Hour 25 1997

Short Descriptions

January 3

The Hour 25 crew celebrates the show's 25th anniversary with prior hosts as guests. Warren James talks with J. Michael Straczynski,creator of Babylon 5, author Mel Gilden, Mitchel Harding, one of the original hosts, and other familiar voices from the past.

January 10

Writer Mark Cotta Vaz discusses his book about the special Effect wizards Industrial Light and Magic: Into the Digital Realm with host Warren James.

January 17

Host Warren James talks with writer and teacher of directing Judith Weston, about her book, Directing Actors, and with her former student Peter Geiger, who recently directed a movie for cable TV based upon Tom Godwin's classic story The Cold Equations.

January 24

Astronomer Robert Jastow, author of Red Giants and White Dwarfs discusses the possibilities of life on Mars with host Warren James. On tape, Warren talks with author Stephen Baxter about writing science fiction based on real science, and his new book, Voyage, in which we proceeded with a mission to Mars following the Moon landings. Some Mars fiction will close the show.

January 31, February 7, and 14

Fund Raising

February 14

First, news on the Galifrey convention, and on an anthology for fan writers of Star Trek short stories; then a tape from WorldCon. Warren talks with the writing couple, Dean Wesley Smith, editor of Pulphouse: a Fiction Magazine,and Kristine Kathryn Rusch, editor of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine. A science fiction radio drama completes the show.

February 21

From the movie robots and ray guns to the brightly covered science fiction magazines of the 1930's, the Forest J. Ackerman science fiction and fantasy collection has just been recorded on CD-ROM. The editor of Famous Monsters of Filmland talks about this project and his lifetime of collecting, with host Warren James.

February 28

Singer/songwriter Leslie Fish plays and talks about "Filk Music", the folk music of science fiction fandom, and about Con-Chord, the filk convention, with hosts Warren James and Nick Smith.

March 7

Author Peter Beagle talks about his book The Unicorn Sonataand about writing books and television, on tape with host Warren James. An X-1 radio drama closes the show.

March 14

Cover artist Vincent Di Fate talks on tape with host Warren James about envisioning the 'look' of science fiction.

March 21

Karen Willson, producer and creator of the internet web site A Girl's World!, tells about her purpose of encouraging girls' interest in science and math, assuring the site is a safe place for penpals, and developing a way to support the site. Host Warren James talks with her and with the creative director, Chris Weber; Stephen Saunders, and webmaster; Eric Gerds, PR and internet specialist.

March 28

The writing team of Kevin Anderson and Doug Beason discuss their current novels Fallout and Ignition, and their earlier books, Ill Wind, Assemblers of Infinity, and The Trinity Paradox, with host Warren James and Jeff Laube.

April 4

Host Warren James interviews Cal Tech asteroid specialist Bill Bottke about how asteroids are tracked and the possibility of one crashing to earth.

April 11

Author Allen Steele discusses his novel The Tranquility Alternative with host Warren James in an interview recorded at the World Science Fiction Convention.

April 18

Author David Brin talks about his current novel Infinity's Shore, about his upcoming book in the new Asimov's Foundation series, and the movie being made by Kevin Costner from his book The Postman, with host Warren James.

April 25

Screenwriter Ib Malchior talks about his life, TV shows, and movie, including Angry Red Planet and Robinson Crusoe on Mars with hosts Warren James and Jeff Laube.

May 2

Chris Vogler talks about his book on screenwriting, The Writer's Journey, which uses John Campbell's analysis of myth, and about selecting stories for 20th Century Fox with hosts Warren James and Jeff Laube.

May 9

Show starts at 11:00 PM. Author Albert DiCanzio talks about his book on the astronomer Gallileo, with host Warren James.

May 16

Show starts at 11:00 PM. Stephen Greenfield, head of Screenplay Systems, talks about his software to help screenwriters and other movie professionals, with host Warren James.

May 23

Show starts at 11:00 PM. TV writer Dorothy Fontana talks about teaching screenwriting, and about her career, from Star Trek to the upcoming Star Wolf series, with host Warren James.

May 30

Show starts at 11:00 PM. Please tell your friends. This is the ONLY time you'll be able to call in a pledge to show your support for Hour 25. To get one of the following thank you gifts, tell the volunteer your choice when you call in your pledge.

June 6

Tonight we are preempted for special fund raising programming.

June 13

Show starts at 11:00 PM. Douglas Preston, author of Dinosaurs In The Attic, and co-author of Relic, talks with host Warren James about collaboration on his latest book, Reliquary.

