 Tired of the everyday routine? Ever dream of a life of romantic adventure? Want to get away from it all? We offer you Escape Escape Designed to free you from the four walls of today for a half hour of high adventure Escape Brought to you by your Richfield Gasoline dealer and the Richfield Oil Corporation of New York Marketers of Richfield Gasolines, motor oils and other petroleum products Look for the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps Tonight we escape to a gigantic rocket ship About to be shocked into space on man's first voyage to Mars As Ray Bradbury tells it in his famous science fiction story Mars is heaven The project is magnificent, overwhelming and tremendous We return you now to the seat of the takeoff in the desert of New Mexico Go ahead New Mexico Thank you London, this is Stuart Novins back in New Mexico I'm standing here on the Great Steel Observation Platform overlooking the takeoff stand As the moment for departure draws nearer the whole area has been flooded with artificial light It bathes a spaceship and a kind of silver luminescence And surrounding it and gulfing it, this subdued hysteria of hundreds of thousands of people Come to see the start of this incredible voyage of 18 men in the rocket ship The Venture It's standing there pointing upward, pointing toward the heavens And in a few minutes it will bloom out into great flowers of heat and color Shocked into space on man's first voyage to Mars As you know ladies and gentlemen, prayers are being said for these 18 men in their ship The first men, the first ship to dare the voyage to another planet Prayers are being said by every creed in mosques and churches and synagogues the world over We take you now to the Basilica of St. Paul's in Rome Mexico again, we're sorry to cut in but that roar you're hearing, the roar of the crowd It's the moment we've been waiting for I can see the crew of the Venture walking up the catwalk that leads to the spaceship The men are entering and now, now the escape hatch is closed Now the men are in the ship, this silence, this great awful silence of the crowd It's the voiceless prayer that's in every heart They're about ready now, some lights from the ship just blinked on and off It's a signal in just a few seconds, a few more Stand by, stand by They're gone, the Venture, it's out of sight Log entry, US rocket ship Venture One hour out from Earth, destination Mars Past canyly heavy side layer without incident Rate of speed 450,000 miles per hour With planet Mars at its closest point to where 35 million miles Calculate duration of voyage to be roughly three and a half days Captain John Blackmaster Log entry, US rocket ship the Venture 12 hours out from Earth While navigating super-tensioned atmospheric forces Four-chill generator broke down Replaced by Boosted Yes? Lieutenant Lustig reporting, sir Come in, Pete I have a report on the trajectory, sir I'll put it on my desk Pete? Yes, sir How do you feel? Feel? Fine Just wonderful, sir Sitting up there in an observation turd I don't know just how to say it The sights, I mean Moons so close and Earth looking like And Mars, sir Sir Do you really think we'll make it? Who is it? Dr. Hanks, Captain, may I come in? Sure, Sam How are you, John? Oh, no, Sam, just sitting here thinking Well, don't think about it too much Sleep instead You need all the sleep he can get Who sleeps? Who sleeps? I mean, there's no way of knowing what's waiting for him Look at it through the porthole, Sam Mars How would you describe it, that glittering blob of red? Man, it's good enough Will it consume us? Spew out dust out into space? Maybe it's the Elysian fields All charm and sweetness and moonlight Riding on the restless dead Which will it be, Sam? I don't know All I know is that they told me I was an expert in space medicine At Randall Field on a plot of ground called Texas They told me that, and that's all I know What are you doing up? You're supposed to be in a sack Well, I'll tell you, Captain Sometimes a man can't sleep That happens to me sometimes So I just wander through the ship, check on the boys See that they're tucked in properly That's what you were doing with me, huh? Well, I just... What made them do it, Sam? What made them volunteer? Man keeps looking for something There are no new frontiers now Only new worlds And there'll always be men who want to conquer them Log entry, U.S. rocket ship venture 78 hours out from Earth Approaching gravitational field of Mars Atmospheric conditions similar to Earth's Log entry, U.S. rocket ship venture 79 hours out from Earth Have this moment landed on Mars At 1700 hours We made it Chemical analysis indicated on Ship's instrument shows air to be breathable And will sustain human life Gravity comparable without Earth's Ready, John? Yes How the men in sick base, Sam? Happy They're all right, John You ready? First one thing Captain to crew, Captain to crew Your attention We have landed on Mars No man is to leave this ship Under