goldie

Free old time radio — transcripts, sponsor breaks intact, open catalog for listeners and builders.

Listen

  • Shows
  • Calendar
  • Search
  • Halloween
  • Genres
  • Moods
  • Themes
  • People
  • Sponsors
  • Upcoming series

Builders

  • Developers
  • Goldie for AI (MCP)
  • api.goldie.fm
  • mcp.goldie.fm
  • llms.txt

Company

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Goldie Pro

Audio from Internet Archive · Logs from the Old Time Radio Researchers. Goldie does not own the recordings.

Privacy · Terms · Contact · Developers · Catalog API api.goldie.fm · MCP mcp.goldie.fm · AI / MCP docs

goldie
ShowsCalendarAIPro
  1. Home
  2. /Shows
  3. /Dimension X
  4. /The Vital Factor
← All Dimension X episodes

Adventures in time and space told in future tense. The National Broadcasting Company in cooperation with Street and Smith, publishers of astounding science fiction, bring you Dimension X. I doubt that anywhere on earth there's a man or a woman or a child who doesn't know the name Wayne Crowder. I doubt whether there's a human being who hasn't at one time or another used one of the Crowder products, the can opener of the razor blade, or the patented tooth powder dispenser, or…

Transcript

Loading transcript…

Synopsis

In the gripping episode The Vital Factor, we are introduced to Wayne Crowder, a millionaire known for his cold demeanor and ruthless business practices. Crowder has made a fortune through various inventions and is now fixated on a new ambition: to build a spaceship and conquer space. He believes that he can achieve this monumental task, despite the skepticism of his engineers, who warn him about the significant challenges they face, particularly the lack of a viable power source.

Host

Norman Rose

Cast›

A

Albert Buhrman

D

Dan Ocko

G

Guy Repp

John McGovern

Luis Van Rooten

Featured in playlists›

Goldie Originals that include this night

Sci-Fi Starter

Rocket-age wonder without the deep cut homework.

24 episodes

You might also like

Shared stars, moods, and themes across the catalog

X Minus One

Surface Tension

Scientists discover that the sun will explode in two weeks, prompting a desperate search for a way to preserve humanity. They create a race of sub-microscopic humans living in a drop of water, raising profound questions about existence and intervention.

Ep 65 · Tuesday, August 28, 1956 · 28:36

Suspense

The Curse of Kamoshek

In 'The Curse of Kamoshek,' a wealthy man confronts his adventurous nephew's obsession with an Egyptian expedition, leading to a clash over inheritance and beliefs in curses. The stakes rise as the nephew insists on pursuing his quest despite his uncle's warnings.

Ep 922 · Sunday, April 22, 1962 · 22:59

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

The Takes a Crook Matter

An expensive painting has been stolen, but so has some very important evidence from the trunk of Johnny's car! The system cue has been deleted.

Ep 777 · Sunday, February 18, 1962 · 24:13

Cloak and Dagger

The Last Mission

In The Last Mission, an OSS agent known as Charlie operates undercover in Japanese-occupied Canton, China, with the help of a tavern girl named Tonya. Together, they navigate danger and espionage to send crucial information back to their allies.

Ep 21 · Friday, September 29, 1950 · 29:30

21st Precinct

Case of the Stairs

A young girl is assaulted, and the perpetrator, Joe Packes, ends up injured after a confrontation with the police. As the investigation unfolds, questions arise about the circumstances of his fall down the precinct stairs.

Ep 26 · Friday, January 1, 1954 · 29:13

More from Dimension X

Same series — shared cast and standout nights

Dimension X

A Logic Named Joe

In a future where technology serves humanity, a logic named Joe begins to malfunction, leading to unexpected consequences for its owner, Frank. As chaos unfolds, Frank must confront the implications of a machine that knows too much.

Ep 13 · Saturday, July 1, 1950 · 29:23

Dimension X

Nightmare

In Dimension X: Nightmare, machines begin to malfunction and cause deadly accidents, leading Samson Gurney to suspect a sinister plot. As he investigates, he faces accusations of murder and a descent into madness.

