2000x eps 01-20

2000x

2000x was a science fiction anthology series broadcast on NPR (National Public Radio) from April to September 2000. Produced by Hollywood Theater of the Ear, the series consisted of 46 stories spanning 26 hour-long episodes. Produced and directed by Yuri Rasovsky, the stories highlighted the social, political and technological possibilities of the new millennium. Award-winning SF author Harlan Ellison acted as literary advisor and acted as series host. The series included classic authors such as George Bernard Shaw, Jack London, Mark Twain and Rudyard Kipling as well as more contemporary writers such as Roger Zelazny, Theodore Sturgeon, Kurt Vonnegut, and Connie Willis.

Episode 1: Merchant / By His Bootstraps

Merchant: A very short (3 minute) story of why hat sales are expected to rise.
By His Bootstraps: Complications arise when a college student steps through a time portal.

First broadcast: 2 April 2000.
Original Story by Henry Slesar (Merchant) / Robert A. Heinlein (By His Bootstraps).
Cast: Hamilton Camp, Phil Proctor, Ira Burton (Merchant) / Richard Dreyfuss, Cordis Heard, Ira Burton, Kascia Marciniak (By His Bootstraps).

Episode 2: Vaster Than Empires And More Slow

A misfit crew of space explorers lands on a planet with a sentient biosphere.

First broadcast: 9 April 2000.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
Cast: Robert Foxworth, William Sanderson, Lorna Raver, Ira Burton, Robertson Dean, Harlan Ellison, Joe Greco, Amy Van Horne.

Episode 3: Even The Queen / Knock

Even The Queen: Perdita's family believe she has ruined her life when she joins the 'Cyclists'.
Knock: "The last man on Earth sat alone in a room. There was a knock at the door…"

First broadcast: 16 April 2000.
Original Story by Connie Willis (Even The Queen) / Fredric Brown (Knock).
Cast: Janet Carroll, Brian Finney, Barbara Rush, Ashley Gardner, Amy Van Horne, Diana Douglas, Melissa Greenspan, Laura Kellogg (Even The Queen) / Lorna Raver, René Auberjonois, Ira Burton (Knock).

Episode 4: The Mission of The Vega

On the eve of the Third World War, a diplomatic mission is dispatched to enlist the help of the penal colony of Venus.

First broadcast: 23 April 2000.
Original Story by Friedrich Dürrenmatt.
Cast: Norman Lloyd, Kristoffer Tabori, Newell Alexander, Ira Burton, Gabrielle de Cuir, Milton James, Laura Kellogg, George Murdock, James Otis, Lorna Raver, Stefan Rudnicki.

Episode 5: The Machine Stops / And Miles To Go Before I Sleep

The Machine Stops: In an age that relies for everything on 'The Machine', what happens when 'The Machine' breaks down?
And Miles To Go Before I Sleep: A dying spaceman sends an android to fulfil his promise to see his parents one last time.

First broadcast: 30 April 2000.
Original Story by E. M. Forster (The Machine Stops) / William F. Nolan (And Miles To Go Before I Sleep).
Cast: David Warner, Samantha Eggar, Alistair Duncan, Gabrielle de Cuir, Laura Kellogg, Melinda Peterson, Phil Proctor, Stefan Rudnicki (The Machine Stops) / John Schuck, Ira Burton, Laura Kellogg (And Miles To Go Before I Sleep).

Episode 6: Revival Meeting / A Learned Fable / Dear Pen Pal

Revival Meeting: A very short (2 minute) story of a man awaking from cryogenic suspension.
A Learned Fable: Forest creatures organise a scientific expedition to discover what lies beyond the forest.
Dear Pen Pal: An alien convict corresponds with an Earthman via the Interstellar Correspondence Club.

First broadcast: 7 May 2000.
Original Story by Dannie Plachta (Revival Meeting) / Mark Twain (A Learned Fable) / A. E. van Vogt (Dear Pen Pal).
Cast: Hamilton Camp, Phil Proctor (Revival Meeting) / David Birney, Ira Burton, Hamilton Camp, Nancy Cartwright, Pamela Hayden (A Learned Fable) / Charles Durning (Dear Pen Pal).

Episode 7: Why Support For Public Radio Must Increase In The Next Century / Pillar of Fire

Why Support For Public Radio Must Increase In The Next Century: An alien just wants to fix his broken spacecraft, but he keeps getting interrupted...
Pillar of Fire: The last corpse on Earth sets out to exact his revenge when he is dug up from his final resting place.

