X Minus One - Mars Is Heaven (#3)

05/08/55, episode 3
This episode provided by the Old Time Radio Researchers Group
www.otrr.org
The first expedition to Mars is surprised to find life on the planet. What is more surprising is that these people think they are on Earth in the 1920s. Is this place really Heaven? Or someplace else? Good science fiction from a story by Ray Bradbury. I had to read this short story in college. It's great hearing a radio presentation from a story you've read. (from "The Critical X Minus One" by Jim Fanisher)
Credits (Goldin): William Zuckert, Bill Lipton, Margaret Berlin, William Griffis, Ken Williams, Ethel Everett, Edwin Jerome, Ray Bradbury (author), Wendell Holmes, Peter Capell, Ernest Kinoy (adaptor), William Welch (producer), Fred Weihe (director)

[@GingerBard]

Wow. I first read this in "The Martian Chronicles" by Bradbury. I didn't realize until now that this had been produced as an old time radio show. Love it.

[@dtst9661]

The crickets slowing their chirps as the men figure out the ruse is spooky.

[@elcomemierda2624]

Nice detail, really creepy

[@haroldholmes4764]

Discovered old time radio in the 80's. Been listening to these ever since. Much better than the crap on tv these days. The imagination is the best entertainment.

[@simonmcgrath4112]

Harold i cudnt have said it any better. Apart from the BBC four channel which is very good the rest of the telly channels are not much kop apart from watching my beloved Everton and England playing football/cricket! These shows and the rest like it like CBSRMT, Dragnet, Orson Welles shows and anything like it I'm a happy chappy, apart from when I'm not in work!!

[@mandrakemolly9191]

You have that right....

[@allenhollen6364]

I agree this is much better than tv shows/movies we have today I never watch them

[@VeggiesOutFront]

Like a book?

[@kitchiesmom]

Same here

[@dougboyko4008]

I used to listen when I was a teenager

[@chriscma1]

That "drink of water" sequence always creeped me out as a little kid.

[@maximilianschmid9890]

"Oj jei, theis crichets!"

[@nickgarcia3319]

This is such a good story and concept

[@shawnmalone9711]

I've first heard this program on a cassette tape checked out from a library in 1977. I 've enjoyed it but now it's painful to listen to since Mom , Dad , Grandmother and other relatives passed away.😢😢😢😢

[@dreasmom2789]

I can understand that. I only discovered this channel when it was too late to talk to my dad and see if he ever listened to it. Let's try to enjoy anyway

[@shawnmalone9711]

@@dreasmom2789 👍

[@simonmcgrath4112]

Such a great episode and it's funny that they thought how far we'd be in 30yrs scientifically, but we have come very far since the late 50's!!!

[@loubarra]

Not far enough though

[@E.L.RipleyAtNostromo]

Because they were looking at the incredibly rapid progress aviation and engineering pioneers had made since the Wright brothers first flew in 1903. 50 years later they were flying rockets at Mach 6. They figured in another 35-40 years we’d be exploring the solar system. We would have been too if the space program had kept going, but politicians need to keep their constituents happy and most want free stuff from the Government, not money spent on something they consider wasteful. Too bad.

[@PotterPossum1989]

No, it is very wasteful. We don't need to be in space destroying that like we are Earth.

[@E.L.RipleyAtNostromo]

@@PotterPossum1989 Says you. If that was true we’d still be living in caves and painting ourselves blue. The space program has paid for itself many times over, but money grubbing entitled beggars always with their hands out banging their tin cups on the ground for more and more from “the gubmint” will never have enough from the public feeding trough.

[@venusboys3]

I've heard all of these before, years ago, but I'd forgotten how dark some of them get.

[@The53rrc]

This series and Dimension X were the best Sci Fi radio programs back then.

[@reiteam2593]

I knew Mars wax Heaven. Happy Corona distraction ss love all these REAL STORIES , NO FX, HYPE NEEDED... GOOD OLD STORY TELLING ! LOVE EM & ALL THE AUTHORS!

[@dreasmom2789]

Agree. I'm glad I stumbled upon this show.

[@johnssiroid4439]

Lockdowns are Heaven!

[@Iron_Duck]

I enjoy listening to vintage sci-fi radio shows.

[@luisreyes1963]

So do I. 👽

[@flamindigo]

love the reference to another Bradbury book at 18-25

[@garry48gf]

One of my favorites 🎧📲

[@luisreyes1963]

One of the most frightening stories ever made by Ray Bradbury.

[@thatoneguy-rb2bj]

I wish I was 28 in the 50s

[@DressedForDrowning]

Wow, another intense one.

[@mediaguyking7045]

Hey in one episode Of spongebob they reference this story, in the episode sponge-bob and Patrick steal a rocket and believe they landed in the moon, and assume all the residents of bikini bottom are moon aliens using telepathic powers to lure them into security

[@edmonddantes3640]

Love me some Ray Bradbury.

[@crochetedlace2838]

Excellent

[@galaxy2012]

This is cool.

[@terryhaines8351]

This was, if I am not mistaken, turned into a Twilight Zone episode.

[@edspeece9641]

Terry Haines: That was “The Earthmen”.

[@luisreyes1963]

Not quite. This story inspired a Twilight Zone episode called "Death Ship".

[@blackiehaines1]

@@luisreyes1963 Thanks for the correction.

[@eduardo_corrochio]

I remember it was adapted on Bradbury's anthology show in the 80s/90s.

[@flamindigo]

This is like a chapter in The Martian Chronicles; the one, I think it was called something like "1st Landing" or something like this, where the 1st expedition to land on Mars was tricked into believeing that they had landed in their home towns - only to find out that they'd been tricked, and would never return home. ?11:45?

[@OTRR]

Yes, it was later the sixth chapter of "The Martian Chronicles", titled "The Third Expedition".

[@jordankennedy8421]

Isn’t funny how 1987 was supposed to be the future 👽

[@eduardo_corrochio]

Well, _wasn't_ it the future if this was made in the 1950s (orig written by Bradbury in '48)?

[@dreasmom2789]

Anyone out there know of any similar shows.

[@aliebold]

Try Dimension X

[@terryhaines8351]

Try Outer Limits or One Step Beyond

[@danielhance1467]

Twilight zone radio dramas are excellent and free on KZbin

[@leeannepolvi9440]

Cbsrmt

[@timeindigenoustimeseeker7059]

LAND ON mars? AMAZING what about VENUS? AMAZING

[@fluthyer4362]

This novel is great but quite bizarre kkkkkkkkkkkk!

[@flamindigo]

26:16 - so, Bradbury was the original source.

[@OTRR]

Correct.

[@drakoinx]

When elon took a story a bit to seriously