The three Quatermass novels by Isle of Man writer Nigel Kneale keep coming back. They have been produced as two TV series, a mini-series (starring Andre Morell), radio and theatre versions—all in the 1950s. In 1955, The Quatermass Xperiment had the dubious distinction of being the first Hammer horror movie.  It and its sequel Quatermass II starred Brian Donleavy and Sid James, and the third Quatermass and the Pit (also titled Five Million Miles to Earth) was produced in 1967, starring Andrew Keir and James Donald, of which more later.
    The first story concerned a rocket ship returns to earth with two of its crew missing, their space suits empty, and the third in a state of collapse, unable to tell anyone what has happened. He is rushed to the headquarters of Professor Quatermass, the leader of the space programme, where tests reveal he is undergoing some sort of change. As both Quatermass’s and the police investigations proceed, the astronaut escapes from hospital and his metamorphosis accelerates, transforming him into a rampaging alien life form which threatens to destroy all life on earth...

    The sequel involved meteorites tracked by the rocket research laboratory of Bernard Quatermass appear to show a surprising trajectory that requires further investigation. He discovers a  large government synthetic food research facility where he is held at gunpoint by strangely dressed security guards. Quatermass makes it his work to find out the nature of the research carried out at this facility.
    In America, the first film was retitled The Creeping Death and the second Enemy from Space.