This is the true story of “The War Of the Worlds broadcast in 1938 on the radio show “The Mercury Theatre” producded by actor Orson Wells, and was broadcast on Oct, 30th at 8:00Pm on a sunday eveing.

Main Story Photo by; Acme News Photos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

We’re taking a step back for our regular posts to bring you this special program of Orson Wells broadcast show from October 30th, 1938 of his realistic re-telling of H.G.Wells classic “war of the worlds” on the Mercury Theatre 82 years ago! it may be best to use headphones to listen to it and imagine the fear of those who tuned in that night may have felt!

It created much panic among the many people who were tuned into the program that night. The program began with the “Mercury Theatre’s” theme music, and there was an annoucnment that the eveings show was an adapation of H.G.Wells war of the worlds. And as was the Theatre’s policy the show was commerical free for the first 35 minutes with only a limited news updates.

As the program proceeds there are new flashs that announced a series of explosions on the planet Mars! and reports of an object falling out of the night sky in Grovers Mill New Jersey. As the progam continues there is a interruption stating they have a live update from Grovers Mill where a crowd begins to form with the police who arrived moments before as they look at an cylindrical object that fell there.

And as they do they are shocked to see Martians coming out with death-rays, and as a reporter on the scene starts to report it his audio feed is interrupted, and is quicky followed by updates around the country about an invasion force has begun for the planet Mars!

The story continues later on in with report from Manhattan played by Wells as poisonous gas clouds are spread out all across New York City! with the reporter saying” is there anyone out there…anyone?” The 2nd half of the progam returns to it’s conventional radio drama format with an update from a survivor of the attack and Martian occupation of Earth..

There were many people who ran out of their homes at the news and truely believed there was a invasion from mars and police phones rang off the hooks non-stop! remember this was a time of war humors right before world war two and it didn’t take much to set them off that this could be true! Hope you enjoy the show have a happy Halloween! Bob and Lisa!

ZeWrestler on en.wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons