 On the evening of Sunday, October 30, 1938, residents of the East Coast were literally overcome by a wave of mass hysteria when this broadcast of Orson Welles' Mercury Theater took to the airwaves. Tens of thousands actually believed that an interplanetary conflict had begun with invading Martians spreading death and destruction in New York and New Jersey. The ensuing mayhem disrupted households, interrupted religious services, created traffic jams and clogged communications systems as hundreds of terrified people tried frantically to contact local authorities. The following day, The New York Times reported: "In Newark, in a single block at Heddon Terrace and Hawthorne Avenue, more than twenty families rushed out of their houses with wet handkerchiefs and towels over their faces to flee from what they believed was to be a gas raid. Some began moving household furniture. "Throughout New York families left their homes, some to flee to near-by parks. Thousands of persons called the police, newspapers and radio stations here and in other cities of the United States and Canada seeking advice on protective measures against the raids." A Mrs. Thomas of Trenton, New Jersey later wrote of the broadcast: "We were petrified. We just looked at each other, scared out of our wits. Someone was banging on our front door. It was our neighbor across the street. She had packed her seven kids in their car and she kept yelling, come on, lets get out of here." Never before or since has a radio broadcast had such an impact on it's listeners, for this single broadcast demonstrated to the world the truly awesome power of mass media. You've seen the major motion picture by director Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise, now listen to the 1938 original! ORIGINAL BROADCAST: October 30, 1938 WRITERS: Orson Welles, Howard Koch BONUS EXTRAS!! Since the original broadcast in 1938, several other radio versions have been produced, though many will argue that the original reigns supreme. This disc not only includes the original, but also three other versions: The Lux Radio Theater version produced in 1955; a British version broadcast in the U.K. in 1967, and an abridged audiobook version from 1986.
* * SAVE EVEN MORE!! * * This show now comes bundled as part of our Sci-Fi & Adventure Series which includes 200 similarly themed Old Time Radio Shows for one low price!
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