Please excuse the multiple post notices.....Lack of confirmation and late discovery of typos and spelling errors....Trick or treat!!!....:-)

No prob on the notices. I often wonder if another War of the World hoax could happen today. The technology certainly is available for such an event. ~R~

The broadcast was not intended to be a hoax....It was a legitimate braodcast of the Mercury Theatre rendition of H. G. Wells' "War of the Worlds"....The (pre-WWII) mood of the country and the nature of the broadcast combined to produce the panic that resulted from people hearing about an "invasion"........

One could make the argument that the election and re-election of George Bush was a massive hoax.........Yes, I believe it could happen with the technology and communications capabilty that exists today.....

Absolutely right about the mistaken idea that this was intended to be a hoax. It was widely promoted and announced that this was the regular broadcast of the Mercury Theatre program. Simply looking at a radio schedule would have alleviated the panic. This was what brought radio theater to my eyes though, I've been a fan ever since.

While I wasn't around for the "War of the Worlds" panic, I do remember listening to The CBS Radio Mystery Theater, which ran in the 1970's. It was a lot of fun!

How about the balloon boy? We still fall too easily for the bizarre and weird. Which is the scariest thing of all!

Halloween just ain't what it used to be. My favorite Halloween movie of all time... and it isn't really a "Halloween" movie, but I think it has some of the best scenes that represent a certain time... "Meet Me In St. Louis" with Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien as Tootie!

The closest modern hoax would have to be the Aqua Teeen Hunger Force bomb scare. It pales in comparison.

thanks for the post, ron - will listen later. right now, shoring up for yet another school meeting.

This was quite the event! Too cool for words!

@bobbot: I remeber "The Lone Ranger", 'The Green Hornet", and two white guys that went by their radio stage names, "Amos 'N Andy".........

@Jeanette: I can recall that along with "Mystery Theatre" the soaps that went on to greater things on TV....

@Lea Lane: Excellent example of the kind of thing that can happen today....What also comes to mind the ubiquitous "black man" that can be blamed for just about anything and hunted until the truth of the story emerges......until the next time......

@MAWB: Nothing is what it used to be.....sad, but true....

@SD: The reason why this production had the apparently unwanted effect that it had on the public seems to be, at least in part, due to the fact that it was not intended and the degree of public receptivity.
Hitler was terrorizing Europe and the American public was on edge about the possibilty of being "invaded" mass paranoia was the order of the day....

@jsr: Thanks for looking in.....

@Cathy: Orson Welles was the personification of theatrical "cool"...

Ha! Great piece...and as to the multiple notices...you will get a spanking! xox

Ah those were the days! I still believe there are Martians among us. Take Congress... Please.

@RS: Do you do spankings by appointment only or will you do
"walk-ups" as well....;-)

@jb: Sometimes I wonder if there is any intelligent life in Congress at all......

I think this whole "situation" was fascinating. What a great story it made!

@sweetfeet: "Fascinating" is an understatement....The story was sensational by any measure.....71 years later and it still has "legs".