War of the Worlds Broadcast

Synopsis: The full 1-hour classic radio ‘Mischief Night’ that took place on 30 October 1938, in which Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater- On-The-Air produced a dramatization of H.G. Wells’ tale "War of the Worlds". The adaptation of the story which recounts a Martian invasion of the earth includes realistic radio news bulletins informing listeners of the developing saga. A music programme was interrupted to brief listeners that an alien object had landed in Grover’s Mill, N.J. "News Announcers" describe the terrifying events as they unfold.

Although Welles informed listeners at the start of the programme that they were listening to a fictional radio drama, thousands of listeners who tuned in late believed the Earth was indeed under alien attack and panic soon followed.

Welles claimed that the broadcast was never intended to fool people but wished to present a great Halloween tale. It was, he said, "the Mercury Theatre’s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying ‘boo!'" In either case it indeed turned out to be the greatest Halloween story ever told.
Language: English
Country: United States
Year of release: 2003
Subjects: Media studies
Keywords: radio drama; science fiction; Welles, Orson (1916-1985); Wells, H G

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