Summary of "Space Patrol: The City of the Sun"

Podcast: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode Date: February 16, 2026
Original Air Date: November 8, 1952 (Golden Age of Radio)

Episode Overview

This thrilling episode of "Space Patrol," titled The City of the Sun, plunges listeners into interplanetary intrigue and peril on the planet Mercury. Commander Buzz Corey and Cadet Happy race against sabotage and extreme planetary conditions to uncover the fate of the missing Professor Mallison and protect the vital city of Solaria from disaster. Blending mystery, action, and classic 1950s sci-fi adventure, the episode emphasizes teamwork, the value of water, and the importance of scientific discovery in space exploration.

Key Discussion Points & Plot Highlights

1. The Sabotage at Solaria

• Introduction to Crisis: Solaria, Mercury’s sun-baked city, faces emergencies: a missing scientist (Professor Mallison) and a sudden attack on its crucial water supply line.
  • "Who's behind the sabotage, sir?" (Cadet Happy, 03:24)
• Mineral Rush Motive: Solaria's importance has surged due to valuable mineral finds nearby—making it a target for rivals.
  • "Solaria has suddenly become very important because of the mineral deposits that have been found about 60 miles south of the city." (Commander Corey, 03:32)
• Robot-Controlled Mining: Mercury’s extreme environment demands innovative mining, with robots controlled from Solaria and human teams in short shifts using spacesuits.
  • "With robot controlled mining equipment operated from Sol. And with spacesuits, a few technicians can work in two hour shifts on the mining site itself." (Commander Corey, 03:41)

2. Mallison’s Disappearance and the Grim Search

• The Rescue Mission: Commander Corey and Cadet Happy organize search units with advanced viewscope scanners to sweep the dark side of Mercury for Mallison.
  • "They'll comb the entire dark side of Mercury with infrared viewscope scanners." (Commander Corey, 03:59)
• Cryptic Signals: An automatic signal, with Mallison’s code and the extreme temperature reading of minus 122°F, is received—raising doubts about Mallison’s fate.
  • "It was his code all right. But it was an automatic signal... All they got was Mallison's identification code. And the temperature. 122 degrees below zero." (Commander Corey, 04:16–04:42)

3. Dramatic Confrontation With Saboteurs

• Water Main Incident: Corey’s crew spots a geyser of steam—revealing sabotage of Solaria’s water main, not a natural quake.
  • "I'll give you our position. Check it against the location of water conduits leading to the city." (Commander Corey, 05:15)
• Chase and Escalation: They discover tracks leading from the break to a camouflaged atomic drilling machine, confirming sabotage.
  • "They're tracks." (Commander Corey, 08:57)
• Attack and Narrow Escape: Confronted by the saboteurs in a monstrous atomic driller, Corey and Happy struggle in Mercury’s deadly heat, barely escaping as the machine tries to run them down.
  • "They're trying to run us down with the machine, Commander." (Cadet Happy, 01:14)
  • "Get to the ship, Happy. ... The driller is big, but it can turn like a cat." (Commander Corey, 01:16–01:21)

4. Turning the Tide: Discovery and Rescue

• Saboteurs Flee: The saboteurs, Burdock and Rolf, torch the driller to cover their tracks and blast off in a hidden spacecraft.
  • "Before we leave, I'm going to set a magnesium bomb and leave it in here. It'll make sure that this drill is useless to anybody else." (Burdock, 16:17)
• Mallison’s Miraculous Survival: Corey and Happy locate the crashed lab ship—and find a living Mallison sheltering in a natural ice cave beneath Mercury’s inferno.
  • "Commander, that's ice." (Professor Mallison, 22:56)
  • "That's how you manage to stay alive. It's cool in the cave." (Commander Corey, 23:04)
• Game-Changing Discovery: The presence of massive underground ice reserves means Solaria’s water problems could be solved, turning disaster into hope.
  • "Think how easily it could be melted and piped to Solaria. Only a matter of a few miles in comparison with the present haul of more than a thousand." (Professor Mallison, 23:23)

5. Final Confrontation & Resolution

• Saboteurs’ Last Stand: The villains attempt to destroy Corey, Happy, and Mallison by ramming the cave with their rocket exhaust—but are thwarted when the ship is ejected by steam, crashing and allowing the heroes to capture them.
  • "The heat from his rocket exhaust turned the ice into steam and it popped the ship out of the cave like a cork." (Commander Corey, 25:14)
• Theme of Water’s Value: The episode closes with the reflection that water, in the form of ice, saved the day in dramatic and ironic fashion.
  • "It saved Professor Mallison's life. And when those two fellas turned it into steam, it simply cooked their goose." (Cadet Happy, 25:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Atmospheric Tension:
  • "It's hard to run in these bulky suits. Maybe we can dodge the driller." – Cadet Happy (01:17)
  • "Don't try it unless you have to. That driller's big, but it can turn like a cat." – Commander Corey (01:21)
• Science Meets Survival:
  • "It's cool in the cave. ... with 570 degrees outside. Inside, it's a constant 122 below zero." – Professor Mallison (23:07)
• The Value of Water and Science:
  • "This is not a new phenomenon by any means. Why, on the planet Earth more than a thousand years ago, Indians in the Arizona desert used to get ice from a natural cavern such as this." – Professor Mallison (23:47)
• Humorous Wrap-Up:
  • "I've really realized what a wonderful thing water is. In the form of ice. ... it simply cooked their goose." – Cadet Happy (25:36)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:24] — Discussion of sabotage motives and Solaria’s mineral importance
• [04:06] — Analysis of Mallison’s mysterious radio signals
• [05:32] — Discovery and assessment of the sabotaged water conduit
• [08:55] — Detection of machine tracks and suspected sabotage
• [12:13] — The driller attacks Corey and Happy; narrow escape
• [17:02] — The saboteurs destroy the driller to cover their tracks
• [22:32] — Professor Mallison found alive in the ice cave
• [23:23] — Discussion of the life-changing nature of the ice find
• [24:47] — Saboteurs’ failed attempt to trap the heroes; ship ejected by steam
• [25:36] — Corey's and Happy's closing remarks about the value of water

Conclusion

The City of the Sun delivers a classic Space Patrol adventure, complete with dangerous villains, scientific detective work, and an unforeseen geological miracle on Mercury. The episode showcases the era's optimistic faith in science and teamwork. The interplay between survival in extreme environments, the threat of sabotage, and the ultimate life-saving discovery of hidden water reserves is a testament to the creative radio storytelling of the 1950s.