History That Doesn't Suck

Episode 191: Halloween Special V: “The War of the Worlds” on the Radio

Host: Prof. Greg Jackson
Date: October 20, 2025

Episode Overview

This engaging Halloween special from History That Doesn’t Suck, hosted by Prof. Greg Jackson, explores one of the most legendary moments in American broadcast history: the 1938 Mercury Theatre radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, directed and performed by Orson Welles. Through a mix of immersive storytelling, historical context, and a partial re-creation of the drama, Jackson examines why the program caused such fear, the resulting myth of nationwide panic, and the broadcast’s long-term impact on media and society.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Immersive Opening: The Listener’s Experience

[04:00–12:20]

• Jackson vividly recounts John and Estelle Paltz’s experience on October 30, 1938, tuning into the CBS radio program in New York City.
• Their horror grows as the realistic “news bulletins” describe a Martian invasion in nearby New Jersey, leading them to panic, flee their home, and spread fear to others.
  • "My blood seemed to coagulate and stop as one horrible thing after another happened right before us." — Estelle Paltz [06:45]
• The couple’s confusion and flight serve as a microcosm for public reaction.

2. Setting the Scene: Radio’s Power and Place in 1938 America

[12:20–19:00]

• Jackson situates the events in a world where radio is the dominant medium, capable of instantly delivering news and entertainment.
• He notes the blurred lines between news and reenactment due to programs like The March of Time and real event coverage, notably Herbert Morrison’s reporting of the Hindenburg disaster.
• Worldwide anxieties about invasions (Munich Agreement, Asian conflicts) primed listeners for alarm.
  • "In short, this is a time when radio is king. When news broadcasts are taken very seriously, even if the line between reenactment and live news can get blurry." — Greg Jackson [17:43]

3. Introducing the Mastermind: Orson Welles

[19:00–23:00]

• Orson Welles’ turbulent childhood, early flair for self-mythologizing, and meteoric rise in New York’s theater scene are briefly chronicled.
• Welles’ blend of creativity, drama, and radio experience set the stage for his Mercury Theatre team’s infamous broadcast.

4. The Anatomy of the Broadcast

[20:27–39:30]

• The podcast shifts to a dramatized, condensed re-creation of the original War of the Worlds radio play.
  • Seamless “news bulletins” interrupt fictional orchestral concerts.
  • "Ladies and gentlemen, we interrupt our program of dance music to bring you a special bulletin..." — Mercury Theatre broadcast [20:49]
• Increasingly alarming reports, live from “Grover’s Mill, NJ,” include eyewitness descriptions of the Martian landing, heat-ray attacks, and military disaster.
  • "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the most terrifying thing I...I've ever witnessed." — Carl Phillips (Mercury Theatre) [26:13]
• Key atmospheric technique: extended silences convey shock and realism, matched by distressed voice acting.
• Jackson highlights the newsman’s grave announcement of an alien invasion army prevailing over American military forces.
  • "Incredible as it may seem...those small, strange beings who landed in the Jersey farmlands tonight are the vanguard of an invading army from the planet Mars." — Mercury Theatre broadcast [30:57]
• The drama transitions from mass panic to the perspective of the lone survivor, Professor Pearson, exploring themes of survival and the humility of mankind.

5. The Aftermath and Myth of Mass Panic

[39:39–40:55]

• Jackson clarifies what happened after the broadcast:
  • CBS received overwhelming calls, with some reports of panic but with debate about its scale.
  • The FCC investigated, and Welles performed a dramatic, public apology.
  • "Of course we are deeply shocked and deeply regretful of the results of last night's broadcast." — Orson Welles (recounted by Jackson) [15:53]
• The episode unpacks studies suggesting the “mass panic” was less widespread than newspapers claimed: most listeners recognized the fiction or quickly verified the truth, but a minority reacted with real fear.
  • "As we often find, the truth is in the middle." — Greg Jackson [14:25]
• Jackson connects the broadcast’s anxieties to the approaching reality of World War II, noting that future broadcasts would bring real terror from breaking news about global conflict.

6. Orson Welles’ Legendary Sign-Off

[40:55–41:36]

• The special concludes with Welles’ own cheeky reassurance and meta-commentary:
  • "The Mercury Theater’s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying, 'boo.' ...That grinning, glowing, globular invader of your living room is an inhabitant of the pumpkin patch." — Orson Welles [41:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "My blood seemed to coagulate and stop as one horrible thing after another happened right before us." — Estelle Paltz recounting the live panic [06:45]
• "It was a perfect storm...the perfect recipe to lead some Americans, particularly those who tuned in late...to take Orson Welles' scientific sounding talk of a Martian invasion as the gospel truth." — Greg Jackson [18:40]
• "Ladies and gentlemen, this is the most terrifying thing I...I've ever witnessed." — Mercury Theatre narrator as Carl Phillips [26:13]
• "Isn't there anyone on the air? Isn't there anyone?" — Hopeless radio call after New York's fictitious destruction [33:54]
• "The truth is in the middle." — Greg Jackson, regarding the reality of the ‘panic’ [14:25]
• "The Mercury Theater's own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying, 'boo.'" — Orson Welles [41:06]

Timestamps of Important Segments

| Time | Segment Description | |--------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 04:00 | John and Estelle Paltz’s story sets up listener reaction to the broadcast | | 12:20 | Historical context: America’s media landscape and anxieties in 1938 | | 19:00 | Orson Welles’ biography and Mercury Theatre formation | | 20:27 | Dramatic reenactment begins (Mercury Theatre intro and fictional news bulletins)| | 26:13 | Fictional eyewitness account of Martian attack and panic | | 30:57 | Grave news: U.S. military defeated by Martians | | 33:54 | “Isn't there anyone…?”: portrayal of collapse and mass confusion | | 39:39 | Behind the scenes: CBS and Welles deal with aftermath and myth | | 40:55 | Orson Welles’ legendary sign-off and Halloween message |

Summary & Takeaways

Prof. Greg Jackson’s Halloween special masterfully blends historical analysis, narrative, and performance to explore the War of the Worlds broadcast of 1938. He demystifies the myth of “mass hysteria,” revealing a nuanced reality while underscoring the potent influence of radio in shaping public perception and emotion in pre-WWII America. Central to the episode is respect for both the artistry and ambition of Welles and his Mercury Theatre collaborators, as well as an appreciation for the context that made such a reaction—however exaggerated—possible.

As a historical episode, it’s a reminder of both media’s power and the importance of critical listening, relevant in any age where technology can so rapidly shape collective experience.