It wouldn’t be Halloween without the War of the Worlds broadcast…

On October 30, 1938, The Mercury Theatre, a young drama troupe under the direction of Orson Welles, performed a radio play called “War of the Worlds” on WABC, New York, and over the Columbia Broadcasting System network, coast-to-coast.

It was based on a science fiction story by H.G. Wells (no relation) which entailed Martians landing in New Jersey to take over the world. The broadcasted imagery produced through sound effects and acting was so powerful, it caused mass hysteria. Thousands of listeners panicked nationwide, not realizing it was just a radio play, even though disclaimers were announced before and during the production.