The Time Tunnel

At 6.15pm on Tuesday, July 9, 1968, BBC 1 broadcast the first episode of a brand new science fiction TV show from the great IRWIN ALLEN. The US had already watched all 30 episodes of The Time Tunnel more than a year before it arrived this side of the Atlantic. The show follows two scientists, Tony Newman and Doug Phillips, who are part of a top-secret US government project called Project Tic-Toc that aims to develop a time machine known as "The Time Tunnel".

Main cast members

• JAMES DARREN as Dr Tony Newman, a brilliant scientist who becomes trapped in the time stream. Tony is courageous and resourceful, often finding ways to adapt to the various historical periods he and Doug encounter.

• ROBERT COLBERT as Dr Doug Phillips, Tony's colleague and fellow time traveller. Doug is calm and analytical, providing a steady counterbalance to Tony's impulsiveness. Together, they navigate the challenges of being lost in time.

• WHIT BISSELL as Lt Gen Heywood "Woody" Kirk, military leader overseeing Project Tic-Toc. He is responsible for the project's security and often makes critical decisions to support the efforts to retrieve Tony and Doug.

• JOHN ZAREMBA as Dr Raymond Swain, an expert in electronics and a key member of the Project Tic-Toc team. Dr Swain works tirelessly to find a way to bring Tony and Doug back to the present.

• LEE MERIWETHER as Dr Ann MacGregor, an electro-biologist who monitors the physical well-being of the time travellers. She is deeply concerned for Tony and Doug's safety and plays a crucial role in the project's operations.

The theme tune was written by Allen favourite and future Star Wars soundtrack composer, JOHN WILLIAMS.

Despite healthy ratings, ABC dropped The Time Tunnel in favour of The Legend Of Custer, which was cancelled after just 17 episodes. There were three attempts to resurrect the show but they failed to get picked up. In 1976, there was a TV film remake, Time Travelers, which starred SAM GROOM (who had a recurring role in The Time Tunnel), TV soap actor TOM HALLICK, and RICHARD (Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea) BASEHART. It was originally developed by IRWIN ALLEN as the pilot for a prospective remake of his series but ended up being written by JACKSON GILLIS, from a story by ROD SERLING, and produced by Allen. In 1982, five feature-length TV films were cobbled together from 10 individual episodes.

Unfortunately for British viewers, the BBC chose to only broadcast 13 episodes. In 1973, the show was aired on Thames Television, The South and South West regions, and Wales, saw the series the following year. The Scottish Grampian region first saw it in 1975, and then it arrived in the Midlands in 1976. Scottish TV, Granada, Tyne Tees and Yorkshire had to wait until 1989, and Anglia until 1990! Despite already been shown in the Midlands on ATV, Central declared it a new series in 1990, when LWT also broadcast the series. In 1991, Channel 4 then had a go.