SERIES: SF’68
Starring: Michael McCabe, Denis Smith, Tony Jay, Marjorie Gordon, Hal Orlandini
Annabel Linder and others.
Writer: Various International Science Fiction writers. Stories adapted by Michael McCabe.
Producer: Michael McCabe
Total Episodes: Broadcast: 33 Archived: 33
First Episode B/C: 01/03/1968 Last Episode B/C: 18/10/1968
Radio Station: SABC – Springbok Radio
Synopsis:
For many years a total of 17 episodes were doing the rounds with old time radio collectors
worldwide. The belief is that these episodes were originally recorded on reel to reel tape by a South
African John Wright, who sent the recordings to a friend in the United States. These reels were
copied and recopied by collectors causing extremely bad sounding quality recordings to have
survived. The advent of MP3 technology made matters even worse. The original John Wright reels
have over time been lost. A total of 4 of the episodes were released by the SABC International
Transcription Service on record for broadcast by International radio stations in 1969. This society
has 2 of them, namely “The Sound of Thunder” and “Grenville’s Planet” on record. The other 2
episodes in this series are as yet unknown. The SABC Sound Archive only has the 17 episodes that
came originally from the John Wright reels.
In 2005 all 33 episodes were donated to this society on reel to reel tape by Neil Gesson who was a
loyal Springbok Radio listener. The quality of these recordings are exceptional. Most of the episodes
were recorded on 3 ¾ and 1 7/8 speed and are first generation recordings. These recordings are
scheduled to be transferred to a digital format and restored. Once completed a full set will be
donated to the SABC Sound Archive in Johannesburg for National preservation. Neil sadly passed
away in 2006, but left a great amount of programmes that can be preserved for future generations
List of episodes preserved within the Springbok Radio Preservation Society of South Africa Sound
Archive:
Nr B/C Date Episode Title
01 01/03/1968 The Cold Equations (First Episode)
02 08/03/1968 Survival
03 15/03/1968 The Last Rites
04 22/03/1968 The Death Dust
05 29/03/1968 Wanted in Surgery
06 05/04/1968 The Bliss of Solitude
07 12/04/1968 The End of Summer
08 19/04/1968 Requiem
09 26/04/1968 The Voice in the Earphones
10 03/05/1968 Chronoclasm
11 10/05/1968 A Sound of Thunder
12 17/05/1968 The Answer
13 24/05/1968 The Will
14 31/05/1968 The Outcasts
15 07/06/1968 Routine Exercise
16 14/06/1968 Jenny with Wings
17 21/06/1968 Homecoming
18 28/06/1968 Andover and the Android
19 05/07/1968 Quest
20 12/07/1968 From Up There
21 19/07/1968 The Cage
-- 26/07/1968 No Programme broadcast - Transmitter Fault
22 02/08/1968 The Risk Profession
23 09/08/1968 Time to Rest
24 16/08/1968 The Space Cow
25 23/08/1968 Escape Mechanism
26 30/08/1968 The Sands of Time
27 06/09/1968 Eye of the Beholder
28 13/09/1968 The Yellow Pill
29 20/09/1968 Watch bird
30 27/09/1968 The Castaway
31 04/10/1968 Breaking Strain
32 11/10/1968 The New Wine
33 18/10/1968 Grenville’s Planet (Last Episode)
List Compiled by The Springbok Radio Preservation Society of South Africa. December, 2006
