Is the manuscript to Orson Welles’ October 1938 broadcast of “Invasion From Mars” available (preferably online)?
Before going on, the manuscript is out in book form – I’ll see if Amazon has it when I get done. There were several major studies done on the broadcast after it was over and researchers found several things: 1. It disproved what was known as the “Magic Bullet” or “Hypodermic Needle Theory” of media effects. Those theories stated basically that the media had long-lasting and immediate effects on people. You would think it reinforced the theory, but since the broadcast didn’t effect everyone equally, the theory was disproved. (I’ll spare you what followed by way of theory, since I doubt if you really care!! I have students who don’t and they have to know this!) 2. The research showed that people of lower socio-economic classes and those with less education believed the broadcast more than did those with higher levels of education and higher levels of income. 3. It also showed that those in the lower socio-economic levels were less likely to check other stations or to call the authorities
The transcript is available here: http://members.aol.com/jeff1070/script.html From Transparency: The ability to confuse audiences en masse may have first become obvious as a result of one of the most infamous mistakes in history. It happened the day before Halloween, on Oct. 30, 1938, when millions of Americans tuned in to a popular radio program that featured plays directed by, and often starring, Orson Welles. The performance that evening was an adaptation of the science fiction novel The War of the Worlds, about a Martian invasion of the earth. But in adapting the book for a radio play, Welles made an important change: under his direction the play was written and performed so it would sound like a news broadcast about an invasion from Mars, a technique that, presumably, was intended to heighten the dramatic effect. As the play unfolded, dance music was interrupted a number of times by fake news bulletins reporting that a “huge flaming object” had dropped on a farm near Grovers Mill,
This site provides both the dialog and what music was used during the program. The radio program, Mercury Theater on the Air was part of the CBS network. It hosted by Welles, and was a regularly scheduled feature. On October 30, 1938, Welles and his company presented the H.G. Wells novel “War of the Worlds.” The most important change, and what lead to panic, was that the show was presented as a newscast. It was announced at the start of the show that it was just that, an adaptation of “War of the Worlds.” This was repeated 40 minutes later. However, many people missed these announcements.Spreading first by word of mouth and then by legitimate new reports, many people panicked. It’s estimated that 6 million heard the broadcast and originally it was thought that perhaps 1 million panicked. Later research suggested the number was far fewer By midnight most of the panic was over. However, the event made news for weeks afterwards and there were calls to restrict radio broadcasts. Oddly enou
I am assuming that you are referring to “The War of the Worlds,” which I used to listen to each Halloween. I am a frustrated radio actor (frustrated because the occupation does not exist any longer) who dreamed of acting in these sort of shows. Anyway, here is the link: http://members.aol.com/jeff1070/script.html Everything I have read and heard tells me that people really did panic, and Orson Welles was left with a bit of egg on his face afterwards. I believe an apology to the public followed the broadcast. If people were gullible back then, so be it; however, I would take that era of “innocence” over this era anyday. Enjoy the script! Happy Holidays! Scott Sources: aol.
