The Planet Man

The Planet Man was a 1950s juvenile science fiction radio series from New York based Palladium Radio Productions. Running in syndication for nearly eighty episodes, the show followed the adventures of Dantro, an agent of the League of Planets, who upholds peace and justice throughout the Universe with help from his trusty sidekicks Dr. John Darrow, John’s daughter Pat, nephew and niece Billy and Jane, and his engineer Slats (all of whom were rescued by Dantro when their rocket trip to the Moon was about to end in disaster). The cast is mostly unknown — only the announcer Phil Tonken, organist Jon Gart and voice of the robot characters Joseph Boland have been identified.
​
​Please note that the episode numbers given below are merely the order in which the episodes are thought to have been broadcast — they are not the actual episode numbers.
Episode 41: At Alpha Centauri
​
Dantro and Slats search the Alpha Centauri system for signs of life. Unbeknownst to them, they are being observed by incorporeal aliens.
 
​First broadcast: 1953 (uncertain).
​Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 42: Encountering New Race

​Moving on to a new binary star system, Dantro and Slats encounter a new alien race. They continue to be observed by the incorporeal aliens.

First broadcast: 1953 (uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 43: Beings From Libra

Dantro and Slats enlist the help of a robot representative of an alien race from the constellation Libra. Meanwhile, back in the Solar System, Marston orders mass executions on Ganymede.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 44: Sulphur Breathing Being

​Dantro, Slats and Barrel the robot encounter Zen, a sulphur breathing alien.
​
​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 45: Must Obey Zen

Dantro and Slats are brought before Klee, the leader of the sulphur breathing aliens.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 46: Klee Has A Use For Dantro
​
​Klee wants Dantro to help him defeat his enemies.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 47: Astral Drive Won't Respond

The incorporeal beings take control of Dantro's ship, allowing him and Slats to escape from Klee. The ship is transported to the edge of the galaxy, where Dantro and Slats meet the ancient Martian race.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 48: Meeting Roora

Dantro and Slats try to persuade Roora, a hologram of a member of the ancient Martian race the Mardi, to help them in the fight against Marston.
​
​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 49: Touring The Capital
​
​Roora takes Dantro and Slats on a tour of the Mardi capital city, where they get an unwelcome taste of the female-dominated society.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 50: Council Makes Decision

​The Mardi council reveals its decision on whether or not to help Dantro and Slats in the fight against Marston.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 51: Dantro Makes His Case

​Dantro and Slats sneak into the Mardi council chamber in one last attempt to persuade the ruling council to help them.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 52: Firing Squad

Mardi scientist Gaza allows Dantro and Slats to observe Planeria Rex through a spy-ray machine. They see Marston organising a public execution.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 53: Gaza Saves Judge Augustus

​Mardi scientist Gaza reluctantly saves Judge Augustus from a firing squad by projecting a force shield around him.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 54: Gaza Talks With Marston

Using the dimension-warper machine, Gaza teleports Marston to her laboratory.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 55: Back To The Alpha

With Gaza and Marston defeated, Dantro and Slats return to their ship the Alpha for the journey home.
​
​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 56: Aiding Barrel's Expedition

Dantro and Slats respond to a distress call from Barrel the robot's expedition.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 57: Crash Landing
​
​Dantro and Barrel crash land on a mystery planet and discover a spaceship graveyard.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 58: Spaceship Graveyard
​
​Dantro and Barrel make contact with survivors of the crashed spaceships and discover who is responsible for trapping them on the planet.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 59: Slats Headed For Death
​
​With the Alpha being pulled towards the planet by a magnetic field, Slats makes the apparently suicidal decision to head straight for the surface at full speed. Meanwhile, Dantro and Barrel decide to head underground in an attempt to free the slaves of the subterranean-dwelling Insect People.
 
​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.
Episode 60: Contacting The Mardi
​
​Dantro and Barrel descend into the city of the Insect People. Meanwhile, Slats makes contact with Roora and returns with a Mardi rescue fleet.

​First broadcast: 1953 (Uncertain).
Original Story by Unknown.
​Cast: Unknown.