Dan Dare on Radio Luxembourg – Horlicks Ad

Back in 2008, I posted a news story here titled “Dan Dare’s Holy Grail“, reporting on the continued hunt for episodes of the Dan Dare radio show broadcast by Radio Luxembourg in the 1950s.

Aired on Radio Luxembourg between July 1951 and May 1956,the Dan Dare Radio Show, based on the first Dan Dare comic story from Eagle, was made on wax discs that were then sent to Luxembourg to be broadcast.

All episodes of the show were believed to be lost forever – but now, one, albeit a poor recording – has surfaced on the Internet (Mediafire link: I advise you should always scan for viruses before downloading anything from the Internet).

My source for the link tells me that one reason the quality is so bad is that, as well as it being recorded with a microphone next to a speaker (or more accurately, it sounds like the microphone is on the other side of the room), is that over the years the person who taped it recopied it from one tape to another several times (possibly with a mic next to a speaker again). One of the times this was done it was recorded at 15/16 speed which is the slowest a reel to reel will go, and that speed was almost never used as its too slow and quality is always bad.

My source also reports that two episodes of the Dan Dare show exist: recovered, it would seem, during an appeal for the return of lost or missing TV and audio shows in 2011 co-organised by the Kaleidoscope’s website (www.lostshows.com).

The purpose of the appeal was to track down recordings of otherwise lost TV and radio shows that might exist in the lofts, sheds and cupboards of the general public, and was promoted on Radio 4’s PM programme and with a spot on the BBC website. A full list of materials found is listed in this PDF: http://wiped.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/lostshowsappeal2011.pdf.

Sadly, the recording of Dan Dare – Pilot of the Future: Episode 53 – The Lost World On Mars is described as “almost completely incomprehensible”.

(I’m wondering if this is the episode that has surfaced online, which is detailed as an episode broadcast by Radio Luxembourg on 21st March 1956, a date that suggests it was a repeat broadcast).

The other episode listed, Dan Dare – Pilot of the Future: Episode 76 – Under Sentence of Death aired on Radio Luxembourg on 21st January 1952 – but according to the PDF, the recording has been donated to Kaleidoscope “on the strict understanding that it will not be archived or otherwise distributed, without the owner’s prior consent.”

The Dan Dare Info site notes Bob Danvers-Walker announced the show. Noel Johnson played Dan (who died in 1999), Digby was played by John Sharpe, Professor Peabody by Anne Cullen. Other parts were played by Kenneth Williams and Ralph Richardson. The series was produced in London by John Glyn-Jones.

The site says the Mekon was voiced by Francis De Wolfe, who went on to play numerous villains on TV and on film, who died in 1984, but one downthetubes reader says the actor playing the deadly Treen leader was Geoffrey Wincott, who played Mr Carter in the Jennings radio series by Anthony Buckeridge.

Across a long career as actor and producer, Wincott also appeared in one of the Dick Barton films inspired by the eponymous radio shows; The Archers; and episodes of the 1953 BBC adaptation of the Agatha Christie short story collection Partners in Crime. He died in 1973.

Actor Geoffrey Wincott in the 1948 film Dick Barton, Special Agent, playing a villain

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.

Categories: Audio, British Comics, Classic British Comics

Tags: Colin Baker, Dan Dare, Dan Dare Corporation, Dan Dare Radio Show, Missing Believed Wiped, Radio Luxembourg