Vanishing Point

Vanishing Point was a Canadian drama anthology series that ran on CBC Radio from 1984 until 1986, and then under a varying array of sub-titles until 1991. The series was created and produced by Bill Lane and ran for over a hundred episodes.
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​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. Broadcast dates are uncertain and non-genre episodes have been omitted.
Episode 41: Strange Child

​A science fiction writer's young daughter doesn't seem the same following an encounter with a UFO.

​First broadcast: 22 December 1986.
​Original Story by Charles Tidler (based on a story by Nathaniel Hawthorne).
​Cast: Merrilyn Gann, Doug Abrahams, Laura Harris, Alessandro Giuliani, Joanna Schellenberg.

Episode 42: The Dispossessed (part 1 of 6)

​Shevek, the greatest scientist of the age, travels from his home planet of Anarres to the neighbouring planet of Urras. He is the first visitor from Anarres in two hundred years and suffers a profound culture shock on arrival. Unbeknown to Shevek, the authorities on Urras have an ulterior motive for inviting the great man.

First broadcast: 12 June 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Barbara Gordon, John Swindells, Phil Akin, Gillie Fenwick, Géza Kovács, Ishwar Mulgie, John Friesen, Barbara Budd, Keram Maliki-Sanchez, Ian Heath, Marlo Villa.

Episode 43: The Dispossessed (part 2 of 6)

A flashback to his youth finds Shevek planting trees in the desert, as part of a work gang on his anarcho-syndicalist planet. Later, he attends the physics institute and finds that some citizens don't put the needs of society ahead of their own personal gain.

​First broadcast: 19 June 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Barbara Gordon, John Swindells, Phil Akin, Greg Ellwand, Hrant Alianak, Milan Chelov, Brenda Webb, Roger Barnes, Joyce Gordon, Beth Robinson.

Episode 44: The Dispossessed (part 3 of 6)

Shevek attends a party and learns more about the class-based, sexist and capitalist society of Urras. He receives a note urging him to meet with the opposition anarchist underground.
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​First broadcast: 26 June 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Barbara Gordon, John Swindells, Phil Akin, Greg Ellwand, Gillie Fenwick, Barbara Budd, George Buza, Ellen Ray Hennessy.

Episode 45: The Dispossessed (part 4 of 6)

Following rebellion on the outer planets, Urras is in a state of emergency. Shevek is under pressure to complete his Theory of Simultaneity, which will allow faster than light travel and enable the government to crush the rebellion. In a flashback, we find Shevek and his family battling drought and famine on Anarres.

​First broadcast: 3 July 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Barbara Gordon, John Swindells, Greg Ellwand, Gillie Fenwick, Géza Kovács, Hrant Alianak, Terry Waterhouse, Francine Volker, Mary Durkin, Marsha Moreau.

Episode 46: The Dispossessed (part 5 of 6)

​Escaping house arrest, Shevek joins the anarchist-socialist resistance in an uprising against the police state.

​First broadcast: 10 July 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Michael Hogan, Gillie Fenwick, John Swindells, Phil Akin, Géza Kovács, Terry Waterhouse, Jack Mather, Pat Iveland, Maria Vacratsis.

Episode 47: The Dispossessed (part 6 of 6)

The uprising on Urras is viciously suppressed by the authorities. Shevek takes refuge in the Terran embassy, where he is assured of safe passage back to Anarres. He completes his Theory of Simultaneity and gives it away freely to all worlds, such that none will have an advantage over the others.

​First broadcast: 17 July 1987.
Original Story by Ursula K. Le Guin.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Michael Hogan, Barbara Gordon, Phil Akin, John Swindells, Géza Kovács, Hrant Alianak, Greg Ellwand, Marsha Moreau, Milan Chelov, Terry Waterhouse, Beth Robinson.

Episode 48: Fleshtone

A series of unexplained supernovae cause an astronomer to rethink his views on religion.
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​First broadcast: 21 December 1987.
Original Story by Bill Ben Lubben.
​Cast: Ron Halder, Ted Stitter, Donna White, Steven Demopolis, Gwyneth Harvey, Don Mckay, Mary Monks, Richard Newman.

Episode 49: Mr Gendelman Crashes A Party

An alien from another dimension gatecrashes a party in an attempt to find his way home.

​First broadcast: 28 December 1987.
Original Story by Tim Wynne-Jones.
​Cast: Gary Reineke, Nancy Park, George Buza, Jill Frappier, Ellen Ray Hennesey, Terry Waterhouse, Ron White, Paulina Gilles, Wayne Robson, Elliot McIver.

Episode 50: Escapement

A man becomes trapped in a time loop.

​First broadcast: 14 November 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast:  Barry Baldaro, Joyce Campion, Ballena Gilles, Tod Duckworth, Jeremy Henson, Graham Halley, Louisa Martin, Sam Moses​.

Episode 51: The Cloud-Sculptors of Coral D

A group of artistic pilots carve cloud sculptures with gliders.

​First broadcast: 21 November 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast: Richard Donat, Peter Blay, John Bujoir, Pat Collins, Brenda Robins.

Episode 52: Low Flying Aircraft

In a world in which the population has fallen dramatically as more and more babies are born deformed, Forrester and his wife Judith await news of her latest pregnancy.

​First broadcast: 28 November 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast: Nicky Guadagni, Joe Ziegler, Michael Hogan, Romero Puerta, Lisa Yamanaka.

Episode 53: A Question of Re-entry

An investigator, searching for a missing astronaut in the Amazon Jungle, gets caught up in a power struggle between a missionary, who has gone native, and a witch doctor's son.

​First broadcast: 5 December 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast: Graham Campbell, Géza Kovács, Elliot McIver, Ron White.

Episode 54: News From The Sun

In a near future world, a mysterious mental plague causes people to enter fugue states for increasing lengths of time.

​First broadcast: 12 December 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast: Michael Ball, Diane D'Aquila, Patricia Berenstone, Angela Fusco, Jack Mather, Geordie Johnson.

Episode 55: Having A Wonderful Time

A couple's luxury holiday in the Canary Islands just seems to go on and on and on…

​First broadcast: 19 December 1988.
Original Story by J. G. Ballard.
​Cast:  Jill Frappier, Benedict Campbell, Andrew Gillies, Bridget O'Sullivan.

Episode 56: King of Another Place

A mentally ill man believes he can save the world from disaster.

​First broadcast: Uncertain.
Original Story by Brad Fraser and Geoffrey Hershfield.
​Cast: David McNally, Francis Damberger, Larry Yakermek, Maureen Rennie.

Episode 57: The Dinosaur Connection

​On a post-apocalyptic Earth, a technician on an expedition from a domed city meets 'outlanders' for the first time.

​First broadcast: Uncertain.
Original Story by Cecilia Fry.
​Cast: Blair Haynes, Jack Haslam, Ty Haless, Steven Hilton.