Douglas Adams at the BBC
Encyclopedia
Douglas Adams at the BBC is a three CD set released by BBC Audio in 2004 (ISBN 0-563-49404-2). By using extracts from many radio and TV productions, the three discs cover Douglas Adams
's association with BBC Radio and TV from 1974 to 2001, and also include tributes to Adams that were transmitted between 2001 and 2003. Subjects are covered in an A-Z format (thus becoming an "A-Z of Douglas Adams"). Linking narration on all three discs is provided by Simon Jones
. Several of the sketches, many of which are included for the first time since their original transmissions, had been discussed in biographies of Adams (e.g. Don't Panic by Neil Gaiman
and Wish You Were Here by Nick Webb). In addition, the complete script for "The Lost Hitchhiker Sketch" appears in the 25th anniversary edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts
. Disc one covers subjects A to G, disc two covers subjects H to P, and disc three covers subjects Q to Z.
Note: The CD set was released in early September 2004, after the Tertiary Phase of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
had been recorded, but before transmissions began. The earliest material on the set is from August 1974 (with material Adams had written while a student at Cambridge) and the most recent extracts are from the TV and radio tributes to Adams from August and September 2001 and March 2003.
Douglas Adams
Douglas Noel Adams was an English writer and dramatist. He is best known as the author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which started life in 1978 as a BBC radio comedy before developing into a "trilogy" of five books that sold over 15 million copies in his lifetime, a television...
's association with BBC Radio and TV from 1974 to 2001, and also include tributes to Adams that were transmitted between 2001 and 2003. Subjects are covered in an A-Z format (thus becoming an "A-Z of Douglas Adams"). Linking narration on all three discs is provided by Simon Jones
Simon Jones (actor)
Simon Jones is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent from 1978 to 2005...
. Several of the sketches, many of which are included for the first time since their original transmissions, had been discussed in biographies of Adams (e.g. Don't Panic by Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman
Neil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
and Wish You Were Here by Nick Webb). In addition, the complete script for "The Lost Hitchhiker Sketch" appears in the 25th anniversary edition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: The Original Radio Scripts is a book, published in 1985, containing the scripts for the original radio series version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. Text present in the original scripts but cut to meet time constraints is printed...
. Disc one covers subjects A to G, disc two covers subjects H to P, and disc three covers subjects Q to Z.
Subjects
- A: Animals: The Aye-AyeAye-ayeThe aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
Lemur and the Amazonian ManateeAmazonian ManateeThe Amazonian Manatee is a species of manatee that lives in the freshwater habitats of the Amazon basin. They are found in Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana and Venezuela. Amazonian manatees are aquatic animals of the Sirenia order and are also known as "seacows". Their colour is grey but...
, with excerpts from the radio series version of Last Chance to SeeLast Chance to SeeLast Chance to See is a 1989 BBC radio documentary series and its accompanying book, written and presented by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. In the series, Adams and Carwardine travel to various locations in the hope of encountering species on the brink of extinction... - B: The Burkiss WayThe Burkiss WayThe Burkiss Way was a BBC Radio 4 sketch comedy series broadcast from August 1976 to November 1980. It was written by Andrew Marshall and David Renwick, with additional material in early episodes by John Mason, Colin Bostock-Smith, Douglas Adams, John Lloyd and others. The show starred Denise...
, including sketches by Adams - C: Computer Games (including the 1985 computer game adaptation of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (computer game)The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is an interactive fiction computer game based on the comedic science fiction series of the same name. It was designed by series creator Douglas Adams and Infocom's Steve Meretzky, and was first released in 1984 for the Apple II, Macintosh, Commodore 64, DOS,...
and Starship TitanicStarship TitanicStarship Titanic is a computer adventure game designed by Douglas Adams and made by The Digital Village. It was released in 1998. It takes place on a starship of the same name which has undergone "Spontaneous Massive Existence Failure" and crash landed on Earth on its maiden voyage .The player...
) - D: Dirk GentlyDirk GentlyDirk Gently is a fictional character created by Douglas Adams and featured in the books Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul...
- E: Endangered Species
- F: FootlightsFootlightsCambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
Revue - G: Graham ChapmanGraham ChapmanGraham Arthur Chapman was a British comedian, physician, writer, actor, and one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.-Early life and education:...
- H: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the FutureThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the FutureThe Hitchhiker's Guide to the Future was a four-part radio series hosted by Douglas Adams. It was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April and May 2001. Because the radio series turned out to be Adams's final project for the BBC before his death , all four episodes are still available for download from...
, Adams's final radio documentary series for BBC Radio 4 - I: The InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
- J: "Keeping up with the Joneses" - an extract from Adams's radio tribute to Peter JonesPeter Jones (actor)Peter Jones was an English actor, screenwriter and broadcaster.-Early life and career:Jones was born in Wem, Shropshire and he was educated at the Wem Grammar School and Ellesmere College. He made his first appearance as an actor in Wolverhampton at the age of 16 and then appeared in repertory...
in 2000. - K: The KakapoKakapoThe Kakapo , Strigops habroptila , also called owl parrot, is a species of large, flightless nocturnal parrot endemic to New Zealand...
Parrot - L: "The Lost Hitchhiker Sketch" - Sheila SteafelSheila SteafelSheila Steafel is a South African-born actress who has lived all her adult life in the United Kingdom.Steafel, who was born in Johannesburg, appeared in many classic television series, including: The Frost Report, Z-Cars, Sykes, The Kenny Everett Television Show, Minder, The Ghosts of Motley Hall,...
interviewing Simon JonesSimon Jones (actor)Simon Jones is an English actor, most famous for his appearances in the television and radio series of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, in which he played the lead role of Arthur Dent from 1978 to 2005...
, in character as Arthur DentArthur DentArthur Philip Dent is a fictional character, the hapless protagonist and anti-hero in the comic science fiction series The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams....
from the radio show Steafel Plus, written by Adams. - L (continued): Light Entertainment, including an extract from Black Cinderella Two Goes EastBlack Cinderella Two Goes EastBlack Cinderella Two Goes East was a radio pantomime broadcast on BBC Radio 2 on 25 December 1978. The programme is notable for being one of only a few radio programmes -produced by Douglas Adams while he was employed by the BBC as a radio producer...
- M: Music and The Meaning of LiffThe Meaning of LiffThe Meaning of Liff is a humorous dictionary of toponymy and etymology, written by Douglas Adams and John Lloyd, published in the United Kingdom in 1983, and the USA in 1984....
- N: News Huddlines
- O: Oh No, It Isn't - with a sketch from this 1970s radio series written by Adams.
- P: Publishing and Performing
- Q: Quiz Shows
- R: The Rodrigues Fruit Bat
- S: Science
- T: Technology
- U: The Universe
- V: Virtual Reality
- W: Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
with extracts from The Pirate PlanetThe Pirate PlanetThe Pirate Planet is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 30 September to 21 October 1978. It forms the second serial of The Key to Time... - X: Extra-Terrestrial Life
- Y: The Yangtze River Dolphin
- Z: Zoology
Note: The CD set was released in early September 2004, after the Tertiary Phase of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (radio series)
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a science fiction comedy radio series written by Douglas Adams . It was originally broadcast in the United Kingdom by BBC Radio 4 in 1978, and afterwards on global short wave radio on the BBC World Service, National Public Radio in the U.S. and CBC Radio in...
had been recorded, but before transmissions began. The earliest material on the set is from August 1974 (with material Adams had written while a student at Cambridge) and the most recent extracts are from the TV and radio tributes to Adams from August and September 2001 and March 2003.