Future Tense Free Audiobook

FUTURE TENSE! was the title given to two short series of shows that
aired at various times in 1974 through 1976 on WMUK, college radio
station of Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. The
shows were announced as being produced by WMUK Special Projects and
used local actors. Professor Eli Segal updated some X MINUS ONE and
DIMENSION X scripts, changing place and time to local area and time,
as required. The series used original X MINUS ONE music opening,
closing and scene bridges although it didn’t use the X MINUS ONE
“blast off” sequence. (It did use it at least once as a sound
effect).

In the first series aired in May of 1974, with the shows broadcast
Monday through Thursday (from a comment at the end of one show). From
information found, the first series appears to have been repeated in
June of 1974 and again in August of of 1976 (from corrections to
“Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At 1950-1975”, see Log
Comments). The second series is believed to have aired in July of
1976 (from the GoldIndex, see Log Comments). In 1975, “Pail of Air”
was awarded the Ohio State Award for “network quality radio drama”.
“Cold Equation” won a Peabody Award in 1978 “for championing radio
drama”.

These shows, although not easily found, offer a unique opportunity to
compare shows produced in radio’s golden age to the same script
produced today. If you do, please keep in mind that these shows were
done with non-professional actors and production staff. Still, they
are well done and are anenjoyable listen, especially “Born of Man And
Woman” (my favorite).

Log Comments:

This log is based on listening to the first 16 shows, Jerry Haendiges’
log, the Corrections to “Science Fiction on Radio: A Revised Look At
1950-1975″ (See “References” below) on Jim Widner’s internet site
(http://www.otr.com) and entries in J. David Goldin’s OTR database.

Two of the broadcasts were “double features”, so titles are listed
as “A” and “B” on separate lines.

X MINUS ONE and DIMENSION X show numbers are listed after the title
in the “From” field, where applicable. Shows from X MINUS ONE are
numbered “Xnn” (nn = episode number). DIMENSION X shows are listed
as “Dnn”.

Chronological Log:

Num Date Title Author From
— ——– —————————— —————– ——-
………. Series 1 ……….
1 05-06-74 “A Pail of Air” Fritz Leiber X44
2 05-07-74 “The Old Die Rich” H.L. Gold X60
3 05-08-74 “Tunnel Under The World” Frederik Pohl X42
4 05-09-74 “Zero Hour” Ray Bradbury X26,D11
Done in DIMENSION X & X MINUS
ONE in 15 minutes. Oddly,
this is done in 15 minutes as
well.
5 05-13-74 “The Parade” George Lefferts X02,D21
6 05-14-74 “The Defenders” Phillip K. Dick X52
7 05-15-74 “Protection” Robert Sheckley X93
8 05-16-74 “A Saucer of Loneliness” Theodore Sturgeon X83
9 05-20-74 “The Seventh Victim” Jerry Sohl X91
10 05-21-74 “The Martian Death March” Ernest Kinoy X17,D34
11 05-22-74 “Cold Equations” Tom Godwin X15
12 05-23-74 “Pictures Don’t Lie” Katherine MacLean X72
13 05-27-74 “Knock” Fredric Brown X05,D05
14 05-28-74 “With Folded Hands” Jack Williamson D02
15 05-29-74 A. “Really Heavy” Ernest Kinoy X90
(X MINUS ONE title: “Real
Gone”)
B. “Third From The Sun” Richard Matheson
16 05-30-74 A. “Born of Man And Woman” Richard Matheson
B. “Dr. Eitar’s Experiment” Martin Gingrick