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The War of the Worlds
One of the most memorable programs in broadcast history, the Halloween Eve 1938 broadcast of The War of the Worlds set off a nationwide panic that's almost unimaginable today. Presented by the Mercury Theatre on the Air and its creative genius, Orson Welles, the drama based on H.G. Wells' classic novel tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth. As written by Howard Koch, the play unfolds in a realistic documentary style, complete with simulated news broadcasts of aliens landing in Grover's Mill, New Jersey.
Whether they weren't quite paying attention, tuned in late, or simply misunderstood what they heard, legions of listeners thought an actual invasion was underway. The front-page headline in the October 31, 1938, New York Times told the whole story: "Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact/Many Flee Homes to Escape 'Gas Raid From Mars'/Phone Calls Swamp Police at Broadcast of Wells Fantasy".
Hear more collections of radio movie dramatizations, or listen to all of the individual programs by themselves!
©2006 Radio Spirits, Inc. (P)2006 Radio Spirits, Inc.
Whether they weren't quite paying attention, tuned in late, or simply misunderstood what they heard, legions of listeners thought an actual invasion was underway. The front-page headline in the October 31, 1938, New York Times told the whole story: "Radio Listeners in Panic, Taking War Drama as Fact/Many Flee Homes to Escape 'Gas Raid From Mars'/Phone Calls Swamp Police at Broadcast of Wells Fantasy".
Hear more collections of radio movie dramatizations, or listen to all of the individual programs by themselves!
©2006 Radio Spirits, Inc. (P)2006 Radio Spirits, Inc.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1938
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About the author
Orson Welles
222 books207 followersGeorge Orson Welles, best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio. Noted for his innovative dramatic productions as well as his distinctive voice and personality,
Welles is widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished dramatic artists of the twentieth century, especially for his significant and influential early work—despite his notoriously contentious relationship with Hollywood. His distinctive directorial style featured layered, nonlinear narrative forms, innovative uses of lighting such as chiaroscuro, unique camera angles, sound techniques borrowed from radio, deep focus shots, and long takes.
Welles's long career in film is noted for his struggle for artistic control in the face of pressure from studios. Many of his films were heavily edited and others left unreleased. He has been praised as a major creative force and as "the ultimate auteur."
After directing a number of high-profile theatrical productions in his early twenties, including an innovative adaptation of Macbeth and The Cradle Will Rock, Welles found national and international fame as the director and narrator of a 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds performed for the radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was reported to have caused widespread panic when listeners thought that an invasion by extraterrestrial beings was occurring. Although these reports of panic were mostly false and overstated, they rocketed Welles to instant notoriety.
Citizen Kane (1941), his first film with RKO, in which he starred in the role of Charles Foster Kane, is often considered the greatest film ever made. Several of his other films, including The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady from Shanghai (1947), Touch of Evil (1958), Chimes at Midnight (1965), and F for Fake (1974), are also widely considered to be masterpieces.
In 2002, he was voted the greatest film director of all time in two separate British Film Institute polls among directors and critics, and a wide survey of critical consensus, best-of lists, and historical retrospectives calls him the most acclaimed director of all time. Well known for his baritone voice, Welles was also an extremely well regarded actor and was voted number 16 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the greatest American film actors of all time. He was also a celebrated Shakespearean stage actor and an accomplished magician, starring in troop variety shows in the war years.
Welles is widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished dramatic artists of the twentieth century, especially for his significant and influential early work—despite his notoriously contentious relationship with Hollywood. His distinctive directorial style featured layered, nonlinear narrative forms, innovative uses of lighting such as chiaroscuro, unique camera angles, sound techniques borrowed from radio, deep focus shots, and long takes.
Welles's long career in film is noted for his struggle for artistic control in the face of pressure from studios. Many of his films were heavily edited and others left unreleased. He has been praised as a major creative force and as "the ultimate auteur."
After directing a number of high-profile theatrical productions in his early twenties, including an innovative adaptation of Macbeth and The Cradle Will Rock, Welles found national and international fame as the director and narrator of a 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds performed for the radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was reported to have caused widespread panic when listeners thought that an invasion by extraterrestrial beings was occurring. Although these reports of panic were mostly false and overstated, they rocketed Welles to instant notoriety.
