downthesemeanstreetspodcast: On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles as his Mercury Theatre On the Ai
downthesemeanstreetspodcast: On October 30, 1938, Orson Welles as his Mercury Theatre On the Air presented their adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. The story of a Martian invasion of Earth was staged as a series of breaking news bulletins interrupting regular programming to deliver grisly news from the site. Though it’s become debated as to whether anyone was actually fooled into believing the events were real, the show remains one of the most famous radio broadcasts of all time. The ensuing publicity resulted in the prestigious program picking up a sponsor, and it put Orson Welles firmly in the national spotlight. -- source link