Did War of the Worlds Really Cause a Mass Panic?

Did Orson Welles' radio version of The War of the Worlds really cause mass hysteria? Or was it all just media hype? And are we all just...missing the point a bit?
Watch the first War of the Worlds video here: • War of the Worlds: Wha...

[@s452_Gojisaurus]

Another great video. Your conclusion is spot on as Orson Welles himself admitted in interviews decades after the 1938 drama that was the intent though some dismise Orson Welles' later statements, believing said interview statements were just him overplaying his legacy & popularity of the 1938 drama after the fact. Though ironic enough RKO Pictures originally wanted Orson Welles to do a film adaptation of The War of the Worlds, as they were in talks with buying the film rights from Paramount Pictures who had owned said rights since 1925, before Orson Welles convinced RKO to make Citizen Kane instead as Orson Welles didn't wanted to be known as "The War of the Worlds guy." Also worth noting is that the 7 following War of the Worlds radio dramas that adopted Orson Welles' news broadcast style all got similar panic responses all around the world. The 1968 WKBW radio drama in Buffalo, New York created in honor of the 30th anniversary of the Orson Welles drama. Despite WKBW doing a 21-day exhaustive advertising campaign, airing disclaimers in the radio drama every 15 to 20 minutes, and being released around the time NASA was publicizing photos of Mars' lifeless surface, the 1968 radio drama caused the police to get over 4,000 phone calls from panicked radio listeners and even the Canadian government deploy local troops on the Peace Bridge between the US/Canada border to prevent the Martian invaders from entering Canada. The 1949 Quito, Ecuador radio drama which had local newspapers print stories of fake UFO landings to market the radio drama before it aired, ended in tragedy as the panicked radio listeners, after finding out the radio drama was a hoax, turned into an angry mob of people burn down the radio station, killing 15 of the station workers. I highly recommend the book: Waging The War of the Worlds: A History of the 1938 Radio Broadcast and Resulting Panic. As not only does it go in depth about the 1938 Orson Welles drama, but it also the other War of the Worlds radio dramas that caused mass panics like the 1988 & 1998 Portugal, 1954 São Luís, Maranhão, and 1971 Brazil (Radio Difusora) radio dramas.

[@dupplinmuir113]

There are two other cases I can think of. The first was when the Impressionists had their first exhibition, and the seond was the premiere of 'The Rite of Spring'. In each case there were claims that people rioted in the street because they were outraged, though neither actually happened.

[@robtomaro5171]

It certainly caused quite a panic in Irvington New Jersey. My mother, who was 13 at the time, was dragged out of a movie theater in the middle of the afternoon by her older sister because my grandmother told her that Martians had invaded New Jersey in the southern part of the state.

[@washingtonradio]

Grovers Mill in central NJ

[@washingtonradio]

WHWH in Princeton, NJ would replay the broadcast on Halloween. It was a fun thing to listen as kid from the area and knowing some of the places

[@jonathanm9436]

Thank you for these intriguing insights.

[@harryspeakup8452]

Did he want to create a mass panic? Not really. Did he want to create the STORY of a mass panic? Oh yes. That's Welles all over

[@Laughwithmelol]

From my research a small number of people panicked and most people were frightened and they just called their neighbours and they said it was just a movie and they replied oh, how silly of me. and this wasn’t the first time something like this has happened no, I was at the last the Texas chainsaw massacre. The trailer said it was a true story, and some people were fooled. No one panicked, paranormal activity. That trailer said it was a true story. Some people were fooled, but no one panicked.. I discovered three ladies lady in New York City, went out and panicked. One family member were driving to see the kids. And one small town in New Jersey ran into the forest after a power outage. besides that there was just a few phone calls. so it’s how you wanna spin it tens of thousands or 10,000 out of 100 million and most people who are fooled didn’t panic they were frightened. remember, how many people were fooled by the da Vinci code?.

[@GabrielCriado-ts3dd]

Wow your content is amazing. I wish I found this sooner

[@GTexplores]

Great video giving a Yorkshire view on world events. But, At 9:01 are the 3 guys at the front really time travellers coz they seem to be secretly checking their phones................

[@harryspeakup8452]

Middle guy on his phone. Dark suit guy giving him the look because if Orson sees him at it, there's be trouble. Open shirt guy just wants to avoid the trouble

[@Davlavi]

Nice analysis.

[@Laughwithmelol]

OK number one things like this happen all the time even before Orson Welles radio broadcast people used to misinterpret radio plays as something that actually happened and it still happens to this day like da Vinci code paranormal activity, the Texas chainsaw massacre the Blair witch Project, just to name a few. most people who are fooled or frightened, but they didn’t panic. Why would you panic when you think there’s an invasion going on. there was one small town that evacuated three ladies in New York who panicked, but once they went into a club, the forgot all their fears, and decided to go out with a drink A family who drove to New York City, and a few people who called the police and operator, claiming they saw the alien . it wasn’t a massive panic, but the few people who panics gave us quite a few stories. The people who were frightened, called and complained. And do you want to see thousands of people fooled or thousands out of millions were fooled

[@alansmithee8831]

A'reyt Catherine. So we Orson know better. Welles I never. Panic? The bloke was off his sled!

[@rfirth1]

Brilliant analysis, lived this video.

[@bubbles581]

Perfect chicago accent ❤

[@Spankee99]

Flawless Chicago accent 😂

[@Pstephen]

Without listening, yet - no. People aren't that daft. You'd try another channel, at least.

[@Pstephen]

I've just watched The Magnificent Ambersons, twice, though I've seen it before, and realised for the first time - at 64 - how amazing it is. I keep watching the start of it, with Joseph Cotton trying all the clothes on and putting his foot through the bass fiddle, etc. What great thing.

[@harryspeakup8452]

People seem prepared to believe a lot of very weird and incredible stuff it it fits some seed-notion already in their worldview. Last week it was Mexican aliens

[@harryspeakup8452]

@@Pstephen Magnificent Ambersons: it really is all of that, isn't it? I wish we could see all of it as Welles originally intended, though even the heavily cut released version is full of golden nuggets

[@harryspeakup8452]

did you watch in it in end?

[@Pstephen]

@@harryspeakup8452 Yes. More to it than I'd thought.