Dave Hollins: Space Cadet
Encyclopedia
Dave Hollins: Space Cadet was a series of sketches on the BBC Radio 4
series Son of Cliché
, produced by Rob Grant
and Doug Naylor
. The main characters were Dave Hollins (voiced by Nick Wilton
) and the computer Hab (voiced by Chris Barrie
). The popular sci-fi/comedy television show Red Dwarf
was based on these radio sketches.
The first sketch was the only one to appear in Son of Cliché's first series, and was apparently intended to be a one-off sketch only. Hab wasn't in this sketch, and Dave was on a different ship to the one he is on in the others (Psion IV, rather than Melissa V). In this sketch Dave meets some weird aliens and ends up being killed at the end by decapitation (apparently, exchanging heads for an hour is a polite greeting for these aliens).
The other four sketches were in the second series, with a new ship, Dave somehow alive once more and with the computer Hab. In these sketches Dave is 7,000,000,000,000 years from Earth (or 300 years, as it was changed to later on), having placed himself in suspended animation when the rest of the crew were devoured by a chameleonic monster (presumably similar to Red Dwarf
's Polymorph). In the fourth sketch Dave does make it back to Earth, but leaves again after he finds that fruit flies are now the dominant species (over beetles and P.E. teachers).
When Grant and Naylor started planning to make a TV series based on one of the sketches from Son of Cliché they chose to base it on Dave Hollins: Space Cadet (having considered the other recurring sketches "Asso - Spanish Detective" and "Captain Invisible and the See-Thru Kid"). The 7,000,000,000,000-year figure was first changed to 7,000,000,000 and then to 3,000,000, and the characters of Rimmer and the Cat were created. Hab was replaced by Holly and Dave Hollins's surname changed to Lister when a football player called Dave Hollins became well-known.
Voice actor Chris Barrie went on to portray Arnold J. Rimmer in the Red Dwarf TV series.
Episodes of Dave Hollins can be found on the 2 disc Red Dwarf DVD sets starting with series 5 and ending with series 8.
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
series Son of Cliché
Son of Cliché
Son Of Cliché was a comedy sketch show that ran for two series on BBC Radio 4 between 23 August 1983 and 29 December 1984.The sketches were written by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, and were performed by Chris Barrie, Nick Maloney and Nick Wilton....
, produced by Rob Grant
Rob Grant
Robert Grant is a British comedy writer and television producer, who was born in Salford and studied Psychology at Liverpool University for two years....
and Doug Naylor
Doug Naylor
Douglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio 4 entitled Cliché and Son of Cliché...
. The main characters were Dave Hollins (voiced by Nick Wilton
Nick Wilton
Nick Wilton is an English actor and scriptwriter. His best known roles are playing Mr Lister in the BBC soap opera EastEnders a recurring character, making his first appearance on the 3 January 2008. He also appeared in Carrott's Lib, Fast Forward and Jackanory.-Early and personal life:Wilton was...
) and the computer Hab (voiced by Chris Barrie
Chris Barrie
Chris Barrie is a British actor. He first achieved success as a vocal impressionist, notably in the ITV sketch show Spitting Image...
). The popular sci-fi/comedy television show Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
was based on these radio sketches.
The first sketch was the only one to appear in Son of Cliché's first series, and was apparently intended to be a one-off sketch only. Hab wasn't in this sketch, and Dave was on a different ship to the one he is on in the others (Psion IV, rather than Melissa V). In this sketch Dave meets some weird aliens and ends up being killed at the end by decapitation (apparently, exchanging heads for an hour is a polite greeting for these aliens).
The other four sketches were in the second series, with a new ship, Dave somehow alive once more and with the computer Hab. In these sketches Dave is 7,000,000,000,000 years from Earth (or 300 years, as it was changed to later on), having placed himself in suspended animation when the rest of the crew were devoured by a chameleonic monster (presumably similar to Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
's Polymorph). In the fourth sketch Dave does make it back to Earth, but leaves again after he finds that fruit flies are now the dominant species (over beetles and P.E. teachers).
When Grant and Naylor started planning to make a TV series based on one of the sketches from Son of Cliché they chose to base it on Dave Hollins: Space Cadet (having considered the other recurring sketches "Asso - Spanish Detective" and "Captain Invisible and the See-Thru Kid"). The 7,000,000,000,000-year figure was first changed to 7,000,000,000 and then to 3,000,000, and the characters of Rimmer and the Cat were created. Hab was replaced by Holly and Dave Hollins's surname changed to Lister when a football player called Dave Hollins became well-known.
Voice actor Chris Barrie went on to portray Arnold J. Rimmer in the Red Dwarf TV series.
Episodes of Dave Hollins can be found on the 2 disc Red Dwarf DVD sets starting with series 5 and ending with series 8.