Secret Formula

plot
A scientist named Mason has invented a new chemical, Kinotine, which can heat matter to any temperature, regardless of the temperature of its surroundings.  Mason is willing to donate the formula to Space Patrol, and arranges to hand it over to Raeburn.  While on leave, Dart and Husky decide to explore the Silver Forest on Venus.  There, Husky becomes entangled in the web of a Spirigum spider.  Unable to break the incredibly strong web, Husky is brought to a hospital, where Professor Haggerty is able to free him.  Gabbler, mistaking some particles of the web for sugar, eats them and begins telling Haggerty how stupid he is.  Haggerty realizes that the web can be used as a truth drug and, on the captain’s request, gives some to Dart to keep in the Galasphere.   Mason, meanwhile, fails to meet Raeburn on the appointed date to hand over the formula for Kinotine.  Kolig, head of Mars’s largest chemical plant, contacts Raeburn to tell him that Mason has signed the rights to Kinotine over to his company, and that he will sell them to Space Patrol for one million Martian Francs.  Raeburn sends Dart to talk with Mason, but when he arrives, Kolig tells him that Mason has been killed on his way back to Earth.  Dart tells him that Space Patrol has agreed to purchase the formula and that the signing over of the rights must be televised from the home of the Martian President.  At the signing, Dart places some of the truth drug in Kolig’s drink and he reveals that he stole Mason’s formula and rigged his rocket to explode on his return home.  With Kolig arrested, Mars gives Space Patrol the Kinotine formula.

notes
Dart says that the web of the Spirigum spider is as strong as “plastic steel” – an indication of the kind of technological advances made by the year 2100.
One line of dialogue implies that Slim still lives with his parents.
Prior to Husky’s unfortunate encounter with one of the creatures, no Spirigum spiders had been seen for over fifty years.
Another line of dialogue implies that Dart is paid the equivalent of approximately one thousand Martian Francs per year.
One sequence, in which Gabbler tries to eat what he thinks is sugar from a dish in Professor Haggerty’s laboratory, seems to have been reused in Forcefield X.

credits
a National Interest Picture production
Wonderama Productions Ltd. © 1962
produced by Roberta Leigh and Arthur Provis
directed by Frank Goulding
created & written by Roberta Leigh
voices by Libby Morris, Dick Vosburgh, Ronnie Stevens, Murray Cash, Ysanne Churchman
puppetry by Martin & Heather Granger, Joan Garrick
electronics by F.C. Judd
editor: Len Walter
sound editor: John Beaton
recordist: Cyril Brown
RCA sound recording
processed at Kay’s
cameraman: Arthur Provis
art director: Roland Whiteside
models: Derek Freeborn
script assistant: Denise Kaye
special effects & animation: Brian Stevens, Bert Walker
2nd unit cameraman: Jimmy Hopewell