On this episode of the world famous Sofa King Podcast, we bring you the best radio broadcast ever—The War of the Worlds. On October 30th, 1938, the legendary Orson Welles created a radio show for CBS based on the novel, The War of the Worlds. The show was unique, using cutting-edge sound design and special audio effects more than any other broadcast. Coupled with good acting, and a lack of commercial interruptions (like a real news broadcast), it freaked out the nation. Some accounts say that people panicked, stormed government buildings, and loaded up their shotguns ready for a Martian invasion. Others state that it wasn’t that bad, but the newspaper industry blew it out of proportion. So, what happened that night? Why did Welles and his cast get locked in a room in the studio for hours after? Why did cops storm the studio? What did Welles say about it the next day, and what was Hitler’s reaction? Listen, laugh, learn.

 

Visit Our Sources:

https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/welles-scares-nation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_War_of_the_Worlds_(1938_radio_drama)

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/infamous-war-worlds-radio-broadcast-was-magnificent-fluke-180955180/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mercury_Theatre_on_the_Air

https://www.space.com/war-of-the-worlds-radio-broadcast-deepfake-podcast

https://home.csulb.edu/~plowentr/warworlds.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crPGFZiFjfs

https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2013/10/30/241797346/75-years-ago-war-of-the-worlds-started-a-panic-or-did-it