1938 Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

[I_Speculate]

"The War of the Worlds" is an episode of the American radio drama anthology series The Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on Sunday, October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker Orson Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds (1898). It became famous for allegedly causing mass panic, although the reality of the panic is disputed as the program had relatively few listeners.[3]

The first two-thirds of the one-hour broadcast was presented as a series of simulated news bulletins, which suggested an actual alien invasion by Martians was currently in progress. The illusion of realism was furthered because the Mercury Theatre on the Air was a sustaining show without commercial interruptions, and the first break in the program came almost thirty minutes into the broadcast. Popular legend holds that some of the radio audience may have been listening to Edgar Bergen and tuned in to "The War of the Worlds" during a musical interlude, thereby missing the clear introduction that the show was a drama, but recent research suggests this only happened in rare instances.[4]:67â€"69

In the days following the adaptation, there was widespread outrage in the media. The program's news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the perpetrators of the broadcast and calls for regulation by the Federal Communications Commission.[3] The episode secured Welles's fame as a dramatist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0K4ApWl4g



1953 The War of the Worlds: The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

Remastered movie: http://vodlocker.com/nubtqsqo3vl4

[21st Century Man]

"The War of the Worlds" is an episode of the American radio drama anthology series The Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on Sunday, October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker Orson Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds (1898). It became famous for allegedly causing mass panic, although the reality of the panic is disputed as the program had relatively few listeners.[3]

The first two-thirds of the one-hour broadcast was presented as a series of simulated news bulletins, which suggested an actual alien invasion by Martians was currently in progress. The illusion of realism was furthered because the Mercury Theatre on the Air was a sustaining show without commercial interruptions, and the first break in the program came almost thirty minutes into the broadcast. Popular legend holds that some of the radio audience may have been listening to Edgar Bergen and tuned in to "The War of the Worlds" during a musical interlude, thereby missing the clear introduction that the show was a drama, but recent research suggests this only happened in rare instances.[4]:67â€"69

In the days following the adaptation, there was widespread outrage in the media. The program's news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the perpetrators of the broadcast and calls for regulation by the Federal Communications Commission.[3] The episode secured Welles's fame as a dramatist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs0K4ApWl4g



1953 The War of the Worlds: The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

Remastered movie: http://vodlocker.com/nubtqsqo3vl4

The film has an interesting background.  Cecil B. DeMille purchased the film rights to the story around 1930.  He sought to make the film but interest in Sci-fi stories in Hollywood was at a low ebb.  He kept the rights though and it was eventually made as a film in 1953 with George Pal and Byron Haskin directing. What is not said in the film credits is that DeMille was executive producer of the adaptation.   There are several DeMille touches to the film, notably the religious sequences and the narration by Cedric Hardwicke.  I've come to think of it more as a DeMille film now.  In his dotage, DeMille wanted to make a space movie in the late 50's and early 60's had he lived that long but his health took a downturn and he was unable to succeed in that ambition.  Very interesting man.

[Uncle Duke]

I first heard the full broadcast in a "History of Radio and TV" course in college in 1975.  Even by the standards of forty plus years ago, I was surprised by how hokie the program sounded.  I'm sure it would seem even hokier today to the average 20-something.  There is a more recent variation of this theme some here may remember, btw.  In the early 80s, one of the major TV networks ran a movie called "Special Bulletin".  The movie depicted a breaking news story on a realistic looking, but nonexistent cable news network dealing with a terrorist nuclear bomb in Charleston, SC.  Long story short, the nuke detonated while being disarmed, with the "news program" showing live shots of the decimated city.  And yes there were a fair number of people who thought the broadcast was real, despite the fact no other network or news source was reporting the story.

[I_Speculate]

I first heard the full broadcast in a "History of Radio and TV" course in college in 1975.  Even by the standards of forty plus years ago, I was surprised by how hokie the program sounded.  I'm sure it would seem even hokier today to the average 20-something.  There is a more recent variation of this theme some here may remember, btw.  In the early 80s, one of the major TV networks ran a movie called "Special Bulletin".  The movie depicted a breaking news story on a realistic looking, but nonexistent cable news network dealing with a terrorist nuclear bomb in Charleston, SC.  Long story short, the nuke detonated while being disarmed, with the "news program" showing live shots of the decimated city.  And yes there were a fair number of people who thought the broadcast was real, despite the fact no other network or news source was reporting the story.

