WOTW letters digitized at UM

[Wellesnet]

University of Michigan digitizes ‘War of the Worlds’ mail:
https://www.wellesnet.com/war-worlds-mail-michigan/

The University of Michigan Library has digitized, transcribed and categorized more than 1,300 fan letters sent in response to the 1938 broadcast of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds.

[crimesofpassion]

Maybe it's the future historian and archivist in me, but I find this so exciting I was able to check a few and some are really funny (unintentionally so), others even heart-warming. I'll share bits from two that stood out to me in those categories.

The first one:

Orson Welles,
Little white haired old man of Broadway! I would suggest you enter some accredited college, or university, or possibly a prep school, and acquire a reasonable amount of education, before presenting another "drama" to intelligent, intellectual, right thinking people. Are you a drug addict, a gutter drunk, or are you of moronic tendencies? Perhaps a few puffs of marihauna would help a person appreciate such a broadcast as you produced (...)

I had no idea the talking point about having to be high to enjoy something was around in the '30s, although I shouldn't be that surprised.

Here's another bit, this one from a touching letter by a blind woman:

(...) Yes, Mr. Wells, your voice has captivated me... you see, Mr. Wells, voices mean everything to me because I am blind. There's a reason for everything, isn't there. No, it doesn't bother me in the least because I have been given many opportunities which I know other people who are physically perfect have not had. We handicapped people love life as much as any sighted person.

[Le Chiffre]

Thank you for those two samples, crimesofpassion, and welcome to the board. I look forward to reading more of those letters. They sound like a fascinating collection.