Time Machine, The (BBC 25 Jan 1949, Russell Napier)

Scifi drama The Time Machine, based on the novel by H.G. Wells saw a Victorian gentleman building a time machine that sends him into the far future where he gets involved with two warring races. The effects, as befits the year it was made, were pretty simple, mostly back projection stuff. But a brilliant example of the BBC’s commitment, even then, to genre television.

The play, broadcast live, was retransmitted on 21 February. This was common practice throughout the early days of television. A chance for the 223 people who had tv’s at the time to get in some early experience of the re-run! The performance were more like a piece of live theatre of course anyway.

production details
UK / BBC / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 25 January 1949 black and white

Writer/Producer: Robert Marr / Novel: H.G. Wells / Design: Barry Learoyd

cast
RUSSELL NAPIER as The Time Traveller
MARY DONN as Weena