By RAY KELLY “This is Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen, out of character to assure you that “The War of The Worlds” has no further significance than as the holiday offering it was intended to be. The Mercury Theatre’s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and […]
From the AT&T Archives comes this six-minute short: retired switchboard operators recall the hysteria surrounding Orson Welles radio dramatization of “The War of the Worlds” on October 30, 1938. (Video introduction runs through 1:20)
By RAY KELLY Toronto’s The Art Of Time Ensemble will once again present “The War of the Worlds” on stage at Harbourfront Centre from October 30 through November 4. Actors, musicians and a Foley man will recreate the 1938 radio play, which convinced many frightened listeners into believing a Martian invasion was taking place. Art […]
By RAY KELLY It was one year ago today we lost Norman Corwin, the poet laureate of radio, at the age of 101. During a career that spanned more than 80 years, Corwin wrote, produced and directed for radio, television, film and the stage. He won two Peabody Medals, an Emmy, and was nominated for […]
From PR NEWSWIRE “War of the Worlds:The True Story,” a new movie, will play one night only in select theaters across America this October 30th, Tuesday, the night before Halloween, on the 74th anniversary of the famed Orson Welles 1938 radio broadcast. “War of the Worlds:The True Story,” based on the most beloved alien invasion […]
Richard Linklater’s Me and Orson Welles had its New York City premiere on November 23, and the next day, on November 24, there was a dedication by Chris Welles Feder and Christian McKay of a plaque in memory of Orson Welles’s Mercury Theatre which once stood at the site of the current building which now […]
Wellesnet veteran Glenn Anders (aka Alex Fraser) is quite possibly the only member who actually heard that famed Martian broadcast .
There are pictures of me made about three hours after the broadcast looking as much as I could like an early Christian saint. As if I didn’t know what I was doing… but I’m afraid it was about as hypocritical as anyone could possibly get! —Orson Welles (to Tom Snyder – 1975) ************************************************* Press conference […]
The N. Y. Daily News has posted their complete original coverage from 1938 on the panic caused by the broadcast of The War of the Worlds. There is also a wonderful gallery of pictures featuring Welles in the studio, along with a Martian’s eye viewpoint of Grovers Mill, New Jersey. Here are some excerpts and […]
Early in June, 1970 Orson Welles appeared as a guest on The David Frost Show and gave the comments below to Sir David about his 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast. Later that same month, Welles was a guest host on the Frost Show and talked to (among others) these famous luminaries: Duke ELLINGTON, Louis […]
Here is Wellesnet member Ray Kelly’s article recalling The War of the Worlds radio broadcast, from the Springfield, Mass. Republican. There are additional pictures and sound clips at this link: http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/10/70_years_ago_war_of_the_worlds.html To introduce Ray’s piece, here is Welles’s famous closing speech from the broadcast: _______________________________________ ORSON WELLES: This is Orson Welles, ladies and gentlemen, out […]
October 30th, 2008 marks the 70th Anniversary of Orson Welles famed CBS radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, and to celebrate, Wellesnet will be reprinting or providing links to some of the best of the anniversary articles that will be appearing around the nation and world this week. However, to begin our coverage, […]