penalty of court-martial Dr. Hinxton and I will make a brief reconnaissance Crew will proceed with repair of ship's hull As you know, our ship is armed against Any possible aggression I can't impress it upon you too strongly No man will leave this ship Until Dr. Hinxton and I ascertain That we are not in a hostile world That is all Let's go, Sam You first, Captain It's your honor You, the first man from Earth To walk on Mars This grass It's a well-kept lawn John, look over there A house, a Victorian house Colored glass and scrolls And everything I don't believe it Come on Sam, look at these Two iron deer in this lawn We had a pair of these and I was a kid Sam, do you hear that? That piano from that house Sam, this isn't Mars It can't be, it just can't be It can't be, John, but it is Welcome to Mars Perhaps you know that skilled research scientists have worked for many years to obtain components for gasoline Components to give your car higher Antenok performance and greater power But do you know that from this research has come xylene? Xylene, one of the highest octane components in gasoline history Now, listen, today every gallon of the famous Richfield gasoline contains xylene Xylene in Richfield gasoline helps give your car new lively pickup new high Antenok power Richfield gasoline economy Furthermore, there are two great Richfield gasoline with xylene That means you can select the right Richfield gasoline to give your particular car the finest performance at lowest cost per mile Richfield high octane gasoline at regular price especially refined for the average motor Richfield Ethel Ethel at its best meets the requirements of the newest motors of the highest compression Remember, both Richfield gasoline contain xylene Stop where you see the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps Get famous Richfield gasoline with xylene And now, we return you to Escape What did I say, Sam? Somewhere back there in space That Mars was the Elysian field All sweetness and charm No, John, it isn't that It's what you see You're like ours on Earth And this? A small town with good air in it A small town like the one I was born in Same smell of flowers Same sound You think that the civilizations of two planets can progress at the same rate develop in the same way? I do now Well, I don't Well, look at that house A Victorian house on Mars You expect me to believe that? A house with lace curtain windows with port swings with something that sounds like a piano and probably is a piano Playing beautiful Ohio, you believe all that? I believe it I admit it's strange, but I believe it Strange nuts, it's impossible We're going back to the ship Wait, wait, John It could be It could be that there are similar patterns of thought, movement, civilization on every planet in our system Maybe we're on the threshold of the great psychological and metaphysical discovery of our time Maybe we... Well, go on, Sam Maybe this proves the existence of God Not everyone needs proof I don't But how else can you explain all this? Johnny, it fills me with terror and joy I don't know whether to laugh or cry I admit it looks peaceful and cool Pretty much like Council Bluffs where I was born That was a good, quiet place Council Bluffs, Iowa I'm... Do you see that, Sam? Do you hear it? I see it and hear it It's there A horse and carriage going down the street Suppose... Just suppose that by accident or something we landed on a planet in space in another time Suppose that this is Earth 30 or 50 years ago Maybe we got lost in the dimensions What do you think, Sam? So much like my hometown That house That room up there with a beaded lamp near the window When I was a kid, I used to sleep and do my lessons in a room just like that I'd lie there in the night and I'd be awake and I could hear the freight trains across the river and... John, do you hear that? I hear it Let's go Where? We're going up to that house and I ask questions Where else? Come on Yes, can I help you? I beg your pardon, but we want to... find something I'm much too busy and I haven't time We're all at supper Wait, wait, wait Don't go What town is this? What do you mean what town is this? How could you be in a town and not know what town it was? I beg your pardon But we're strangers here We're from Earth And we want to know how this town got here How you got here Are you census takers? No What do you want then? How long has this town been here? It was built in 1868 Is this a game? No, no Not a game Look, try to understand We're from Earth From where? From Earth Where's that? The Earth Out of the ground, do you mean? No, from the planet Earth Come out on the porch, please and I'll show you No, I won't come out there You're evidently quite mad from the sun Let me try, John Lady, we came in a flying ship across space among the stars We came from the third planet from the sun, Earth to this planet, which is Mars Now do you understand? You're touched from the sun, too Go away now before I call my