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🌌 On this day in 1978 the very first episode of the very first version of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy went out on Radio 4. We can't tell you how proud that makes us. Here's a lovely programme about Douglas and his creation, presented by his friend John Lloyd, that went out on the 40th anniversary. #RadioDrama #comedy #ScienceFiction #SciFi #CultFiction #DouglasAdams 15 comments
I think that HHGTTG counts as more comedy than Sci-Fi, but yes, I can recall the sheer magic of listening to Peter Jones’ voice and can’t think of anything that quite matches the comedic improbability of it all.  @chowderman @BBCRadio4 I'd put it firmly in both categories... My point was that I knew a guy that was the farthest from a sci-fi geek as you could imagine that was still absolutely hooked on the show.  @BBCRadio4 I was there for the first broadcasts. So sad we lost Douglas: who knows what he would be working on now? Whatever it was, he'd probably be missing deadlines. I had all twelve episodes on tape in the early 1990s and used to listen to them on my two hours of commuting to work and back: full repeat every three working days. I couldn't get enough, and could quote most of it verbatim. I also have the original Radio Times editions with the listings in them :) #Superfan @macronencer @BBCRadio4 I had the tapes as a kid too and played them so much that the tape snapped @BBCRadio4 I remember exactly where I was. It was a seminal show. My then boyfriend and I listened together in our new rented flat.  @BBCRadio4 The radio version of HHGTTG has always been the best version. I've listened to it hundreds of times, and it never gets old. Thank you, Douglas Adams, and thank you, BBC! (Edited very slightly for clarity since kind folks are boosting it.) I know a fair bit of those episodes off by heart and have the audio cassette tapes. Best radio ever. @BBCRadio4 I remember the first episode well. In fact even the trailer got me hooked. The trailer came at the end of BBC Radio’s version of Asimov’s The Foundation trilogy. Notable features of both were the futuristic sound effects from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, greatly enhanced by then then relatively new stereo radio.  @BBCRadio4 I was recently given the complete radio series in a CD box set, and am really enjoying listening to them again! @BBCRadio4 Loved it. Listened at night on Radio 4, caught the repeats, bought the books & the album watched TV series and the movies. Cried when Adams died. Only recently found out that the theme music is Eagles' Journey of the Sorcerer.   |
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@BBCRadio4 I had friends and people who weren't normally sci-fi people who listened and loved those shows back then, and we were all in California! I'd never experienced anything like that before or since... Happy anniversary!