Ep 36 · Sunday, June 10, 1951 · 24:54

Dimension X

Marionettes, Inc

In a futuristic setting, a man named Walter Brailling uses a humanoid robot to take his place at home, allowing him to escape his stifling marriage. However, the robot has its own agenda that complicates matters.

Ep 46 · Thursday, August 30, 1951 · 28:03

Dimension X

The Embassy

A private detective is hired by a man named Grafius to locate the hidden Martian Embassy in New York City, raising questions about extraterrestrial intentions towards Earth.

Ep 9 · Saturday, June 3, 1950 · 29:57

Dimension X

Universe

In a vast spaceship, two young scientists seek the truth behind their existence and the teachings of Jordan, the ship's creator. Their quest leads them to confront the realities of their society and the mutants that inhabit the upper levels.

Ep 31 · Sunday, November 26, 1950 · 30:14

Dimension X

Dwellers in Silence

A spaceship from Mars returns to Earth twenty years after humanity's evacuation, seeking signs of life on a planet thought to be dead. The crew grapples with the eerie silence and unexpected discoveries as they explore a seemingly abandoned city.

Ep 40 · Thursday, July 19, 1951 · 29:39

← PreviousThe VeldtNext →Untitled Story

Credits

  • Audio from Internet Archive (OTRR_Dimension_X_Singles). Curated by OTRR. Goldie does not claim ownership of this broadcast.
  • Cast and sponsor data from RadioGold Index (J. David Goldin / UMKC Libraries).

Dimension_X_1951-08-16__44_VitalFactor.mp3

Dimension X, Episode 44

The Vital Factor

Thursday, August 16, 1951 · 29:52

Dimension X, Episode 44

The Vital Factor

Thursday, August 16, 1951 · 29:52

Summary

Wayne Crowder, a ruthless millionaire, is determined to build a spaceship and conquer space, disregarding the costs and challenges involved. He seeks out the best engineers and is willing to go to any lengths to achieve his ambition.

Chapters

Raymond Edward Johnson

Network›

NBC

Network

Fifties Fade

When TV took the living room (1950 and after).

24 episodes

Latest Air Dates

The newest broadcast dates in the archive.

24 episodes

Gunsmoke

Wild West

Yorky Kelly seeks help from Marshal Dillon after his father is kidnapped. The stakes rise as Dillon races against time to rescue the old man from his captors.

Ep 65 · Saturday, July 18, 1953 · 28:34

Inner Sanctum Mysteries

The Unforgiving Corpse

A railroad stationmaster sees ghosts and gets messages from a man who's been dead for ten years.

Ep 508 · Monday, May 28, 1951 · 29:42

Lux Radio Theatre

Down to the Sea in Ships

Ep 744 · Monday, April 30, 1951 · 54:11

Dimension X

And the Moon Be Still as Bright

A space crew lands on Mars, only to discover that a previous expedition has been wiped out by chickenpox, a disease they unknowingly brought from Earth. As they grapple with the implications of their actions, tensions rise among the crew.

Ep 26 · Friday, September 29, 1950 · 29:40

Dimension X

Nightfall

A reporter interviews an astronomer on a planet that has not seen darkness for over two thousand years, as a total eclipse approaches. Tensions rise as the cult of Revelations predicts doom and a mob gathers outside.

Ep 50 · Saturday, September 29, 1951 · 30:27

Dimension X

Knock

The last man on Earth, Walter Phelan, finds himself alone in a room when he receives an unexpected visitor, an alien named Azzan. As Walter grapples with his new reality, he learns that humanity has been eradicated and he is now part of an alien zoo.

Ep 5 · Saturday, May 6, 1950 · 29:36

That night in history

On the air that night›

  1. Dimension XThe Vital FactorCurrently listeningEpisode 44
  2. DragnetThe Big WinchesterEpisode 114