husband from his supper He'll beat you up, that's what he'll do But this is Mars, isn't it? This is Green Lake, Ohio on the continent of America surrounded by the Pacific and Atlantic oceans on a place called the world or sometimes the Earth Go away now, go away Let's take a walk, Sam Yeah There's something going on here something we don't understand I want you to go back to the ship If anything out of the way happens lift the ship and get out But John... That's an order, Sam All right, if it's an order John, look Look at that woman walking toward us What about her? Well, she looks like... Sam! Oh, Sam, you look fine so grown up Sam, don't you know me? It's your grandmother, your old grandmother Grandmother? What's wrong, Sam? This is a happy meeting And who is this friend of yours? This is Captain John Black John, this is my grandmother Grandmother? So help me So help me, John, this is my grandmother She's dead, died 30 years ago But this is my grandmother Well, there's no sense standing here on the street You just come along to my house There's so much to talk about You too, Captain And your friend of my grandson's is mine too I don't stand there with your mouths open Come on! Here, Sam, have some more iced tea Would you like some more, too, Captain? Oh, thank you, I would Well, here's to our hell Hell? How long have you been here, Grandmother? Ever since I died What? Don't look like that I said ever since I died 30 years ago Sam Who are we to question what happens? What's living anyway? All I know is I'm alive again And no questions asked Here, Captain Field, go ahead, feel my arm Solid, isn't it? You hear my voice, don't you? You hear it, don't you, Captain? Yes, yes, I hear it Grandmother Well, then why go around questioning? Well, it's just that we... I never thought I'd see you again, Grandmother Mrs. Hinkston Yes, some more iced tea, Captain Oh, no, no I just want to ask you a question Mrs. Hinkston, is Mars heaven? Nonsense, no It's a world And we get a second chance It's like another earth How do we know there wasn't one before earth? That's a good question, John Well, uh Well, maybe we better get back to the ship, Sam It's been iced, Mrs. Hinkston Thanks for the drink You'll be back, of course For supper, I mean We're having fried chicken with mashed potatoes Wait a minute, wait a minute What's that? Excuse me, Mrs. Hinkston Sam? Sam, come here Hey, well, what do you know, John? A parade for the brass band But the crew My crew marching behind the band With all those people But they're heroes These people are welcome, women's heroes They abandon ship They had orders I'll court Marshal every one of them John, listen to me They found all relatives and friends Just like I have They have their orders What would you have done? Obeyed orders I... I... What's the matter? Sam? Sam, I don't believe it It's impossible They said I would find you here Phyllis Of course, darling Phyllis Of course Who did you think it was? This is Phyllis, Sam My... Ten years ago After that, I never got married We're waiting for you Your mother and father They're alive Waiting for you At your old house On Maple Avenue You heard that, Sam, didn't you? This is Phyllis talking And she said mother and dad And the house... You understand it now The crew Same thing has happened to them Yes Yes When I open my eyes It'll all be gone Phyllis will be gone Open them, John Phyllis Phyllis Oh, my darling My darling That's good to see you children Dancing together again Your mother would have enjoyed it So much, John I must have worn her out With all my questions Don't worry about it, son She'll get a good rest tonight Then in the morning The days after We have so much time now, son We'll all be together You and Phyllis, your mother and I So much time Yes, yes Don't go away from me, John Hold me closer I've dreamed so long of dancing with you No, no, no, no No more questions Just accept it That your mother and father were once dead And are now alive That I was killed Ten years ago I was killed in a horrible accident And now Now I'm alive And in your arms Oh, tight, John Hold me tight Well, I think I'll run along to bed now You children won't forget to turn out the lights Well, you know what to do Good night, Phyllis Good night, Father Black Good night, son Good night, Dad Shall we go out on the back porch, John Like we used to long ago Come with me, John Let's sit here on the steps Remember that great barber? You built it I remember you hit your thumb with a hammer And I cried Be very silent, John Is anything wrong? Phyllis, I've just had a crazy notion Suppose this were Mars But it isn't A humor, me, Phyllis Suppose it were Mars And the Martians saw our ship coming And saw us inside our ship and hated us And they wanted to destroy us But in a very clever way Yes Well, what would be the best weapon a Martian could use Against us with our atomic bombs or hydrogen John No, let me finish The hypothesis is interesting The Martians would use