Citizen Kane (1941), his first film with RKO, in which he starred in the role of Charles Foster Kane, is often considered the greatest film ever made. Several of his other films, including The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady from Shanghai (1947), Touch of Evil (1958), Chimes at Midnight (1965), and F for Fake (1974), are also widely considered to be masterpieces.
In 2002, he was voted the greatest film director of all time in two separate British Film Institute polls among directors and critics, and a wide survey of critical consensus, best-of lists, and historical retrospectives calls him the most acclaimed director of all time. Well known for his baritone voice, Welles was also an extremely well regarded actor and was voted number 16 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the greatest American film actors of all time. He was also a celebrated Shakespearean stage actor and an accomplished magician, starring in troop variety shows in the war years.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 12, 2025
Wanted to listen to an old-timey radio show while finishing my collage so of course I had to choose the most famous old-timey radio show, the War of the Worlds, which was apparently so realistic it caused actual panic.
The first half of the audio show which took on the format of breaking news broadcasts was definitely the better half of the show.
The second half that just followed Professor Pearson and that stranger was ehhhhh although there were some nice turns of phrase.
Idk I know it had a lot of story to cram into just an hour, so it did pretty well on that front.
Now I just have to read the actual War of the Worlds book.
The first half of the audio show which took on the format of breaking news broadcasts was definitely the better half of the show.
The second half that just followed Professor Pearson and that stranger was ehhhhh although there were some nice turns of phrase.
Idk I know it had a lot of story to cram into just an hour, so it did pretty well on that front.
Now I just have to read the actual War of the Worlds book.
August 14, 2025
A Halloween spook for the ages!
August 24, 2025
The first half felt like an original adaptation while the second half felt like narrating the novel. I wonder if this was a form of self censorship or just coincidence (I’m sure there is an answer out there). An interesting listen for anyone who loves the novel or history surrounding this situation!
July 27, 2020
A good, if abridged, version of the book. The narration was an interesting novelty, using the radio theater approach. It was enjoyable, but it was short
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May 6, 2023The myth around Orson Welles’s War of the World is spread yearly by civics teachers everywhere in the US. If you listen to the whole broadcast, not only would it be impossible to think this was a live event, since it involves Orson Welles’s character, long after first contact, trying to move forward with his life. And if this wasn’t enough, he tells you at the end “whoa, what a crazy thing we just did”.
And as a piece of radio drama this really is quite brilliant. The show continually is in the actual guise of a radio program with songs and fake news and other misdirects. There’s not only the constant cutaway to the news of first the atmospheric disturbances on Mars, something we would certainly not get breaking news bulletins about, but then on toward the presence of the Martians, the landing, the encounter and so forth. From there, the constant break-ins etc etc. The original novel is written in first person about a week after everything happened, but the use of the immediacy of the radio in the storytelling is way more groundbreaking and interesting than the fake idea that anyone “fell for it”. Orson Welles is and was just such a pioneer in the way that technology allows for storytelling.
And as a piece of radio drama this really is quite brilliant. The show continually is in the actual guise of a radio program with songs and fake news and other misdirects. There’s not only the constant cutaway to the news of first the atmospheric disturbances on Mars, something we would certainly not get breaking news bulletins about, but then on toward the presence of the Martians, the landing, the encounter and so forth. From there, the constant break-ins etc etc. The original novel is written in first person about a week after everything happened, but the use of the immediacy of the radio in the storytelling is way more groundbreaking and interesting than the fake idea that anyone “fell for it”. Orson Welles is and was just such a pioneer in the way that technology allows for storytelling.
November 17, 2022
I absolutely ADORE War of the Worlds by H.G Wells so I downloaded this while I was looking for an audio version of one of my most favourite books. At the beginning I was thinking "how could this have caused such mass hysteria when it was originally broadcast?" but as the story went on I kind of got it - it's weirdly convincing and so brilliantly done. Love it.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews