Spoiler Alert:
The storyline given below and those on the other pages for this Guide cover the story for the entire eps. If you do not wish to to know what happens in the eps do NOT read the story section.
Cast
| Credited on the opening titles | |
| Peter Jones | Voice of the Book |
| Simon Jones | Arthur Dent |
| David Dixon | Ford Prefect |
| Joe Melia | Mr Prosser |
| Martin Benson | Vogon Captain |
| NOT credited on the opening titles | |
| Steve Conway | Barman |
| Cleo Rocos Andrew Mussell |
Aliens |
| Martin Benson | Vogon Guard (uncredited) |
Production Credits
| By | Douglas Adams |
| Adapted from the BBC Radio Series | |
| Title Music by | Bernie Leadon |
| Arranged by | Tim Souster |
| Radiophonic Music and Effects by | Paddy Kingsland |
| Sound Direction | Michael McCarthy |
| Studio Lighting | Bert Postlethwaite |
| Technical Manager | Norman Brierley |
| Electronic Effects | Dave Jervis |
| Studio Cameras | Dave Thomson |
| Vision Mixer | Chris Gage |
| VT Editor | Ian Williams |
| Film Cameraman | Ken Willicombe |
| Film Recordist | Ron Blight |
| Film Editor | Mike Robotham |
| Animated Sequences | Rod Lord |
| Graphic Designers | Doug Burd |
| Design Effects | Jean Peyre |
| Costume Designer | Dee Robson |
| Make-up Artist | Joan Stribling |
| Assistant Designer | Chris Hull |
| Visual Effects Designer | Jim Francis |
| Designer | Andrew Howe-Davies |
| Production Manager | Michael Cager |
| Production Assistant | Vicky Pugh |
| Assistant Floor Manager | Cliff Pinnock |
| Associate Producer | John Lloyd |
| Producer | Alan J W Bell [1] |
| © BBC MCMLXXXI | |
| Notes | |
| [1] Also the director, although he receives no on-screen credit for this. However, on the edited video release the specially created titles do credit him in both roles. | |
| Transmitted: | 5 January 1981 |
Story
| Arthur Dent woke to what he thought would be another normal, boring day to find a bulldozer trying to knock his house down to make way for a bypass. In an attempt to stop the bulldozer Arthur lies in front of it. While he continued his perpendicular protest his friend Ford Prefect turns up and drags him off to the pub. While the workmen bulldoze Arthur's house Ford tells Arthur that he is not in fact from Guilford as he had led Arthur to believe but was actually from a small planet somewhere in the vicinity of Betelgeuse. He also informs Arthur that the Earth is about to be destroyed to make way for an interstellar bypass. As the Vogon construction fleet prepares to disintegrate the Earth, Ford hitches a lift on the lead ship, taking Arthur with him. Ford gives the confused Arthur a copy of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy so that he can find out about their hosts, the Vogons. As the truth about the destruction of the Earth hits Arthur, Ford sticks a Babel fish into Arthur's ear so that he can understand everything he hears. A message over the intercom tells them that the Vogons know that they are on board and are ready to throw them off. As Arthur and Ford make their way off the ship they are spotted by one of the Vogons guards. Will they be thrown out of the air lock into deep space without any protection or will they suffer an even worse fate; will the Vogon Captain want to read them some of his poetry...? |
 | Episode Guide Compiled by Richard Spurr Posted: 12 May 2002 | |