Orson Welles and the 70th Anniversary of War of the Worlds October 31, 2008
Washington, District of Columbia 20001
A talk by NPG historian Amy Henderson.
In 1938, Orson Welles brought to the airwaves the now classic H.G. Wells's 1898 fantasy War of the Worlds. Many tuned in late, missing the announcement that the program was make-believe. As viewers listened to aliens taking over Manhattan, panic set in and Welles had to interrupt the broadcast to assure listeners it was not real.
Join us Friday, October 31, 1 p.m. as NPG historian Amy Henderson talks more about Welles and plays some selections from War of the Worlds. This day marks the 70th anniversary of Orson Welles's Halloween radio broadcast that panicked America in 1938—though Welles later claimed it was just the Mercury Theater's way of saying "boo" to the nation.
Free and open to the public; please meet at the museum's F Street Lobby
Official Website: http://npg.si.edu
Added by npg on October 22, 2008