June 20

Friday June 20: Screenwriter Frank Darabont, whose credits include The Shawshank Redemption and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, talks with host Warren James about the craft of screenwriting and his upcoming science fiction project.

June 27

Ringworld author Larry Niven discusses his new novel Destiny's Road, which takes place in the same universe as his books Beowolf's Children and Legacy of Heorot, with host Warren James.

July 4

Host Warren James talks with people from Planetfest, The Planetary Society's celebration of NASA's planetary missions, featuring space scientists and science fiction authors.

July 11

Ed Solomon, screenwriter of Men In Black and Bill And Ted's Excellent 7Adventure, talks with host Warren James about writing movies, and about directing his next project, Levity.

July 18

Digital special effects expert Ron Brinkman talks about his work on the movies Contact and Star Ship Troupers, with host Warren James.

July 25

Author Ramsey Campbell talks about writing, and about his horror novel Nazareth Hill, with host Warren James.

August 1

Award winning author The Book of Skulls, Thorns, and Lord Valentine's Castle, Robert Silverberg discusses why he no longer writes science fiction, and his new book Sorcerers of Majipoor, with host Warren James.

August 8

Author, painter and Planetary Science Professor William K. Hartman describes his popular theory on the formation of the moon, and talks about his new novel Mars Underground, with host Warren James.

August 15

Ron Thorton of Foundation Imaging talks with host Warren James about his pioneering work on computer generated images for television, including the current Star Trek series and Babylon 5.

August 22

William Gibson, the author of Neuromancer, the book that started the "cyberpunk" genre, discusses his current novel Idoru, which explores artificial intelligence and virtual reality, with host Warren James.

August 29

Author Alan Cole talks with host Warren James about the differences between writing as a team, as he did with Chris Bunch on The Far Kingdom and Sten books, and writing solo, as on his latest novel Wizard of the Winds.

September 5

Ben Bova, author of Mars, Moonrise, and The Craft of Writing Science Fiction That Sells, and award winning former editor of Analog and Omni magazines, talks with host Warren James.

September 12

Host Warren James interviews two British writers, Kim Newman, author of Anno Dracula, who's current book is Back In The USSA, and Paul J. McAuley, author of Four Hundred Billion Stars. His most recent novel is Child Of The River.

September 19

The man moviemakers and automakers consult for the "look" of the future, designer Syd Mead discusses his work with host Warren James.

September 26

Bruce Murray, former head of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and of Caltech, and co-founder of The Planetary Society, discusses space exploration with host Warren James.

October 3

Sputnik, and the 40th anniversary of the beginning of the space race is commemorated by Robert Kennedy's CD-ROM, "Russians In Space". Host Warren James talks with him about earth's first man made satellite.

October 10

The screenwriter of "Hellraiser II", Peter Atkins talks about his current movie, "Wishmaster", with host Warren James. (Rescheduled from an earlier date.)

October 17

Tonight we are raising the funds that enable KPFK to continue broadcasting.

October 24

No info.

October 31

It's a night for reading stories, as host Warren James accompanies you till Midnight on Halloween.

November 7

Scott Jenkins of The Production Group discusses his work in computer special effects and the path into this new field, with host Warren James.

November 14

Award winning British author Stephen Baxter, whose new books are Vacuum Diagrams and Titan, talks with host Warren James about writing "hard science" and "retro" science fiction. Baxter's books include Voyage, Anti-Ice, and Time Ships, the authorized sequel of The Time Machine.

November 21

Michael and Denise Okuda talk about working on "Star Trek", their book, "The Star Trek Encyclopedia", and their new CD-ROM, "The Star Trek Omnipedia", with host Warren James.

November 28

Host Warren James talks with guests from LosCon, the annual convention put on by LASFS, The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, the oldest active science fiction club.

December 5

Actor James Cromwell talks about his work in science fiction and fantasy films, including "Star Trek: First Contact" and "Babe", with host Warren James.

December 12

Vonda McIntyre, award winning author of "Dreamsnake", discusses her new book "The Moon and the Sun", with host Warren James.

December 19

Artist Vincent Di Fate describes the changes in the "look" of science fiction illustration, as shown in his history book, "Infinite Worlds: The Fantastic Visions of Science Fiction Art", with host Warren James.

December 26

Holiday science fiction stories, read by Warren James and Suzanne Gibson, along with festive music, make up our Seasonal Celebration.

[ Back To The Archives Main Page. ]

[ Back To The Archives Main Page. ]

[ 1972 - Details | 1973 - Details | 1974 - Details | 1975 01-06 - 1975 07-12 | 1976 - Details ]

Custom Search

Send your questions or comments to