This Day In History- 30 Oct
Orson Welles (arms raised) rehearses his radio depiction of H.G. Wells’ classic, The War of the Worlds. © Bettmann/CORBIS30 Oct 1938—This day in history—Orson Welles’s adaptation of The War of the Worlds is broadcast through the crackling airwaves of the radio. The soundscape created by advanced sound effects and skilled actors is so convincing that listeners are transported to the chaotic scenes described in the play.
Frantic reporters relay their harrowing experiences, their voices trembling with fear and urgency as they call out for help. The characters’ emotions are palpable, drawing listeners deeper into the unfolding terror.
An announcer’s voice breaks through the chaos, reporting mass hysteria erupting near the sites where the Martians have landed. Desperate screams and cries echo in the background, a chilling sound of the thousands of people struggling to escape the unknown threat.
The problem was- it was all a show. A radio production. Fake.
But the public didn’t realize.
Welles and his Mercury Theatre on the Air had produced a radio version of H.G. Wells’s The War of the Worlds, turning the classic novel into fabricated news reports detailing a Martian attack in New Jersey. These reports fooled some listeners, and they frantically called the police, newspapers, and radio stations, leading many journalists to believe that the show had caused widespread panic.
Welles passionately protested his innocence the next day, claiming he had never intended to deceive the audience. However, very few people took his words at face value then or now. His performance, captured on newsreel cameras, appeared too contrite and repentant, with his words being carefully chosen. Rather than ruining his career, War of the Worlds propelled Welles into Hollywood, where he would soon create his masterpiece, Citizen Kane. Given Welles’s immense success after the broadcast, many have doubted if he genuinely felt remorse for causing such a sensation.
Until next time, Keep Reading and Stay Caffeinated.
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