A For Andromeda (1961)

Country of Origin: UK
Dates of Original Broadcast: 3 October 1961 - 14 November 1961
Number of Seasons: 1
Total Number of Episodes: 7
Average Episode Running Times: 6 x 45m, 1 x 50m
Format:
Colour Format: black and white
Sound: mono

DIRECTION

Director: Michael Hayes

SCRIPT
Script: John Elliot, Fred Hoyle
Script Associate: Norman James

PHOTOGRAPHY
Lighting: Gerry Millerson
Film Camera: Peter Sargent

EDITING
Film Editor: Agnes Evans

SOUND
Sound: Peter Wineman, George Cassedy

COSTUMES AND MAKE-UP
Make Up: Tommy Manderson
Wardrobe: Pamela Glanville

DESIGN AND SET CONSTRUCTION
Designer: Norman James

OTHER CREW
Technical Operations: Tony Youngman, Sam Hutchings

CAST

Peter Halliday (Dr John Fleming(
Julie Christie (Christine/Andromeda)
Mary Morris (Professor Madeleine Dawnay
Patricia Kneale (Judy Adamson
Esmond Knight (Professor Reinhart)
Frank Windsor (Dennis Bridger)
Geoffrey Lewis (Dr Geers)
Noel Johnson (J.M. Osborne)
Jack May (Major Quadring)
John Hollis (Kaufman)
John Barrett (Oldroyd)
Margaret Denyer (Mrs Tate-Allan)
Peter Ducrow (Dr Hunter)
Jack Gwyllim (Air Commodore Watling)
Ernest Hare (Minister of Science)
Maurice Hedley (Prime Minister)
Peter Henchie (Egon)
Kenneth Kendall (interviewer)
Bernard Kilby (Whelan)
David King (Burdett)
Terry Lodge (Jenkins)
Hugh Lund (Lt de Felice)
John Nettleton (Harries)
Brenda Peters (Osborne's secretary)
John Murray Scott (Harvey)
Donald Stewart (General Vandenberg)
Frederick Treves (Captain Lovell)
Anthony Valentine (Corporal)

In 1970, scientists manage to decode a signal from space which reveals instructions on how to build a super-computer. Once built, the machine then provides the team with instructions on how to create a living being. One of the team, Fleming, starts work on the project against the wishes of some of his colleagues, one of who appears to commit suicide. But the project seems to be a success and Fleming creates a woman in the image of his dead colleague who answers to the name Andromeda. But who sent the instructions and for what purpose?

1. The Message (3 October 1961)
2. The Machine (10 October 1961)
3. The Miracle (17 October 1961)
4. The Monster (24 October 1961)
5. The Murderer (31 October 1961)
6. The Face of the Tiger (7 November 1961)
7. The Last Mystery (14 November 1961)

UK
Television Distributor: BBC
Like far too many BBC shows of the era, most of A For Andromeda is missing from the archives. At least one episode, The Face of the Tiger, is thought to exist in the possession of a private collector. The BBC archives do include film inserts from The Machine and The Miracle, the opening title sequence and the last 15 minutes or so of The Last Mystery.

1961
October
3: UK - The Message television broadcast (on BBC)
10: UK - The Machine television broadcast (on BBC)
17: UK - The Miracle television broadcast (on BBC)
24: UK - The Monster television broadcast (on BBC)
31: UK - The Murderer television broadcast (on BBC)

November
7: UK - The Face of the Tiger television broadcast (on BBC)
14: UK - The Last Mystery television broadcast (on BBC)

SEQUEL
The Andromeda Breakthrough (1962)

REMAKES
A come Andromeda (1972)
A For Andromeda (2006)

SEE ALSO
Demon Seed (1977)

BOOKS

BBC Television Drama Research Guide p.17
credits

Encyclopedia of TV Science Fiction (2000 edition) pp.1-2
credits, synopsis, review (by Roger Fulton)

aliens, andromeda, book into film, computers, electrocution, the future, industrial espionage, islands, psychics, radio signals, radio telescopes, scientists, simulacra, suicide

Last Updated: 15 October, 2009