The Parade (DIMX)

A man named Luchar walks into an ad agency with a million dollars, claiming to be a Martian. The ad guy thinks it's a gag and launches a "suspense campaign." First they announce "The Martians are Coming!" and then "June 1st is Martian Day." The culminating event is a parade down 5th avenue that goes shockingly awry, to everyone (except the listener's) surprise.

Though the plot of this one is fairly transparent, it is ingenious, creepy, and an indictment of our self-victimizing addiction to sensationalism. You know what is coming and it is fun being "on the inside" of the joke, at least until things get ugly.

Oh, I should add that this show get's a nomination for "worst fake kid voice" ever to appear in a radio drama! Thankfully, it's brief.

This fantastic picture by William Klein depicts a spaceman balloon at the Macy's Parade in1954.

Dimension X #21
The Parade
25 Aug 1950
19500825(021)_DIMX_TheParade.mp3
Sponsored by Wheaties. George Lefferts (writer), Joseph Curtin, Berry Kroeger, Alexander Scourby, John McGovern, Agnes Young, Norman Rose (host), Van Woodward (producer), Edward King (director), Bob Warren (announcer), Jack Grimes, Joseph Julian, Edwin Jerome.