THE CHALLENGE OF SPACE
Sponsored by Carling Black Label Beer, this series examined man’s early
ventures into space. The space race of the 1950’s and 1960’s spawned
this series, especially the Apollo missions to the moon in the late 1960’s.
The series was narrated by Donald Monat as the character Charles B
Ryan and was broadcast on Springbok Radio on Monday evenings at
18H30. The episodes were written by June Dixon & Hal Orlandini (never
credited) & recorded at the AFS Studios in Johannesburg & produced by
Donald Monat. A total of 62 episodes were broadcast, including a live
broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing, courtesy of The Voice of America
Radio Broadcast & repeat broadcasts of some of the earlier episodes in
the 1970's. Many of the stories were dramatisations of true events & also
included futuristic tales of space exploration of the future.
The first episode was broadcast on Tuesday, 19 June 1969 & continued
until Tuesday 12 October 1970. The series was sponsored throughout by
the same sponsor who after the completion of the series sponsored the
replacement series "Carling Country".
Actors who appeared in the series, included, Donald Monat (Narrator as
Charles B.Ryan), Clive Parnell, Michael Mayer, Brian O'Shaugnessy, Hal
Orlandini, Lynda Stuart, Diane Appleby, Diane Wilson, James White,
Gabriel Bayman, Stuart Brown, Denis Smith, Tony Jay, George Korelin,
Kerry Jordan & Elaine Lee.
ventures into space. The space race of the 1950’s and 1960’s spawned
this series, especially the Apollo missions to the moon in the late 1960’s.
The series was narrated by Donald Monat as the character Charles B
Ryan and was broadcast on Springbok Radio on Monday evenings at
18H30. The episodes were written by June Dixon & Hal Orlandini (never
credited) & recorded at the AFS Studios in Johannesburg & produced by
Donald Monat. A total of 62 episodes were broadcast, including a live
broadcast of the Apollo 11 moon landing, courtesy of The Voice of America
Radio Broadcast & repeat broadcasts of some of the earlier episodes in
the 1970's. Many of the stories were dramatisations of true events & also
included futuristic tales of space exploration of the future.
The first episode was broadcast on Tuesday, 19 June 1969 & continued
until Tuesday 12 October 1970. The series was sponsored throughout by
the same sponsor who after the completion of the series sponsored the
replacement series "Carling Country".
Actors who appeared in the series, included, Donald Monat (Narrator as
Charles B.Ryan), Clive Parnell, Michael Mayer, Brian O'Shaugnessy, Hal
Orlandini, Lynda Stuart, Diane Appleby, Diane Wilson, James White,
Gabriel Bayman, Stuart Brown, Denis Smith, Tony Jay, George Korelin,
Kerry Jordan & Elaine Lee.
IMAGE COURTESY OF NASA
CARLING BLACK LABEL (Sponsor)
HAL ORLANDINI
(co Writer & Actor)
(co Writer & Actor)
JUNE DIXON & DONALD MONAT
(Writer & Producer respectively)
(Writer & Producer respectively)
A Sample episode is made available for your listening pleasure. The episode is available as an MP3 Download or by clicking on the play button of
the media player. This episode was transferred & restored from reel to reel tape, recorded off air, with commercials intact in May 2008. This episode
is made available for private use only & may not be broadcast, webcast, podcast or sold. Copyright (c)1969,1970 South African Broadcasting
Corporation.
the media player. This episode was transferred & restored from reel to reel tape, recorded off air, with commercials intact in May 2008. This episode
is made available for private use only & may not be broadcast, webcast, podcast or sold. Copyright (c)1969,1970 South African Broadcasting
Corporation.
EPISODE TITLE: MY DESTINY, THE STARS
B/C DATE: 26/05/1969, 18H30, Springbok Radio
PRODUCED BY: DONALD MONAT
WRITTEN BY: JUNE DIXON
PRODUCTION CO: AFS STUDIOS, JOHANNESBURG
NARRATED BY: DONALD MONAT as Charles B.Ryan
STARRING: CLIVE PARNELL, GEORGE KORELIN, KERRY JORDAN, HAL ORLANDINI, DIANE WILSON
NOTE: This was the 2nd episode of the series, broadcast on Springbok Radio.
B/C DATE: 26/05/1969, 18H30, Springbok Radio
PRODUCED BY: DONALD MONAT
WRITTEN BY: JUNE DIXON
PRODUCTION CO: AFS STUDIOS, JOHANNESBURG
NARRATED BY: DONALD MONAT as Charles B.Ryan
STARRING: CLIVE PARNELL, GEORGE KORELIN, KERRY JORDAN, HAL ORLANDINI, DIANE WILSON
NOTE: This was the 2nd episode of the series, broadcast on Springbok Radio.
(c) 2009, 2010 Springbok Radio Preservation Society of South Africa & South African Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved
Text may not be copied or reproduced in full or partialy on any website or publication without permission.
Text may not be copied or reproduced in full or partialy on any website or publication without permission.
