Countdown for blast off x minus five minus four minus three minus two x minus one fire. From the far horizons of the unknown come tales of new dimensions in time and space. These are stories of the future adventures in which you'll live in A million could be years, on a thousand would be worlds. The National Broadcasting Company presents X minus one to Night's story The Man in the Moon. Attention, Attention. This is the Federal Bureau of Missing Persons calling all local agencies attention. This is a coded report nationwide missing since nine o'clock this morning. The following persons Smigley Jonathan, five feet eight inches tall, brown hair, brown eyes, mastoid scar behind right ear last scene, wearing blue top coat and tan cap. Wanted by Los Angeles. Hello, get off this wavelength. This is a restricted band. Hello Earth, whoever you are, You're on a coded wavelength. Tune out. This frequency is reserved for the Federal Bureau of Missing Persons Earth the Moon calling Earth. Hello, This guy's looney is in transmission, Jake. This Charlie of the Code Room. Some crackpot is on our frequency. Yeah, I heard him, Charlie. I've got CQ trying to trace a source now we should have a triangulation any Second'll hurry it up, will you some Amazon for a good stiff fine by the FCC? Yeah, I gotta take his license away. Here comes Lending with the direction fix. Right, thanks, Honnye. What's this? This is impossible? What's going on down there? How about it? Get that ham out of my kilicycles? Oh, listen, Charlie and list This is a gag. That interference is being beamed from two hundred and forty thousand miles away. Oh not, Jake, You know there ain't no such thing as two hundred and forty thousand miles away. Yes there is, Charlie, straight up. I'll wait a minute, Charlie. That signal is coming from the moon. Are you nuts? Somebody might be bouncing it like a radar signal. Radar on this frequency? Where'd you study basic radio? Now? Listen, flathead, you asked for a fix. I gave the best fix. Our instruments confine, take it or leave it. Somebody on the moon is calling the Bureau of Missing Person. What's the sweat, Charlie? Shouldn't you be broadcasting? It's a mister timpty, you know, on the sober right Reber once have I broadcast with the smell of alcohol on my breath? Right in all your twelve years here at the Bureau, did I once? Never matter? Charlie, we're picking up a message on our wavelength. Did you report to the FCC? I ain't got the nerve, But what's wrong? You'll scream when you hear this, mister Timpkin, you'll jump right out the window. But we are getting an SOS from the moon. All that city started on voice and switched to Mars. The way the signal repeats sounds like a phonograph record or automatic center of some sort of what's it say? Let's see here? Can you read me? Help? Otter Burn. We'll contact when Moona's in phase. Let's have that again. Can you read me help? Otter Burn. We'll contact when Moona's in phase. Hotter Burn. That sounds like a name, otter Burn, hotter Wait a minute, something registered car? Needias utter Burn? Only jump? Where are you gone talk to the chie? Wait a minute? What are you gonna tell him? We just gotta seek you from the man the moon. That's exactly what I am gonna tell him, Chartie, Just too much for me, Washington style. Let me have O'Brien on city desk. O'Brien, Seamous Charlie Starbuck down at the Missing Person's flower. You want a hot one? No kidding, this will cost your beer. Okay, all right, shoot no, I'll stay on your wavelength for thirty seconds. Okay, we just got a radio message from the moon. Yep from the moon. Call me back when you're sober. Okay, Seamus. If you don't know a story, when you see one, I'll send you the name of a good psychiatrist. So long, Orson Wells. How do you like that you don't believe me? Otter Burn? Mister Wade, Now does that name ring a bell? You're the man with a photographic memory, Henry? What about Ottobur Cornelius Otterburn, a comic physicist reported missing from his home in Baltimore on June fifth, nineteen forty five, just five years ago? Vanished completely? Are you trying to tell me you really think there's something to this man of the Moon business, Henry, I'm surprised at you. This is some crackpot trying to jam the airwa Is it? The name outter Burn is so unusual a lot of names, and I have a theory that I was afraid of Henry. You will always have a theory. Let's see, what was it last year? Oh? Yes, that people disappear an occupational site. But it's true. Please, Henry, I'm