telepathy, hypnosis, memory, imagination John, don't question us anymore No more Suppose this town is some other shape A Martian shape But by playing on my memory and my desires and my wants They've made it what I've wanted it to be Yes I suppose my mother and father weren't that at all But two Martians Incredibly brilliant Keeping me under this dreaming hypnosis As other Martians have done it to my men To Sam But me You've had your arms around me You've kissed me Old secrets Was that a Martian hypnosis, John? Phyllis Yes, what is it, John? Where are you going? I've got to talk to Sam I've got to find out what he thinks Now that he's alone with his grandmother Stay here with me, John I've got to talk to Sam Maybe he's beginning to wonder too You're not going anywhere, John Phyllis Hey, Phyllis, no You're You're not Phyllis I was right You're not Ph... Martians This is a great day for Mars A day of great rejoicing As number one of quadrant three two seven B Of sector Q It is my proud privilege To read to you this message From the planetary all high It says Congratulations On your splendid work In meeting the barbarian invaders And atomizing them You have proven the complete efficiency of Plan A And hereafter, mass hypnosis Will become standard operating procedure In repelling any further invasion From outer space Be they submarsion from Earth Or any other creature From any other planet Well done I can add little to this unstinted praise from the all high But I would like to point out to you That what you have accomplished Could not have been done Had it not been for our space heroes Who have risked so much And often given all In recent years to keep the planet Earth Under close surveillance This surveillance, as you know Has been accomplished by our space patrols Known to earth men as flying saucers Ah, they were courageous these earth creatures To brave space in that crude ship But they were inferior beings And therefore they had to be atomized Their extinction was necessary To ensure our way of life Yet perhaps since this has been Your first encounter with creatures from outer space You, you who's glorious victory this has been May want to say something Any one who wants to say something? You? Well, yes, yes It was a very interesting experience He said his name was John Black He was a nice young being, nice He thought I was his father Whatever that is I guess that's all I want to say And you? No, I don't think so Well, I thought of something But I forgot I see And you? One of them asked me if Mars was heaven What's heaven? I don't know Now for the business at hand The ship, the ship they came in The destruction of it Disintegrate Earth Squad Ready Proceed Compress charge 16 atmospheres Charges compressed Low velocity Rejectory 2 Low velocity Rejectory 2 Release Charge The ship they came in It's gone Mulderis, did you ever consider The taking care of a car or something Like caring for a baby? It's easier when you've got a system And in caring for your car The Richfield Gasoline dealer has a system It's called Richfield All Point Safety Service Have the Richfield dealer service your car tomorrow Because hot weather is hard on lubricants Where, and sudden breakdown Can occur before you realize there's anything wrong With all point service, the Richfield dealer Will change your oil to fresh, rich lube All-weather motor oil And give your car a careful, all-point lubrication job Chassis, differential, front wheels, and transmission And that includes service of automatic transmissions With the new Richfield automatic transmission fluid Richfield All Point Safety Service Also includes inspection and care of all the Likely trouble spots such as battery, spark plugs Tires and radiator So save time, save money with this one-stop service Get warm weather protection for your car now With Richfield All Point Safety Service Look for the Richfield Eagle on the cream and blue pumps Escape is produced and directed by William N. Robson And tonight has presented Mars as Heaven by Ray Bradbury Adapted for radio by Morton Fine and David Friedkin Feated in the cast were Jeff Corey as Captain Black Florence Bates as the grandmother Bill Johnstone as Dr. Hinkston Walter Catlett as number one of Mars Elizabeth Root as Phyllis Paul Freese as Peter Lustig Ian Wolfe as the father And Stuart Novens who played himself Also heard were Ruth Parrott and Ben Wright Special music arranged and played by Ivan Ditmars Next week You're standing on the floor of the ocean Pronging up a fortune in sponges But moving closer and closer to you His huge sponge hook raise to rip open your diving suit Is a man from whom there is no escape Next week at this time The Richfield Oil Corporation of New York Invite you to escape with an exciting story About sponge fishers in the Gulf of Mexico As John and Gwen Bagney tell it in the big sponge Be listening, goodbye then Until the same time next week When once again we offer you escape This is CBS The Columbia Broadcasting System