Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion
| Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion | |
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| Genre | Science fiction |
| Created by | Rolf Honold Hans Gottschalk a.k.a. W.G. Larsen |
| Directed by | Theo Mezger Michael Braun |
| Starring |
Dietmar Schönherr Eva Pflug Wolfgang Völz Claus Holm Friedrich G. Beckhaus Ursula Lillig Charlotte Kerr Franz Schafheitlin |
| Composer(s) | Peter Thomas |
| Country of origin |
 Germany (West) |
| Original language(s) | German |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 7 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Hans Gottschalk Helmut Krapp |
| Cinematography | Kurt Hasse W.P. Hassenstein |
| Editor(s) | Anneliese Schönnenbeck Johannes Nikel |
| Running time | 60 min each |
| Production company(s) | Bavaria Atelier GmbH |
| Release | |
| Original network | ARD, ORTF |
| Picture format | 4:3 |
| Audio format | Monaural |
| Original release | 17 September – 10 December 1966 |
Raumpatrouille – Die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffes Orion (literal translation: Space Patrol – The Fantastic Adventures of the Spaceship Orion), also known as Raumpatrouille Orion, and Space Patrol Orion in English, was the first German science fiction television series. Its seven episodes were broadcast by ARD beginning 17 September 1966. Being a huge success with several reruns audience ratings went up to 56%. Over the years, the series acquired a distinct cult status in Germany.
In the series, nations no longer exist and Earth is united. Flying saucers, such as spaceship Orion, are flown by humans, whilst the aliens fly fighter jet-like aircraft. The titular ship of the series title, "Spaceship Orion", (German: "Raumschiff Orion") is portrayed as being a fast space cruiser (German: Schneller Raumkreuzer), the newest starship in mankind's fleet and the fastest spacecraft ever created by humans.
The show tells the story of Commander Cliff Allister McLane (Dietmar Schönherr), an Earth starship captain and his loyal crew. He is Orion's commander in the developing war against an alien race called the Frogs. He is notoriously defiant towards his superiors.
Many of the special effects seen in the black-and-white series, like the underwater casino and space port, were created by means of the Schüfftan process.
As the series' budget was comparatively low, the set designers resorted to using modified common everyday objects; for instance, electric irons, inverted clock pendulums, washing-machine console parts and designer pencil sharpeners were used as props control panels, sewing thread coils and banana plugs as futuristic machine parts, and plastic cups as ceiling lights. Many panels were produced by the then-newly invented thermoforming process. Lots of designer furniture was also used, notably Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's 258-type couch, Harry Bertoia's Diamond-type armchair, Yrjö Kukkapuro's Karuselli-type armchair, Charles Eames's Aluminium group #EA105 chair, George Nelson's DAF Chair and Eero Saarinen's Tulpe table/chair combo. Joe Colombo's famous Smoke-type drinking glasses were used throughout the series.
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