First broadcast: 16 May 2000.
Original Story by Yuri Rasovsky (Why Support For Public Radio Must Increase In The Next Century) / Ray Bradbury (Pillar of Fire).
Cast: Tom Towles, Ira Burton, Hamilton Camp, John O'Hurley, Laura Kellogg, Tom Magliozzi, John Schuck (Why Support For Public Radio Must Increase In The Next Century) / George Murdock, Allan Miller, Phil Proctor, Brian Finney, Sandy Orkin, James Otis, Ira Burton, Gabrielle de Cuir, Janet Fontaine, Laura Kellogg (Pillar of Fire).

Episode 8: R.U.R.

The robots are revolting in Karel Čapek’s famous play, which introduced the word robot to the English language.

First broadcast: 21 May 2000.
Original Story by Karel Čapek.
Cast: David Birney, Ann Marie Lee, Alan Bergmann, Brian Finney, Milton James, Laura Kellogg, Lorna Raver, John Schuck, Kristoffer Tabori, Stefan Rudnicki.

Episode 9: The Scream

A demolition worker is convinced he heard the house he is demolishing scream.

First broadcast: 31 August 1964.
Original Story by Virginia Radcliffe.
Cast: Roger De Koven, Peter Fernandez, Harry Belova, Albert Oppenheimer, Abby Lewis.

Episode 10: Outside Time

An astronaut vanishes and materialises back in mission control, with an important message for all Mankind.

First broadcast: 1 September 1964.
Original Story by Lawrence Weinberg.
Cast: Al Hodge, George Petrie, Jack Grimes, Maurice Tarplin, Richard Keith.

Episode 11: Incident At Shadow Valley

Mysterious trucker Mr. Janus stops at a roadside diner and death follows in his wake.

First broadcast: 8 September 1964.
Original Story by Raphael David Blau.
Cast: Arlene Walker, George Petrie, Jackson Beck, John Gibson, Richard Hurd, Robert Dryden.

Episode 12: First Encounter

The crew of the first expedition to the Moon are captured by invisible 'Lunies'.

First broadcast: 10 September 1964.
Original Story by Leonard Stadd.
Cast: William Mason, Toni Darnay, Robert Dryden, Jackson Beck, Bret Morrison.

Episode 13: The Noon Stars

A highly religious town is thrown into turmoil when a young boy appears who claims he can see the stars in daytime.

First broadcast: 14 September 1964.
Original Story by Richard McCracken.
Cast: Paul McGrath, Alice Yourman, Cecil Roy, Tom McDermott, Lorraine MacMartin, Evelyn Juster, Bryna Raeburn.

Episode 14: The Big Freeze

A man with a fatal heart condition is cryogenically frozen and receives a shock when he awakes two years later.

First broadcast: 16 September 1964.
Original Story by Sol Panitz.
Cast: Jack Grimes, Jackson Beck.

Episode 15: Odyssey of Number Fourteen

A reporter investigates the disappearance of an American astronaut.

First broadcast: 22 September 1964.
Original Story by Bruce Bassett.
Cast: Jon Thomas, Lenka Peterson, Lon Clark, Cliff Carpenter, Jay Barney.

Episode 16: We Are All Alone

Radio astronomers pick up a message from outer space.

First broadcast: 23 September 1964.
Original Story by Unknown.
Cast: Ralph Camargo, Teri Keane, Guy Sorel.

Episode 17: The Evil That Men Do

A scientist fails to foresee the consequences when he invents a drug to cure all criminal tendencies.

First broadcast: 24 September 1964.
Original Story by Raphael David Blau.
Cast: Ian Martin, George Petrie, Court Benson, Jan Miner, Jackson Beck.

Episode 18: Look Who's Talking

A scientist learns to communicate with dolphins.

First broadcast: 28 September 1964.
Original Story by Richard McCracken.
Cast: William Redfield, Evelyn Juster, Edward Bryce, Bryna Raeburn, Owen Jordan, June Graham, Ralph Bell.

Episode 19: Subject Number 428A

The invention of a computer which can predict a person's every action leads to murder.

First broadcast: 2 October 1964.
Original Story by Robert Cenedella.
Cast: Court Benson, Donald Buka, Ivor Francis, Jack Manning.

Episode 20: The Last Land Rush

In an overpopulated future world, the Government grants plots of land on the highway divider to anyone who can defend their plot for 24 hours.

First broadcast: 6 October 1964.
Original Story by George Bamber.
Cast: Dwight Weist, Wayne Tippett, Rosemary Rice, Sam Raskin, Fran Carlon, Cecil Roy.

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