A for Andromeda

A for Andromeda is the title of a 1961 British television drama series and novel by astronomer Fred Hoyle and TV producer John Elliot. It tells of a radio signal received from beyond our galaxy - from a source in the great nebula in Andromeda (M31) which is found to contain specifications for a new form of supercomputer as well as a program for it to run and data for it to process. The computer is built and turned on, with unforeseen consequences.

Related Topics:
1961 - Fred Hoyle - John Elliot - M31

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Peter Halliday played Dr. John Fleming, the scientist responsible for constructing the supercomputer. Julie Christie, in her first major role, played both a young lab assistant named Christine and an artificially constructed human, named Andromeda or André by the rest of the team, built to designs produced by the machine. For the purposes of the story the artificial construct and the lab assistant looked the same because the machine obtained the genetic details of Christine when it unintentionally killed her. Also appearing were Mary Morris as biologist Professor Madeleine Dawnay, Patricia Kneale as security officer Judy Adamson, Noel Johnson as civil servant J.M. Osborne, John Hollis as a shadowy corporate operative named Kaufman employed by "Intel - the international cartel people", and Esmond Knight as radio astronomer Ernst Reinhart.

Related Topics:
Peter Halliday - Julie Christie - Mary Morris - Patricia Kneale - Noel Johnson - John Hollis - Esmond Knight

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Most of the series has been lost, and no complete recording of any episode exists, but the concluding act of the final episode has survived, as well as some clips from earlier episodes, and a clean version of the title sequence.

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The following year, a sequel series, Andromeda Breakthrough, was aired. Halliday, Morris, Johnson and Hollis each reprised their roles from the first series, but Christie was replaced by Susan Hampshire.

Related Topics:
Andromeda Breakthrough - Susan Hampshire

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There is an analogue 1971 Italian television drama series, called A come Andromeda, that was based on the same subject. Among the interpreters there were Paola Pitagora and Luigi Vannucchi.

Related Topics:
1971 - Italian

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A book of the same name was published by Souvenir Press in 1962, and a Corgi paperback was issued in 1963.

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