ANNCR:

(COLD) The Planet Man!

SFX:

OPEN FADE TO

MUSIC:

ORGAN CHORD

SFX:

ANNCR SAYS EACH WORD AND PAUSES FOR ECHO. "MAN"HAS THE LONGEST ECHO

ANNCR:

The ... Planet ... Man!

MUSIC:

THEME ESTABLISH AND UNDER

ANNCR:

This is the fascinating story of Dantro, The Planet Man, troubleshooter for the League of Planets organization, the law enforcement body for peace and justice in the celestial world - whose headquarters and center of operations are situated on the capital of all the planets, Planeria Rex.

MUSIC:

STING. THEME COMES BACK UNDER THE WORD "DANGER"

ANNCR:

From Mercury to Pluto, wherever danger threatens the universe, you will find Dantro the Planet Man fighting for fair play.

MUSIC:

STING

ANNCR:

In a moment, The Planet Man.

(INSERT BREAK)

 

ANNCR:

At this moment Dantro the Planet Man and the crew of the Earth's first space expedition - whom Dantro saved from certain death - are swiftly speeding toward Planeria Rex. (STING) They have just gotten out of the reach of some unidentified Bogey spaceships. (STING) Dantro's ship the Planeteer is the most breathtaking engineering feat the Earth people have ever seen. (SNEAK UNDER CONSOLE BEEPS) It's as large as a fortress, and an endless system of instruments and mechanisms in the control chamber give it the appearance of a fantastic flying laboratory. Dantro is speaking:

DANTRO:

With the use of this Cosmic Communicator we've been able to watch the Earth for many years. This is how we knew all about your experiments, professor Darrow, and the moment you took off for the moon. Here, I'll tune it in on your launching site and you can see and hear what they're saying about your expedition.

SOUND:

TUNES COMMUNICATOR

SLATS:

Look, professor! It's Charlie and Dr. Sterling!

CHARLIE:

(FILTER) I can't believe they didn't make it! Professor Darrow seemed so sure. The scaffolding fire just before launching must have caused some trouble we never figured on. It's bad enough losing the three of them, but it looks like those two kids must have gone along with them! They were here one minute and gone the next. One of the workmen saw them near the rocket platform before the fire broke out.

DANTRO:

I'm afraid I'll have to cut off the communicator, now. You see, I must keep it clear for incoming messages.

SOUND:

ANOTHER ALARM

DANTRO:

What is this? Emergency Garble Signal. Let me hit that key, I've got to decode this message!

METALLIC VOICE:

Read me. Read me.

DANTRO:

This is Dantro.

METALLIC VOICE:

Read me.

DANTRO:

I am reading.

AGUSTUS:

Dantro, this is Judge Agustus. Have you contacted the Earth people?

DANTRO:

Yes, sir, they're aboard The Planeteer.

AGUSTUS:

Good. (TO EARTH PEOPLE) Friends from Earth, forgive this hurried greeting. I'll welcome you personally when you arrive. (TO DANTRO) Dantro, get back as quickly as possible. There's trouble brewing.

DANTRO:

What's wrong?

AGUSTUS:

Marsden is up to some evil. Get back at once.

DANTRO:

Yes, sir. Signing off. (BEAT) Brace yourselves. I'm giving her the works. Attention all hands! Jets alive! Jets alive!

SOUND:

JETS ALIVE

MUSIC:

ORGAN TRANSITION

PAT:

Dantro, how fast are we going?

DANTRO:

About 5,000 miles per second.

DARROW:

Incredible!

SLATS:

Say, who is this fellow Marsden? He sure gets lots of fast action.

DANTRO:

Well, I guess I'd better explain a few things. You see, the League of Planets is made up of all the inhabited parts of the solar system - Mercury, Venus, Mars, and some of the moons of Saturn and Jupiter.

BILLY:

Dantro! There's a red light, right blinking on this port panel. What does it mean?

DANTRO:

(CHUCKES) Oh, thanks, Billy. I must switch on my auxiliary cooling coils. Without that, the skin of the ship would melt at this speed. A few more turns on this ship, and you'll be able to pilot her, Billy.

BILLY:

Oh, I'd sure like that!

DANTRO:

Anyhow, the member planets of the League have been living in peace for many centuries until recently, when a new leader has taken over on Mars. His name is Marsden, and he's been plotting the conquest of the solar system. So far the League has kept him in check. However, I'm afraid that once his plans are known, war between the worlds will be inevitable!

BILLY:

Why don'tcha punch him in the nose?

PAT:

Now, Billy.

JANE:

You're talking just like an old-fashioned cowboy, Billy. What you mean is, why don't you paralyze him a little?

PAT:

Jane, please.

DANTRO:

(CHUCKLING) It's all right, Pat. You see, we of the League of Planets are not permitted to resort to violence except in self-defense. (BEAT) Let's not worry about Marsden now. That's not your problem. (BEAT) Well, we'll soon be at Planeria Rex!

SOUND:

SPACESHIP WHOOSHES MORPH TO:

ORGAN:

TRANSITION

ANNCR:

We'll return to the exciting story of The Planet Man in just a moment.

So - Level off!

(BREAK)

 

MUSIC:

THEME ESTABLISH THEN UNDER

ANNCR:

Dantro, The Planet Man, under urgent orders from Judge Augustus, is flying the Earth people to Planeria Rex at record speed. (STING) On the planet of the unknown, the mysterious planet Mars, certain plans are taking shape which can only mean that Marsden the dictator of Mars, is up to some foul play. (STING) As we look into the cold, foreboding secret meeting place of the Martian council, we find Marsden, a giant, fierce, ruthless ruler, holding court with his council. (STING) Behind Marsden you can hear a small, ugly, and weird creature: His Martian flying cobra, Fema. It's Marsden's only means of protection, since this creature has the powers to warn Marsden of any impending danger. Marsden trusts no one, and Fema is constantly with him. Listen:

SOUND:

SNEAK COBRA NOISE UNDER THE PREVIOUS LINE.

