Men Into Space

MORE SCIENCE THAN FICTION

Before Lost In Space, before Star Trek, and before Space 1999, American
audiences were regaled by the weekly thrills, perils, and otherworldly
exploits of Men Into Space, the first-ever "hard science" sci-fi
program. Popular actor William Lundigan appeared as the redoubtable
Colonel Edward McCauley, who grappled with many of the same problems
that real astronauts encountered in their quest to reach the Moon a
decade later. It was a somber departure from previous televised science
fiction fare, aimed at juveniles, and served up the drama and excitement
of space flight in realistic fashion. In 38 black-and-white episodes,
McCauley endures lunar crashes, renegade satellites, runaway space
stations, meteor strikes, and colliding tankers, in addition to
memorable encounters with feuding scientists, balky subordinates,
hostile cosmonauts, and space babes. All told, Men Into Space is a
classic slice of 1950s Americana and exuberantly reflects the national
obsession with astronautics of its day. It is a must for devotees of the
heroic age of spaceflight and early science fiction television. This
ground-breaking booklet examines the historical context of the series
and its rise and fall, along with biographies of all major personalities
involved with its production. Includes two appendices and footnotes;
profusely illustrated.

John C. Fredriksen received his doctorate in history from Providence
College. He is the author of 30 reference books on various topics.