"The Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy" (1981) TV series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

30 October 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Sci-Fi | Adventure

Tagline:

Don't panic!

Plot:

An Earth man and his alien friend escape Earth's destruction and go on a truly strange adventure as space hitchhikers.

Plot Keywords:

Meaning Of Life | Space | Alien | Time Travel | Planet

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Peter Jones	...	The Book (6 episodes, 1981)
Simon Jones	...	Arthur Dent (6 episodes, 1981)
David Dixon	...	Ford Prefect (6 episodes, 1981)
Sandra Dickinson	...	Trillian (5 episodes, 1981)
Mark Wing-Davey	...	Zaphod Beeblebrox (5 episodes, 1981)
Stephen Moore	...	Marvin / ... (5 episodes, 1981)
David Learner	...	Marvin (4 episodes, 1981)
David Tate	...	Eddie / ... (3 episodes, 1981)
Martin Benson	...	Vogon Captain (2 episodes, 1981)
Richard Vernon	...	Slartibartfast (2 episodes, 1981)
Rayner Bourton	...	Newscaster (2 episodes, 1981)
Douglas Adams	...	Man in Ocean / ... (2 episodes, 1981)

Series Directed by
Alan J.W. Bell		(6 episodes, 1981)

Series Writing credits
Douglas Adams		(6 episodes, 1981)

Series Produced by
Alan J.W. Bell	....	producer (6 episodes, 1981)
John Lloyd	....	associate producer (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Film Editing by
Glenn Hyde		(4 episodes, 1981)

Series Production Design by
Andrew Howe-Davies		(6 episodes, 1981)
Tom Yardley-Jones		(2 episodes, 1981)

Series Costume Design by
Dee Robson		(6 episodes, 1981)

Series Makeup Department
Joan Stribling	....	makeup artist (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Production Management
Michael Cager	....	production manager (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Art Department
Douglas Burd	....	graphic designer (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Sound Department
Paddy Kingsland	....	radiophonic effects (6 episodes, 1981)
Michael McCarthy	....	sound director (6 episodes, 1981)
Paul Roberts	....	dubbing mixer (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Special Effects by
Dave Jervis	....	electronic effects (6 episodes, 1981)
Dave Chapman	....	electronic effects (2 episodes, 1981)

Series Visual Effects by
Jim Francis	....	visual effects designer (6 episodes, 1981)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Bert Postlethwaite	....	studio lighting (6 episodes, 1981)
Peter Hall	....	camera operator: film camera (4 episodes, 1981)
Dave Thomson	....	camera operator: studio cameras (4 episodes, 1981)
Godfrey Johnson	....	camera operator: film camera (2 episodes, 1981)
Jeff Oliver	....	camera operator: studio cameras (2 episodes, 1981)

Series Animation Department
Rod Lord	....	animator (6 episodes, 1981)
Kevin Davies	....	animator (3 episodes, 1981)

Series Editorial Department
Ian Williams	....	editor: video tape (6 episodes, 1981)
Chris Gage	....	vision mixer (3 episodes, 1981)
Angela Wilson	....	vision mixer (2 episodes, 1981)

Series Music Department
Paddy Kingsland	....	radiophonic music (6 episodes, 1981)
Bernie Leadon	....	composer: song "Journey of the Sorcerer" (unknown episodes)
Richard Rodgers	....	composer: song "You'll Never Walk Alone" (unknown episodes)
Tim Souster	....	music arranger: title music (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Norman Brierley	....	technical manager (6 episodes, 1981)
Jean Peyre	....	design effects (6 episodes, 1981)
Cliff Pinnock	....	assistant floor manager (6 episodes, 1981)
Vicky Pugh	....	production assistant (6 episodes, 1981)
Chris Gravel	....	film recordist (3 episodes, 1981)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1981) (UK) (TV) (original airing)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1993) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• CBS/Fox Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Encore Entertainment (1998) (UK) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• BBC Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• BBC Video (????) (UK) (VHS)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (????) (USA) (TV) (original US airing)

Special Effects

• Pearce Studios

Also Known As:

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (USA) (video title)

Runtime:

Australia:32 min (6 episodes) | Germany:152 min (2 parts) | USA:25 min (7 episodes) (original release) | USA:33 min (6 episodes) (subsequent syndication) | 33 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Stereo (video release)

Certification:

Australia:G (original rating) | Australia:PG (cable rating) | UK:PG | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

BBC Television Centre, Wood Lane, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Douglas Adams chose 42 as the Ultimate Answer of Life, the Universe, and Everything simply because he thought it was the funniest-sounding of all two-digit numbers. "A completely ordinary number, a number not just divisible by two but also six and seven. In fact it's the sort of number that you could, without any fear, introduce to your parents."

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Ford and Arthur meet Zaphod for the first time in the series (near the end of the first episode) the operator of Zaphod's third arm can be seen (they can be seen in other episodes, too, notably the third)

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Arthur Dent: So this is it... we're going to die!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Inside 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' (2005) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Journey of the Sorcerer

My most favorite mini-series!

I absolutely love "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"! This is one of the funniest, most satirical, and most memorable mini-series I've ever seen! I've listened to the BBC radio broadcast, read all of the books, and now I've seen the TV series! It's awesome, and a very involving story with realistic and believable characters! The satire lies in how the aliens in the Universe perceive the planet Earth, which was destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. It reflects our bureaucracy, and how the people of our world live in it. People wonder what there role in existence really is. "The Hitchhiker's Guide" doesn't give the answer, but it does show people who are searching for it. This could've been made into a theatrical production, although it probably would have been far too long. I love the characters, because their presence just makes fun of everything in their pathway. Much of the purpose of the character's existence, I think, is to make fun of the other characters they will meet later in the story. I love the talking electronic book, which narrates the story and gives a sort of "average person's" answer to everything. Simon Jones, who played Arthur Dent in the BBC audio broadcast, reprises his role with the same confused, yet humanistic personification. Mark Wing-Davey also reprises his role as the conceited Zaphod Beeblebrox. Peter Jones is back too, as the electronic book, as is David Tate as the annoying, overly eccentric computer. What effect will this have on someone's life? Only that it reflects the insecurity of much of our population, and how insignificant it all is compared to the rest of the universe. We already know this, but we never take it into mind. This also satirizes our modern world, without making any direct references to the people it's poking fun at. This is a great story which should be read, listened to, and likewise, seen with this miniseries. This isn't just pure entertainment, satire, and comedy. This is something that will make you think about the world you live in, and what your existence in life means to the universe itself!