The War of the Worlds Radio Broadcast

On October 30, 1938, at 8:00 p.m. ET, CBS radio performed an adaption of The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells for "The Mercury Theater." Orson Welles directed and narrated the episode to celebrate Halloween. The dramatization of the Martian invasion sounded as if it were really happening because the first two-thirds of the one-hour program came as a series of simulated news broadcasts that sounded so real they caused unexpected panic. Of course, the broadcast began by explaining that this was only a drama and not actual news. However, some people tuned in after the show began and didn't know that. In addition, the setting in this version had been changed from 19th century England to current day New Jersey.

Orson Welles talks with reporters after broadcast

The results could have been even worse because the program had fewer listeners than CBS would have liked. Still, other media outlets expressed outrage and demanded that the FCC do a better job of regulating such broadcasts. The results turned out well for Orson Welles, however. He made the drama sound so real, he became sought after as an actor. He later told reporters that the idea to do the drama as if it were real came from other radio programs he'd heard. Regardless, this one sounded much more real than the others.

Howard Koch wrote the radio script for Welles. Thirty-six hours before rehearsals, Koch telephoned to say he was having trouble making it interesting. When the cast held a reading on Thursday, Welles declared the script to be dull and suggested they perform it as news flashes to create some excitement. It caused some excitement all right. When delivered as if it were news with appropriate sound effects in the background, some people thought the events were really taking place. This ended up placing Welles's radio rendition of The War of the Worlds into history as an entertainment classic.

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