a busy man. Expect me to believe that this otter of burn is sitting up on the moon sending out short wave messages. He might be on Earth bouncing the messages off the moon, but who's to say he isn't on the move. Henry is chief of this bureau. I have my hands full trying to coordinate reports from forty eight states on Alaska. I have no time to include the moon. Mister wade out, Henry, mister wade out time busy? Yes, Oh here, take this folder of reports for the dead file. Yes, and no more nonsense, he Henry. Yes, I appreciate that you have a very dull job filing all missing person's reports, and I appreciate that you take an active interest in the affairs of the bureau. What no more nonsense, sir, No, sir, no more nonsense. Pardon me? Hmm you are mister Henry Timpkin. That's my name. Omit me Jefferson file of Scientific feature writer. Oh, how do you do well, are you a newspaper man, Not exactly. I write as a hobby. Occasionally the papers give me leads on an assignment. If I may have a moment of your time, certainly just sit down my desk over here. Thank you, my, that's quite a stack of papers filing. I'm the record's custodian the bureau twelve years and never misplaced a record. Magnificent. I admire the precise mind mister uh Timkin. Of course. Now, mister Timkin, mister O'Brien, the editor of the Star. I just said I might drop by and investigate a room, only a room. Remind you that a message from the moon. Well, we aren't certain it's from the moon. It may be a bounce. They have bounced radar waves off the moon. You know, yes, I know, I wrote the first newspaper article on it. Really i'd be understood to read it. I must have a copy. On my point. I don't bother hypo, but I insist, Oh, yes, there you are. I'll leave it on your desk, thank you very much. Now about this message from the moon, mister Timko. And now we don't know for sure, as I said, but I believe that this message, wherever it originates is from Cornelius Utterburn, the physicist. Would you know him? I once wrote an article on his contribution to nuclear mechanics. A brilliant man out of Burn, years ahead of his contemporaries. Well, whoever is sending those signals, if he isn't on the moon, is at least using the moon as a sounding board bouncing the signal. But why, mister Timpkins, Why and if you will come here tomorrow night at eight, mister Filo, we may learn the answer to that question. I've arranged with Charlie, our radio man, to let me use the equipment. May I consider this an invitation? Very well until tomorrow night, then goodbye, mister Filo. Mm hmm. Let's see now, Aiken Amblage, Abramson, Ronald Atch. That's funny. Where did this list of names come from? Paul Aron's astro mathematician, Robert Simon's electronic engineer, Carl Parker mining specialist. Well, this must have got mixed up with the papers on my desk by accident. Peculiar list. Good morning, Charlie two kid, see we made the papers. Oh and how is the chief steamed up about it? He really gave me one for what did the papers say? Almostly ha ha. Here's a herold Listen, man on the moon contacts Missing Persons Bureau, missing atomic scientists sitting on the moon say, Bureau experts, et cetera, et cetera. What an no wonder? Mister Wade is hopping say about tonight? Miss Now, you promised you would give you a key to the radio room. Yeah, but I didn't expect. I'll take full responsibility with mister Wade at the time for the morning broadcast. We got quite a list today. Well mind, if I listen a while, we may hear auto burn I self conscious. Just stick around. Attention, attention. This is the Federal Missing Persons Bureau calling all local agencies nationwide. This is a coded broadcast. The following persons are missing errands. Doctor Paul five feet five, brown hair, brown eyes, scar on left side of chin, thick glasses, occupation astro mathematician, missing since six o'clock this morning, being sought by bell Air police. Charlie repeat, Doctor Paul, hold it, delay one minute. Listen, mister Timpkin. It's okay to stay, but you can't interrupt. This is important. Did you say, doctor Aarons was reported missing this morning six am. We got the report from bel Air less than an hour ago. That are you certain, Charlie positive? What is this, Charlie? What's the next name on the list. Uh, let's see Simon's Roberts engineer. What came in less than twenty minutes ago? Hey, what's the matter with you? You look like you've seen a ghost. Nothing, Charlie, except that last night, quite by accident, someone left the list of names