The War of the Worlds (radio)

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Public reaction

Many people missed or ignored the opening credits of the program, and in the atmosphere of growing tension and anxiety in the days leading up to World War II, took it to be an actual news broadcast. Panic ensued, with people fleeing the area, and others thinking they could smell the poison gas or could see the flashes of the fighting in the distance.

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There has been speculation that many panicked listeners missed these warnings because the Mercury Theatre ran opposite the very popular Edgar Bergen show. About twelve minutes into Bergen's program a musical number began, and many listeners presumably tired of the song and "changed the channel, and came upon reporter 'Carl Philips' in the field near Grover's Mill, New Jersey. By the time the break came, with the announcement that this was just a play, most of them had already gone off screaming." http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/sf_radio/wow.html According to the documentary The Battle over Citizen Kane, the Carl Philips segment was intentionally timed to occur at the moment many listeners were expected to be "channel surfing" (although that term was decades away from being widely used) during Bergen's musical interlude which occurred at the same time in every episode.

Related Topics:
Edgar Bergen - The Battle over Citizen Kane - Channel surfing

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Several people rushed to the "scene" of the events in New Jersey to see if they could catch a glimpse of the unfolding events, including a few astronomers from Princeton University who went looking for the "meteorite" that had supposedly fallen near their school. Some people, who had brought firearms, reportedly mistook a local farmer's water tower for an alien spaceship and shot the tower.

Related Topics:
Astronomers - Princeton University

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Initially Grover's Mill was deserted, but eventually crowds developed as more and more people rushed to the area. Eventually police were sent to the area to help control the panicked crowds. To people arriving later in the evening, the scene really did look like the events being narrated on the radio broadcast, with panicked crowds and flashing police lights streaming across the masses.

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Many people called CBS, newspapers or the police in confusion over the realism of the simulated news bulletins. There were instances of panic scattered throughout the US as a result of the broadcast, especially in New York and New Jersey.

Related Topics:
Newspaper - New York - New Jersey

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Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy, who were broadcasting at the same time on NBC, are often credited with "saving the world." It is said many startled listeners were reassured by hearing their familiar tones on a neighboring channel. Less kindly it is said that few people listened to Welles compared to the incredibly popular Bergen and McCarthy.

Related Topics:
Edgar Bergen - NBC

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