MARSDEN:

Can I count on no one? Must I conquer the whole solar system alone? I must have speed! They must strike before the other planets suspect our plans! Before they know it, Marsden will rule the solar system!

COUNCIL 1:

When do we invade the Earth?

MARSDEN:

As soon as our ships return with the crew of Earth's first rocket ship. They should have reached there by now. Once they are our prisoners - we can move. From their eminent Professor Darrow we can learn much to help us conquer the Earth. Then with the Earth resources and their people as our slaves, we can defy the League of Planets!

SOUND:

RUNNING FOOTSTEPS

MESSENGER:

Marsden! Marsden! We have just received word from our ships. They found the Earth ship -

MARSDEN:

Good, good!

MESSENGER:

But the crew's gone. Dantro must have reached them first and it's believed they are on their way to Planeria Rex.

SOUND:

COBRA HISS

MARSDEN:

Huh? (HISS) Must everyone fail me? Have the ships return immediately. When they arrive - execute the commanders of both ships!

SOUND:

COBRA HISS

MARSDEN:

Fema, you are the only one who understands and protects me. (BEAT) And as for the rest of you, my trusted council: You will learn that when Marsden wants something done, it WILL be done!

COUNCIL 1:

How can we keep them from reaching Planeria Rex?

MARSDEN:

Tara, my most brilliant and eminent scientist, what would you suggest? And I warn you: Think well on this answer!

SOUND:

COBRA HISS

TARA:

Marsden, we must not betray ourselves in open violence. Our astronomers have discovered a flight of asteroids in the vicinity of Planeria Rex. By using our new gravitational repellers, we can direct these asteroids into the path of Dantro's ship!

MARSDEN:

Yes. But won't they be able to avoid them? You know only too well that Dantro's ship is equipped with deflectors.

TARA:

It will be impossible for any deflectors to deal with so many asteroids at the speed at which they are traveling. They cannot change the course of their flight. And they are certain to crash.

MARSDEN:

Proceed with your plans. And do not fail. Remember that at this moment we are trying to confuse the League of Planets council into voting for our plan to - shall we say - peacefully contact the Earth. Our representative is ridiculing Judge Augustus' story of an Earth rocket ship because we were supposed to have destroyed the ship and captured its crew. We must not look like fools. And speaking of fools, you can all leave now!

SOUND:

FOOTSTEPS AND HARUMPHS AS COUNCIL LEAVES.

MARSDEN:

(LOW) Dantro, you have beaten me again.

SOUND:

SEVERAL STOMPS OR A FIST HITTING WOOD UNDER NEXT SENTENCE.

MARSDEN:

I thought I might one day have the pleasure of running this radium dagger through you, but the asteroids will have to do the job for me!

SOUND:

COBRA HISS

ORGAN:

STING AND TRANSITION

MARS REP:

As the representative of Mars, I say to this council, why do we wait any longer? I repeat to this council that there is no rocket ship from Earth in an orbit about the moon! There are no Earth people! I insist that we vote on the Mars resolution to permit the planet Mars to make peaceful contact with the Earth. We have agreed on the vote.

AUGUSTUS:

Members of the council, I request you wait. I personally contacted Dantro. And I know he is on his way to Planeria Rex with the Earth people.

MARS REP:

We've had too many words about Dantro. Why isn't he here with proof? If we delay this vote any longer, we will be defaulting on our agreement to vote. And this council will be causing great grievance to my planet, Mars! I demand a vote - NOW!

DELEGATES:

HEAR! HEAR! HARUMPH, ETC.

AGUSTUS:

I implore the council to wait! (TO SELF) Dantro! Please hurry!

ORGAN:

TRANSITION

SOUND:

SPACESHIP NOISES

SLATS:

Boy, what a way to travel! No need for gravity shoes! I can't wait until we get this drive into the Constitution. Just wonderful for my corns!

ALL:

GENERAL LAUGHTER

PAT:

I'm sure that League of Planets has other things to do besides worry about your corns.

SOUND:

ALARM STARTS, THEN UNDER

SLATS:

What's up?

JANE:

What a weird noise.

BILLY:

Hurts my ears!

DANTRO:

What's this? I can't understand it. We seem to be running into a field of asteroids that shouldn't be in this area!

DARROW:

Won't your deflectors take care of that?

DANTRO:

The deflectors will take care of any ordinary obstructions, but there are hundreds of asteroids ahead. My latest report from Central Control shows them to be three million miles away! It's impossible, but there they are!

PAT:

Is there any danger?

DARROW:

Can we go around them?

DANTRO:

We're traveling so fast, it's impossible to change course that much.

SOUND:

SERIES OF BEEPS LIKE RADAR. THEY GET FASTER UNDER NEXT SPEECH

DANTRO:

I'm slowing down, but I'm afraid we're going to hit them right smack in the center! All hands! Secure ship! Stand by for possible collision!

ORGAN:

DRAMATIC CHORD

ANNCR:

Well, Dantro the Planet Man and the Earth people seem to be in quite a spot. (STING) We'll be back in a moment. But first, here's a message that the Planet Man wants you to hear.

(BREAK)

 

ORGAN:

THEME ESTABLISH

ANNCR:

Tune in again for more transcribed thrills and adventures! (STING) Find out what happens to the Earth people as they speed toward a new world on Planeria Rex! (ROCKET SOUND) Rocket millions of light years into space with Dantro The Planet Man!

ORGAN:

CHORD

ANNCR:

(WITH REVERB) The . . . Planet . . . Man!