Pathfinders To Mars (1960-61)
Pathfinders To Mars was a British television serial broadcast by ABC Weekend TV in December 1960. It was a sequel to Pathfinders In Space (1960).
| Production company/ies | Broadcast station(s) | Broadcast date(s) |
|---|---|---|
| ABC | ABC Weekend TV, Anglia, ATV London, Southern, STV, TWW, Tyne Tees, UTV | December 11, 1960 - January 15, 1961 |
Production credits
| Producer(s) | Director(s) | Writer(s) | Other notable credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney Newman | Guy Verney | Malcolm Hulke Eric Paice | Design: David Gillespie Programme advisor: Mary Field Special effects: Stuart Freeborn (Ep 6) |
Synopsis
| A secondary mission in a new rocket, MR4, to the Moon takes off with Henderson taking over as pilot accompanied by Professor Wedgwood's son Geoff as radio operator, Professor Mary Meadows, Henderson's niece Margaret along with Hamlet. One of the crew turns out to be science writer named Harcourt Brown who has plans to divert the ship to Mars determined there is life on the planet. Brown succeeds in getting MR4 to Mars. |  |
Cast
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Episodes
- The Imposter
- Professor Wedgwood plans another moon expedition. The crew anxiously await the last minute arrival of a Professor Hawkins. But, by a trick, a mystery man takes Hawkins' place in the rocket. [Watch on YouTube]
- Sabotage In Space
- The Wedgwood expedition is on its way to the Moon, but the crew do not know that one of their party is an impostor. [Watch on YouTube]
- The Hostage
- The impostor, Harcourt Brown, has taken control of the moon rocket and holds Margaret hostage as he heads for Mars. What can Conway Henderson do to foil this crazy plan? [Watch on YouTube]
- Lichens!
- Harcourt Brown, notorious for his wild beliefs in intelligent life on Mars, has diverted a British moon expedition to the red planet to prove his theories. After six weeks' enforced Journey, the rocket approaches the barren surface of Mars - but there is nothing solid on which to land. This episode was broadcast live. [Watch on YouTube]
- Zero Hour On The Red Planet
- Taken to Mars against their will, the British space explorers search for precious water for the long journey back to Earth. This episode was broadcast live. [Watch on YouTube]
- Falling Into The Sun
- With Earth moving away from Mars at 20 miles a second, the explorers must leave immediately or face 16 months in the lifeless Martian desert. This episode was broadcast live. [Watch on YouTube]
Notes
Sydney Newman wanted to develop a children's adventure serial, which could educate its audience about science and the developing Space Race.
Professor Wedgwood was retired in the first chapter leaving Conway Henderson as the lead character and Ian Murray as Buchan Island base controller. Margret Henderson, Conway's niece, was introduced, and Harcourt Brown - a scientific writer and extra-terrestrial theorist.
Nicholas Smith (Mr Rumbold in Are You Being Served?) had an uncredited role in episode 1 as "Man at Airport".
Midway through Pathfinders to Mars, at the last minute, it was decided to have the final three episodes filmed live owing to timing reasons.
The series continued to be successful, spawning one further serial, Pathfinders To Venus.
