The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Arthur Dent (Simon Jones)
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Two
  • 1981
  • 6 episodes (1 series)

Television adaptation of the highly successful sci-fi radio sitcom and comic novel, created by Douglas Adams. Also features Simon Jones, David Dixon, Sandra Dickinson, Mark Wing-Davey, David Learner and more.

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy. Image shows from L to R: Ford Prefect (David Dixon), Arthur Dent (Simon Jones). Copyright: BBC

Key details

Genre
Sitcom
Broadcast
1981
Channel
BBC Two
Episodes
6 (1 series)
Stars
Simon Jones, David Dixon, Sandra Dickinson, Mark Wing-Davey, David Learner, Stephen Moore and Peter Jones
Writer
Douglas Adams
Director
Alan J. W. Bell
Producers
Alan J. W. Bell and John Lloyd
Company

One Thursday lunchtime, the Earth is unexpectedly demolished to make way for a new hyperspace bypass. For Arthur Dent, who had only just had his house demolished that morning, this already seems like more than he can cope with. Hitchhikers follows the journey of a constantly bewildered Arthur through the galaxy as he is guided along by his eccentric friend from Betelguese, Ford Prefect. Along the way he encounters alien life, gets thrown off spaceships, discovers the true nature of Earth, travels through time, stretches the limits of improbability to their breaking point and searches for the ultimate answer to life, the universe and everything.

All of this is helped along by the narration by the book itself, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which helps to expand on some of the finer points of galactic society, culture and history.

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Additional details

Tagline
Don't Panic!
Part of

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

Also known as
  • H2G2
Production
Studio
Camera set-up
Multi-camera
Picture
Colour
Soundtrack
The title music is Journey Of The Sorcerer by The Eagles, composed by Bernie Leadon and arranged by Tim Souster. Radiophonic music and effects by Paddy Kingsland.

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Monday 5th January 1981 at 9pm on BBC Two