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Old Time Radio Researchers GroupDimension X

DIMENSION X

Dimension X was first heard on NBC April 8, 1950, and ran until September 29, 1951.

Strange that so little good science fiction came out of radio; they seem ideally compatible, both relying heavily on imagination. Some fine isolated science fiction stories were developed on the great anthology shows, Suspense and Escape. But until the premiere of Dimension X -- a full two decades after network radio was established -- there were no major science fiction series of broad appeal to adults. This show dramatized the work of such young writers as Ray Bradbury, Robert (Psycho) Bloch, Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, and Kurt Vonnegut. In-house script writer was Ernest Kinoy, who adapted the master works and contributed occasional storied of his own.

Dimension X was a very effective demonstration of what could be done with science fiction on the air. It came so late that nobody cared, but some of the stories stand as classics of the medium. Bradbury's "Mars Is Heaven" is as gripping today as when first heard. His "Martian Chronicles" was one of the series' most impressive offerings.

Dimension X played heavily on an "adventures in time and space, told in future tense" theme. Actors who worked regularly on the show included Joe Di Santis, Wendell Holmes, Santos Ortega, Joseph Julian, Jan Miner, Roger De Koven, John Gibson, Ralph Bell, John Larkin, Les Damon, and Mason Adams. It was directed by Fred Weihe and Edward King. The deep-voiced narrator was Norman Rose.

The series played heavily on the "X" factor in the title, as did X Minus One a few years later. The signature was boomed out of and echo chamber as "DIMENSION X X X X X x x x x x . . . "

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OTRR Certification Information:

Series Name: Dimension X
Certification Status: OTRR Certified Complete
Certification Date: July 10, 2004
Certification Version: Version 1
Number of CDs: 2

From the Old Time Radio Researcher's Group. See "Note" Section below for more information on the OTRR.

Creative Commons license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs

Notes

OLD TIME RADIO RESEARCHERS GROUP

This is a production of the Old Time Radio Researchers (OTRR) Group located at Old Time Radio Researchers Website and the Old Time Radio Researchers Group.

If you are interested in preserving old time radio, you may wish to join the Old Time Radio Researchers Group at Yahoo.


Relax, listen, and enjoy!

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OTRR Definitions:

OTRR Certified Accurate -- A series that is Certified Accurate indicates that all the episodes are properly identified and labeled but that the series does not contain all known extant episodes.

OTRR Certified Complete -- A series that is Certified Complete is the highest level of certification available under the OTRR Certified Standards. This certification level implies that all the files in the series are Certified Accurate but also indicates that the series is as complete as possible -- it includes all extant episodes.

OTRR Non-Certified -- A collection of shows that has not gone through the OTRR Certification process.

Individual Files

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Reviewer: XMinusOne - - October 8, 2007
Subject: Dimension X, along with X Minus One...
Dimension X and X Minus one, probably the two best science fiction shows to be on what we now consider old time radio, in part because they were were well written, well crafted, well performed, as well as being first. Lesser shows could have reduced science fiction to a footnote in the history of old time radio. Yes, there were occasional weak episodes, but that was more in the sense they were weak against the high standard they set for themselves, not weak against other science fiction series. The writing for both series wasn't as strong as, say, Frontier Gentleman or Gunsmoke, or possibly The Great Gildersleeve, Jack Benny or Barry Craig because those shows had a continuing cast which you could relate to. And, there was an overlap of episodes. But, for those with the adventure of mind and imagination that only science fiction can bring to mind, travel to space and the future, even as dated as some of the shows may be, they were almost as good (and to many people, better) than curling in a corner with the latest paperback or monthly magazine of featuring the same story.

The bad part of science fiction, of course, is that ever since 1969, no one can ever write about what it will be like to land on the moon... Still, these stories and performances stand the test of time.

Reviewer: AdamGott - - June 24, 2007
Subject: excellent series in better than excellent quality
This series has always been one of my favorites as it did a most excellent job of capturing the awe and wonder of 1950's science-fiction, in my opinion the golden age of science fiction. Many of the day's top authors are here in one of the top dramatic series of all time.

The OTRR (of which I am a member) has done a masterful job of finding some truly excellent quality recordings for this set. I have had many different tape/mp3 copies of these shows and this set is markedly better than anything that I have ever heard.

Reviewer: mpcp24 - - February 11, 2007
Subject: A Must Listen.
I have listened to the series more than once. This is by far the BEST collection with the best audio quality I have heard yet.
Even if you are not a sci-fi fan this series offers some great stories by some of the best writters of the last century.
A must listen to any OTR fan. Check it out.

Reviewer: cid92 - - January 4, 2007
Subject: New to OTR
I've recently got into OTR and I have been consumed by this series. The OTRR group has done an incredible job with this collection. Highly recommend it. Working on converting an old 40's tabletop radio so it will play my iPod. Dimension X and the other great OTR shows will sound great coming from an old radio.

Reviewer: norelpref - - September 17, 2006
Subject: Unique Program for both OTR and SciFi
While much of old radio SciFi serials were/are extremely cheesy (sometimes that is their charm) Dimension X for the most part avoids such campiness, perhaps due to drawing from such "classical" science fiction writers as Asimov, Bradbury, et. al.

This series is intelligent, well produced and acted, in a sense a radio precursor to The Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits which would later be broadcast on television.