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American Experience
S26.E1
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War of the Worlds

  • Episode aired Oct 29, 2013
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 53m
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
307
YOUR RATING
American Experience (1987)
The American Experience: The Amish: Shunned
Play trailer2:00
1 Video
4 Photos
  • Documentary
  • Biography
  • History
An account of Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama broadcast that inadvertently started a mass panic.An account of Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama broadcast that inadvertently started a mass panic.An account of Orson Welles' 1938 radio drama broadcast that inadvertently started a mass panic.
IMDb RATING
7.2/10
307
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Cathleen O'Connell
  • Writers
    • Michelle Ferrari(story)
    • A. Brad Schwartz(story)
  • Stars
    • Charissa Allen
    • Julian Arahanga
    • Edgar Bergen(archive sound)
Top credits
  • Director
    • Cathleen O'Connell
  • Writers
    • Michelle Ferrari(story)
    • A. Brad Schwartz(story)
  • Stars
    • Charissa Allen
    • Julian Arahanga
    • Edgar Bergen(archive sound)
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    The American Experience: The Amish: Shunned
    Trailer 2:00
    The American Experience: The Amish: Shunned

    Photos

    American Experience (1987)
    American Experience (1987)
    American Experience (1987)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Charissa Allen
    Julian Arahanga
    Julian Arahanga
    Edgar Bergen
    Edgar Bergen
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive sound)
    • …
    Peter Bogdanovich
    Peter Bogdanovich
    • Self - Film Directoras Self - Film Director
    Brenda Isaacs Booth
    Brenda Isaacs Booth
    • Bertha Boughtonas Bertha Boughton
    • (as Brenda Isaacs-Booth)
    Brady Coleman
    Brady Coleman
    Ray Collins
    • Mr. Wilmuthas Mr. Wilmuth
    • (archive sound)
    Buster Crabbe
    Buster Crabbe
    • Flash Gordonas Flash Gordon
    • (archive footage)
    Robert Crossley
    • Self - Writeras Self - Writer
    Sonny Davis
    Kenny Delmar
    • Captain Lansingas Captain Lansing
    • (archive sound)
    • …
    Lucien Douglas
    Susan Douglas
    • Self - Historianas Self - Historian
    Chris Wells Feder
    • Self - Daughter of Orson Wellsas Self - Daughter of Orson Wells
    Bart Fletcher
    Babs George
    Babs George
    Jennifer Griffin
    Jennifer Griffin
    • Florence Rohmas Florence Rohm
    Paul Heyer
    • Self - Media Historianas Self - Media Historian
    • Director
      • Cathleen O'Connell
    • Writers
      • Michelle Ferrari(story) (telescript)
      • A. Brad Schwartz(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Alexander Woollcott purportedly sent a telegram to Orson Welles the next day saying " This only goes to prove my beamish boy, that all the intelligent people were listening to the dummy, and all the dummies were listening to you. "
    • Connections
      Features Flash Gordon's Trip to Mars (1938)

    User reviews9

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    This "American Experience" episode-"The War of the Worlds"-puts things in perspective surrounding the events of that infamous radio broadcast
    Exactly 75 years and a day ago, Orson Welles managed to cause a public panic over the radio airwaves when he presented his version of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" as a series of interrupting news bulletins for most of an hour without commercial interruption or a disclaimer informing the fictional nature of the program except at the beginning or near the end. Much of the listeners may have come in late since it was opposite the very popular program, "The Chase and Sanborn Hour" starring Edgar Bergen and his dummy, Charlie McCarthy. But when Nelson Eddy started singing, many switched dials and heard about invading Martians. It was during this period in time that much of those listeners were used to news about Hitler possibly invading the U.S. based on his doing so to other countries. Also, the previous year, there was the Hindenburg disaster that was harrowingly reported live as it happened. This "American Experience" program discussed those details and also had actors play actual citizens who commented on what happened to them as the program went on the air. Many were not amused though some were relieved when learning it was just a play. I especially liked the woman who laughed while getting drunk when the bartender told her it wasn't true. Seeing Welles in the press conference expressing regret was fascinating to watch especially as his daughter reveals he seemed to enjoy the attention that resulted afterwards. Quite fascinating, the way the thing was put together with what I just mentioned as well as scenes from a later live TV special called "The Night America Trembled" about the events surrounding that infamous program and which I reviewed several years ago on this site. So on that note, I highly recommend "The American Experience: The War of the Worlds".
    helpful•2
    1
    • tavm
    • Oct 31, 2013

    Details

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    • Release date
      • October 29, 2013 (United States)
    • Language
      • English
    • Production companies
      • Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
      • WGBH
      • WGBH
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      53 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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