the parade is well underway. It is just like a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade except the theme is all Martian.
Syd is excited all he can see is the Dollars rolling in. To learn how this episode ends you will have to listen below. Or
I want to know how the story ends.
Review:
The Parade was an original story by regular X-1 script writer George Lefferts. The parade is a story inspired by the explosion in commercialism after the end of WW2. Madison Avenue ad agencies were at an all time high. This story is a blend of that commercialism and science fiction alien invaders.
With the plot bottom line sort of told in the opening of the show it is still a very enjoyable episode and well worth listening to.
As well as this X Minus One episode The Parade was also re-broadcast as Episode 36 on 56-01-25. The version originally was produced for Dimension X as Episode 21 on 50-08-25. Also a version was produced for the radio show Future Tense.
The Parade also appeared in the Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine February, 1956 edition.
Broadcast Date: 55-05-01
Cast:
Syd Ryan – Joseph Curtain
Looshaw – Joe DeSantis
Daily – Alexander Scourby
Woman – Agnes Young
Gloria – Ellen Denning
Oliver – John Thomas
Sammy – Arthur Anderson
Commissioner – Wendell Holmes
Sandford – William Keene
Written By: Ernest Kinoy
Directed By: Fred Way
Announcer: Don Pardo
Commercial: None
Promotion: None
Space Ships/Ports/Stations This Episode:
None
Listen below to X Minus One Episode 02 The Parade:
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