The N. Y. Daily News on Orson Welles’s “Fake Radio War”

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 […]

70 years ago Orson Welles’s THE WAR OF THE WORLDS radio show panicked America – By Ray Kelly

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 […]

“War of the Worlds” Investigated

Public radio station KQED in California is presenting a radio show looking at the history of the infamous “War of the Worlds” episode of The Mercury Theater on the Air. The show will be presented twice, once tomorrow (2/16) at 1 PM, and on 2/20 at 8 PM (these are Pacific times, by the way). […]

Orson Welles WAR OF THE WORLDS script inspired Steven Spielberg’s movie

On June 2, 1994 Christies East in New York auctioned off a copy of Orson Welles original directors script for his famed radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds. What I found interesting is that Steven Spielberg was the winning bidder for Wellesscript, adding it to his other collection of high-priced Orson Welles memorabilia, […]

Ray Harryhausen on Orson Welles

Here are someexcerpts from an interview with the master animator Ray Harryhausen, where he talks about trying to interest Orson Welles in making War of the Worlds, and how hecame close to working with Wellesin Spain. LAWRENCE FRENCH: After years of keeping your effects secrets under wraps, what led you to be so forthcoming […]