British Comedy Guide
The cast of the radio series. Copyright: BBC / Above The Title Productions
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

  • Radio sitcom
  • BBC Radio 4
  • 1978 - 2018
  • 32 episodes (6 series)

A science fiction radio comedy series written by Douglas Adams that started off the H2G2 multi-media franchise phenomenon. Stars Simon Jones, Geoffrey McGivern, Peter Jones, William Franklyn, John Lloyd and more.

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Episode menu

Christmas Special - Fit the Seventh

The show that began with the end of the world continues with Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect stranded on prehistoric Earth, and Zaphod Beeblebrox and Marvin thoroughly devoured by a carbon-copy of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal.

Further details

Zaphod Beeblebrox has managed to escape from the Haggunenons after it evolved into an escape capsule. Zaphod is on his way to the offices of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy to meet the head of The Guide, Zarniwoop, to learn something to his disadvantage.

Arthur Dent and Ford Prefect have been stuck on prehistoric Earth for several years. However, their luck changes when they see a ghostly space ship which appears when they think how to escape, but goes away whenever they decide to drink.

Zaphod arrives at the offices of The Guide and bumps into Marvin. Zaphod learns that Zarniwoop is away on an intergalactic cruise in his office. Zaphod and Marvin make their way to the office by a scared lift (or a 'Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Happy Vertical People Transporter', but on the way, the building gets bombed.

While Marvin tries to stop some robots, Zaphod meets Roosta, another research for The Guide, who tells him that the robots are out to get him. Soon, the building is lifted off the ground and is taken to Frogstar, the most totally evil place in the galaxy.

Broadcast details

Date
Sunday 24th December 1978
Time
10:15pm
Channel
BBC Radio 4
Length
30 minutes

Cast & crew

Cast
Simon Jones Arthur Dent
Geoffrey McGivern Ford Prefect
Peter Jones The Book
Mark Wing-Davey Zaphod Beeblebrox
Stephen Moore Marvin
Guest cast
Stephen Moore Gag Halfrunt
Alan Ford Roosta
David Tate Arcturan Captain
David Tate Radio Voice
David Tate Receptionist
David Tate Lift
Geoffrey McGivern Frogstar Robot
Geoffrey McGivern Air Traffic Controller
Bill Paterson Arcturan Number One
Writing team
Douglas Adams Writer

Press

Why resurrection of Hitchhiker's Guide falls flat

As the sixth full-cast series of Hitchhiker's Guide ended, it was hard not to mop one's bleeding ears and think what a sorry task it had been.

Antonia Quirke, The New Statesman, 27th April 2018

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