Originally published: October 30, 2013
TODAY marks the 75th anniversary of Orson Welles and the Mercury Theater on the Air’s notorious radio broadcast 'The War of the Worlds'. This first adaptation of H.G. Wells’ seminal science-fiction novel took the form of a series of shocking news bulletins and convinced thousands of Americans that an invasion from Mars was taking place.
Nearly a century later the extent of the panic is still subject to discussion. Many believe the printed press of the time exaggerated their claim of mass hysteria to cast shade at their new radio rivals. Using the ‘War of the Worlds’ incident as an opportunity to point out the dangers of radio.
The eve of Halloween
In reality there were a number of people who did panic. And who can blame them? American radio listeners weren’t exactly in the calmest state of mind when Welles went on the air. With growing tensions overseas, many relied on radio for much of their information on world affairs. These factors are said to have contributed greatly to the public’s reaction.
As an alien invasion story ‘The War of the Worlds’ was also the first of its kind. Published in 1898, it was one of the novels that earned H.G. Wells his reputation as a writer of speculative fiction. Since the radio broadcast the story has been adapted several times: George Pal released his version in 1953 followed by Steven Spielberg in 2005. Jeff Wayne even made a musical version in the late ’70s.
''We interrupt this program...''
Even after 75 years the broadcast is surprisingly convincing. As a holiday offering the ‘The War of the Worlds’ began innocently enough. With Orson Welles describing the Martians’ motivations: Their planet was dying and so they conspired to colonize our fertile blue dot. After this prologue the listeners were treated to some ballroom music, regular programming at that time.*
It didn’t take long for the ‘original’ programming to be interrupted by a news flash. It was the first in a series of increasingly bizarre news reports. However it wasn’t until a reporter covered the Martian arrival firsthand that things got really freaky. The reporter described squid-like beings crawling from the spacecraft. Moments later listeners heard bloodcurdling screams, as the crowd (including our dedicated reporter) were set on fire by the Martian weapons.
‘’I don’t want to die alone!’’
After the broadcast revealed the Martians and their nefarious intentions people took to their phones. In San Fransisco a man called the police department to ask if he could volunteer to fight the men from Mars. A woman in Boston claimed she’d seen flames above the treetops. She ran from house to house, warning her neighbours of the approaching danger. In Missouri a man, clothed in nothing but a bathrobe, knocked on his neighbour’s door saying he didn’t want to die alone.
Panic grew when the broadcast described the invaders’ giant war machines. Many New Yorkers got in their cars and attempted to flee the city. A man in Pittsburgh saved his wife from committing suicide. She claimed she’d rather take her own life than be slaughtered by Martians.
The people of Newark took to the streets when the broadcast warned them of poisonous gas coming their way. Many were seen holding handkerchiefs against their mouths, as not to breath in the poison. A woman in Minneapolis sought refuge in a church. She frightened churchgoers by announcing the end of the world. On the night of October 30th 1938 ‘The War of the Worlds’ became the biggest Halloween prank anyone had ever pulled.
The beginning of a career
At first Orson Welles was taken aback by the public’s reaction to his radio drama. Years later he confessed that he wasn’t as innocent as he appeared. He referred to ‘The War of the Worlds’ as his assault on the credibility of radio. He was fed up with the way people took everything that came over the radio as fact. The broadcast was his way of telling people to think for themselves.
For some listeners the broadcast did just that. They became suspicious of many events reported over radio. Some even doubted early reports of a Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Welles himself wasn’t left empty-handed either. ‘The War of the Worlds’ earned him the attention of Hollywood, which led to his highly regarded directorial debut ‘Citizen Kane’. It was the beginning of a legendary career.†
Notes:
*Bernard Herrmann was responsible for the music in the broadcast. Herrmann went on to become one of a most famous film composer. Scoring such classics as ‘Citizen Kane’, ‘The Day The Earth Stood Still’ and ‘Psycho’.
†In 1940 Orson Welles and H.G. Wells met for a radio interview. During this conversation the elderly writer asked Orson about his upcoming film ‘Citizen Kane’. Orson thanked him for the opportunity to plug his new project. He explained it was a new kind of motion picture, featuring new methods of visual storytelling. H.G. Wells responded with this funny little line: ‘’If I don’t misunderstand you completely, I understand there will be a lot of jolly good new noises in it.’’