Thanks for the heads up had never heard nor remembered that:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP5RsY_swXY

Full event below:

https://youtu.be/dih1KSHDcT4

[albrecht]

I first heard the full broadcast in a "History of Radio and TV" course in college in 1975.  Even by the standards of forty plus years ago, I was surprised by how hokie the program sounded.  I'm sure it would seem even hokier today to the average 20-something.  There is a more recent variation of this theme some here may remember, btw.  In the early 80s, one of the major TV networks ran a movie called "Special Bulletin".  The movie depicted a breaking news story on a realistic looking, but nonexistent cable news network dealing with a terrorist nuclear bomb in Charleston, SC.  Long story short, the nuke detonated while being disarmed, with the "news program" showing live shots of the decimated city.  And yes there were a fair number of people who thought the broadcast was real, despite the fact no other network or news source was reporting the story.

I heard it as a kid and thought it was done pretty well, with the music interrupted and the reports from local reporters etc. But I could see how people today, especially these days, would call it hokey. But recall that there weren't CGI, instant cable news, the internet, good special effects, or lots of talk of UFO and aliens.

Sometime in the mid or early 90's a network did a similar show about an asteroid or comet that was going to hit earth imminently. The same kind of thing: disrupted coverage, fake press conferences and reporters, etc. I had a friend who turn it on mid-stream and thought it was real and started calling family to say good-bye. Hahaha.

[Dr. MD MD]

Even if I was initially duped by something like this my first reaction would be to confirm and verify by checking competing media outlets. If a story was that big then surely all media outlets would be on it and even back then there were at least a couple/three other stations. Of course, given that most media is owned a relatively few people, we now know something like this could be accomplished on a large scale fairly effectively. Perhaps the next 9/11 WILL be an alien invasion. 

[I_Speculate]

Even if I was initially duped by something like this my first reaction would be to confirm and verify by checking competing media outlets. If a story was that big then surely all media outlets would be on it and even back then there were at least a couple/three other stations. Of course, given that most media is owned a relatively few people, we now know something like this could be accomplished on a large scale fairly effectively. Perhaps the next 9/11 WILL be an alien invasion. 

Keep in mind TV was just being invented / refined at this time. Nobody owned one. Radio was the source for breaking / nightly news without waiting for papers to be published the next day. Even when TV did come out programming was irregular and you could only pick up what was being broadcasted from local towers , if you were within range.

[21st Century Man]

For the record, experiencing the radio drama for the first time in my youth was a high point of my childhood.  I decided I wanted to hear all the Mercury Theater dramas and I've heard many now.  I also listened to their take on Dracula in my youth and it riveted me.  I've never seen it quite as well done as I heard it in their production.

[Uncle Duke]

Radio legend Stan Freberg made the following commercial to show the "theater of the mind" potential of radio.  Although he was talking about radio advertising, the point is just as valid with respect to other radio programming, such as the dramas 21st CM remembers so fondly.

https://youtu.be/qPbvFv6BJvU

[starrmtn001]

"The War of the Worlds" is an episode of the American radio drama anthology series The Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on Sunday, October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker Orson Welles, the episode was an adaptation of H. G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds (1898). It became famous for allegedly causing mass panic, although the reality of the panic is disputed as the program had relatively few listeners.[3]

The first two-thirds of the one-hour broadcast was presented as a series of simulated news bulletins, which suggested an actual alien invasion by Martians was currently in progress. The illusion of realism was furthered because the Mercury Theatre on the Air was a sustaining show without commercial interruptions, and the first break in the program came almost thirty minutes into the broadcast. Popular legend holds that some of the radio audience may have been listening to Edgar Bergen and tuned in to "The War of the Worlds" during a musical interlude, thereby missing the clear introduction that the show was a drama, but recent research suggests this only happened in rare instances.[4]:67â€"69

In the days following the adaptation, there was widespread outrage in the media. The program's news-bulletin format was described as deceptive by some newspapers and public figures, leading to an outcry against the perpetrators of the broadcast and calls for regulation by the Federal Communications Commission.[3] The episode secured Welles's fame as a dramatist.

1953 The War of the Worlds: The film adaptation of the H.G.Wells story told on radio of the invasion of Earth by Martians.

Remastered movie: http://vodlocker.com/nubtqsqo3vl4

Very, very cool I_Speculate!.  Thank you so much!

[starrmtn001]

Radio legend Stan Freberg made the following commercial to show the "theater of the mind" potential of radio.  Although he was talking about radio advertising, the point is just as valid with respect to other radio programming, such as the dramas 21st CM remembers so fondly.

https://youtu.be/qPbvFv6BJvU

Thank you, Uncle Duke.  I love Stan Freberg!