on my desk. And that list included the names of those two men who were reported missing within the last hour. What. Oh, that doesn't sound right to me. It isn't right, Charlie. Jave's a big question to be answered. Who would make up a list of missing persons before they were missing, not after? And you say this list of names was left on your deskccidentally, I believe so, mister Wade. Do you have any ideas Henry, It's hard to say. Mister Philo left some papers from his briefcase. Mister Philo a science feature writer. See you were the leak on that story, then, yes, sir, I'm afraid I was. I didn't think it would be treated as a laughing matter. I will deal with that later. Yes, what's this filo like? Well, he's a strange old duck, bald, thin, glasses tall, He walks stooped over, seems to know a great deal about scientific data. But of course, speaking a science writer, he is there any other possibility? I believe that this is all hooked up with the broadcast from Otterburn. That seems to be a very remote possibility. A Missing Person's Bureau deals in remote possibilities, mister Wade, I do not require a statement of policy. Yes, what's the theory? For some time now it has been my contention that in a country like ours, where even the cleverest criminal can be ferreted out and located eventually, there is no such thing as a missing person. I was afraid of that. For twelve years now. I have kept the central files, where information from all over the country is channeled and recorded. I have made a private study. This is beginning to sound familiar, and I have discovered that each year, literally thousands of persons vanished, leaving no trace. They are never located, where do they go? Nobody knows? And they disappear in interesting cycles. What sort of cycles? Occupations? For example, one year we'll have a run on, say coal miners next year, the proportion of engineers increases, and then scientists. And what do you think happens, Henry. I don't know, mister Wade, but I'm beginning to suspect that somebody else has discovered the same phenomenon, even to the point perhaps of being able to predict who will turn up among the missing next Filo. Well, I don't know, but I would like to find out. And you think ought to Burn may be a part of this picture, mister Wade, I definitely do, Henry. Do you honestly expect me to buy an idea like that? It is more than I an idea that the two top men on this list are missing, and maybe so, but the rest of them aren't. Hawka Watson Gibbs. Why I saw Parker in the restaurant where I had lunched today. And if you think I'm going to make myself by laughing, start by accepting such a cracked brain, fear, well, excuse me? Yes, hello, wait, speaking, yeah, yeah, I see what name? In just a moment, Henry, let me see that list here you are, go ahead, I see, I'll get back to you. He yuh, I guess I owe you an apology, Henry. Sir Carl Parker was just reported missing Parker, third man on your list, Holy Macro. Exactly, Henry. For a good many years now, I've ridiculed these theories of yours. I don't know. Perhaps I have underestimated you. Maybe this time you've really stumbled onto something. What do you intend to do, mister Wade, I don't know. I haven't thought it out yet. I was planning to listen for another broadcast tonight in the hope that Ootterburn might try to contact us again. Good idea, I believe I'll join you. I also invited mister Fidol the feature. Oh, I'll be glad to meet him. I'm beginning to get interested in your mister Filo. Wait, you don't think he's mixed up in this? Yes, I don't know, Henry, but it suddenly strikes me that we don't know very much about him. Really we ought to contact the police. No, Henry, I think we're better off keeping this between ourselves for the moment. We're dealing with the unknown, and in solving an equation for the X factor, it's often easier to limit the number of terms. Follow me we don't know, mister Wadeye, there may be more danger in what you have discovered than you are aware of. Let's keep it quiet. You agree. Maybe you're right, mister Wade. I I haven't thought of the danger involved. Hit o'clock. When mister Filo was late, he said he'd be here. He strikes me as a man who keeps appointments. Look out the window. Yes, the moon is almost in direct phase. It don't work much longer. That's a perfectly clear knighte for transmission. If anybody's sending we ought to pick it up with this equipment, you'd better switch on the set. I never realized how eerie this office could be when it