Sunday, 20 April 2014

The Art of Hitch-Hiking


Series two of The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy has just started a repeat run on BBC Radio 4 Extra.  When it was first broadcast in January 1980 it bagged itself a Radio Times cover, testament to the overwhelming success of the first series. (Was this the last time a radio comedy made the cover? Readers with better memories than mine please respond).

The programme billings were something special too as they included artwork from renowned graphic designer and illustrator George Hardie – think Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd album covers. They don’t all tie into the events in that particular programme – the five episodes aired every week night -  as, notoriously, Douglas Adams was still sweating over his scripts until the last minute and the final episodes were still being edited as the week began.

Here are Hardie’s illustrations:





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2 comments:

  1. entssouthwales20 April 2014 at 16:33

    Thanks for sharing these Andy - this is something vintage Radio Times did great in the 70s - illustrating Radio programmes and capturing the listeners imagination!

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  2. Steve Williams22 April 2014 at 16:44

    I reckon the last radio comedy to get on the cover of Radio Times would have been Loose Ends in 1988, if that counts.

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