Specials (1993)
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Episodes 12
The Making of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Kevin Davies' hour-long documentary from 1993. Packed with unbroadcast and archive material, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Simon Jones, David Dixon, Mark Wing Davey, Sandra Dickinson, Douglas Adams and Alan J. W. Bell.
Read MoreDon't Panic!
Kevin Davies revisits his footage from "The Making of..." documentary, to bring together a further 20 minutes of interviews and other material that didn't make it into the final program.
Read MoreDouglas Adams Omnibus
A profile of the late Douglas Adams - creator of 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'. Features contributions from many of hsi famous collaborators and friends, such as Stephen Fry, Terry Jones, Clive Anderson and Griff Rhys Jones.
Read MoreIntroduction by Peter Jones
The first episode was screened to a selected audience at the National Film Theatre and featured a specially recorded introduction by voice-of-the-book Peter Jones -- his only on-screen appearance in his "Hitchhiker's" Capacity.
Read MoreCommunicate!
As part of a BBC Education programme, cameras were given access to the radio studios of "Hitchhiker's" during the production of the second episode, just in time to record things going not-terribly-well with the Nutrimat Drink Dispenser.
Read MoreOriginal Trailer
The BBC2 trailer for the first episode of "Hitchhiker's."
Read MoreBehind the Scenes
The final minutes of studio recording for Episode Two on Saturday, 8th November 1980, were a fraught affair, with time seriously running out. A 15-minute overrun was formally agreed but it still meant lights-out at 10:15PM, whether the scene was completed or not. Watch the timecode as it counts down towards the cut-off point of 22:15:00 and you'll begin to feel some of the tension experienced by all concerned.
Read MorePebble Mill at One
An appearance by animator Rod Lord and producer/director Alan J. W. Bell on the 23rd January 1981 edition of the programme, talking about "Hitchhiker's" with Donny McLoud. This footage is sourced from the only surviving off-air recording.
Read MoreDeleted Scene from Episode 2
A short sequence cut from Episode Two prior to transmission.
Read MoreTomorrow's World Sequence
At the time, Zaphod Beeblebrox's second head was at the cutting edge of robot animatronics. The 12th February 1981 edition of the BBC's long-running science programme Tomorrow's World took a closer look.
Read MoreOriginal Opening Titles
Original opening titles as envisaged during production, before being modified for public airing.
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