was empty. I loved the light in the hall. Mister Filo, when it comes, are you getting anything? Just some foreign stuff? I think the British part of Night's programming from Johannesburg sell. Then we continue in April. That's a peculiar transmission sound that sounds like something. See if I can work the selected The moon is in phase? Hello U can you clear me? I try to return Hello? Hello? Hello? Hello? Oh do you hear me? I get you now? Thank God? Who are you? Can you hear me. Who are you? This is Professor Cornelius Otterburn. Go on, I hear you. Not much time they're on to me. They've located my sending point, do you hear me? Go ahead, keep talking. I'm only enough oxygen for a few minutes more. Where are you? I'm on the Earth side of the moon. You get that the Earth side of the Moon. A volcanic crater could start that recorder, mister Wade, go on, explain, please explain, please closely. There is an Earth Earth colony on the Moon. There is an Earth colony on the far side of the Moon made up of renegade scientists and criminals. Professor Ernst Tolsman. He died in an insanes side of in nineteen thirty eight. Professor Ernst Hausmann discovered nuclear rocket power in nineteen thirty five, turned his plans over to escaped inmates of the asylum. They took off and set up a colony on the far side of the Moon in nineteen thirty eight. Go ahead, we're recording you. Each year they recruit new colors colonists from Earth slave labor. Mostly I was kidnapped in nineteen forty five. I know I'll keep talking. They wanted me to work on atomic drive for their flying still getting you go on last month, six others and I escaped to speak louder. You got to stop them, stop them, stop the Moon Colony planning to take over the Earth invasion. Hang on and the oxygen to breathe listening. They have agents on Earth. Yeah, agents on Earth? Where who? Hello? Hello? Hello agians? Someone to win to get down, Henry, Are you all right? I think so? His shots smashed the transmitter and the lights strike a matcher cava. It was close. I gotta look at him from the description, was your mister Filo. We got a recording anyway, but not the most important part of the message. Poor unterbird suffocating to death. Henry. We've got to get you out of here. He said. They have agents. Filo was probably one of them. He'll be looking for you and not trying to kill you. The police. Do you think the police would believe a fantastic story like this, people being kidnapped to the Moon as slave labor. Moon Colony planning an invasion of the Earth. But Henry, believe me that they trap us into straight jackets before we could finish. We've got to do something. We need time time to get you don't think my theory was bunk thing. I know it wasn't, Henry. Right now, my only concern is for your safety. But we can't walk out of here. Filo is probably waiting. There's a service elevator that leads to the basement garage. Yeah, we can get down there. There are some delivery trucks parked there all night. We can probably get one started. The garage doors off the ramp work from the inside. We'll start the mechanism and make a run for it. I don't know. I think if we call the plot, by the time the police get here will be dead. You think Fido will wait outside all night? Come on, that's an order. Okay, what about the recording of Otterburn's notes. We'll leave that here in the safe in my office. They'll never get into that. Let's go. You bus the elevator while I hide the recording. This is the basement. Come on, keep to the side. Yes, sh Let's try that delivery truck over there. I'll get in all right, Henry, you start the mechanism to open the garage door, then jump onto the truck. We'll make a dash for it. Where can we go? I have a farm outside Chevy Chase, private miles from the nearest neighbor and completely hidden by trees. We'll run for that. Go ahead, stop the door, all right? Quick jump in. Let go closs her fingers. We made it out, all right? Anything doing? There's a blue coop behind us, mister Wade, it's easree following. I'll cut or Pennsylvania Avenue now Route one, Todd Bolomaha, it is following. He turned with us. Can you go faster? How much faster he's gaining on us? I've got an idea. Hang on, Henry, fix, where'd you stop? I'll turn out the lights. M It worked. We shot right past us. Now we'll double back and go out another route. Why I don't see anything? I think we've lost him. Good. I think everything is going to be all right. Now. You can bid my farm in less than an hour, not much longer. Now is