'X-60 starter' by Finn Methling was the second of five short plays commissioned by Danmarks Radio for New Year's evening. Before these, only TV adaptations of already established theater plays had been broadcast. The first play was 'Møde ved midnat' by Frank Jæger (two versions, 1957 and 1958) followed by 'X-60 starter' (1959), 'To i en tråd' by Ernst Bruun Olsen (1960), 'Et brev til en søn' by H.C. Branner (1961) and 'Nytårsspil' by Karl Bjarnhof (1962).