anyone behind us? I thought I saw the blue poop again, but I was mistaken. This place is really hot in the wilder. We can stay here indefinitely to well figure out the next moment. Just up this stead road. Now there's the house up ahead. You're not going to no, I have a better idea. There's a big abandoned wheat salow on my grounds. It's down a hollow where it can't be seen except in the air, and even then the oak trees shielded. We'll hide you out there now. We leave the truck here and I'll be seen. Man. Yes, how did you ever find this place, mister Wade? I've always liked seclusion. I bought it about twelve years ago. Come up here in the summer time to get away from it all. There's the silo, certainly well hidden. There's a small door around the side. Come on the capital of those bushes. Oh, yes, it's hard to seem in the dark. Do you suppose Filo will find us? I assure you, Henry, mister follow will never find us here, not in a million years. Here's the door. It's pitch dark. Oh, my arm I know the way. Just a few steps up and another door steal. So this is an unusual silos, double walled wood outside and steal inside, completely fireproof. An army couldn't break it. We're inside the NHL. Carefully, you're in a circular room. Stay here a moment. I'll go outside and see if the coast is clear. In a moment, you rise what become accustomed to the darkness. I'll bring back some food and water. Don't be long, mister Wade. This place gives me the willies. Just a moment, mister Wade swearing, Mister Wade, what's that? There is something good? Wine? There? Someone in here? It's locked. Get the way way to be out. I'm not alone in here. Eight. This must be a light switch. Thank god. People, mister way down, we'll do you offer to shouting the wait? Where are you outside? Speaking over the enter? Cons is the way. There are people in here, fifteen or twenty of them there sitting like statue, just just staring at me. They won't hurt you. They've all been drugged, even more helpless than you. But who are they? Met me to introduce them, since they're currently unable to introduce themselves. The gentleman seated before you, the one with the scar, is doctor Paul ERNs. The astro mathematician next to him is mister Robert Simon's electronic engineer. Names on the list, Yes, you're familiar with the rest. They've all been shall we say recruited. We'll work with Professor Horsman's group in the moon. Oom, mhm, you you're one of them, of course. Oh yes, there's one whose name was not on our list. If you'll turn around, Henry, you recognize the drug form of your old friend, mister Pilot. Why but I thought that he was part of the conspiracy. No. On the contrary, his snooping made it necessary for us to include. He put the man in the window, the one who find the shot, an agent of mine. The pilot of this ship, Missus Silah, was camouflaged for a rocket launching platform. In a moment, the roof will slide back from the rockets take on. In exactly seventy hours, you and your companions will join Professor Otterburn on the moon. But you can't do this to me. I've done all you see, there was another name omitted in that list, which I carelessly mixed up with your papers, that Henry Timpkin. Let you go there. You can't be pay Let me out, Let me outweigh it can happen. Let me out. Let's attention attention missing since eight o'clock last night. The following persons. Timpkin, Henry, age forty five, height five feet eight one hundred and sixty five pounds, brown eyes, slightly bawling, occupation records, custodian repeat, Timpkin Henry age forty five, fighte five feet eight, one hundred and sixty five in just a moment, a word about next week's adventure. Tonight by Transcription X minus one has brought you The Man in the Moon, an original radio drama written by George Lefferts featured in the cast where Lois van Ruton as Henry satos Ortega as the Chief, Ross Martin as Charlie, Sidney Smith as Otterburn, Bob Haig as Jake, Joe DeSantis as Filo, and Ed Latimer as O'Brien. You're announcer Fred Collins. X minus one was directed by Fred Way and is an NBC Radio Network production. And Now next week. The sign on the window said Perigi's Wonderful Dons. A woman and a child waited outside, the little girl peering eagerly through the window, and the woman glancing impatiently at her wristwatch as if expecting someone who was late for an appointment. And there was nothing about Perigi's doll shop to warn them that they were were waiting to keep an appointment with doom at minus minus one one one