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H. G. Wells' novel is about a Martian invasion of Earth at the end of the nineteenth century, as related by a narrator seeing the events unfolding in England. The story was adapted by and written primarily by Howard Koch , with input from Welles and the staff of CBS's Mercury Theatre On The Air. The action was transferred to contemporary Grover's Mill, New Jersey , and the radio program's format was meant to simulate a news broadcast. To this end, Welles even played recordings of the radio reports of the famous Hindenburg disaster to the cast to demonstrate the mood he wanted.
Approximately two thirds of the 50-minute play was a contemporary retelling of the events of the novel, presented as a series of news bulletins in documentary style.
The program started as an apparently ordinary music show, only occasionally interrupted by news flashes. Initially, the news is of strange explosions sighted on Mars. The news reports grew more frequent and increasingly ominous after a " meteorite"--later revealed as a Martian rocketFor rocket lettuce, see arugula; for the early steam locomotive, see Stephenson's Rocket, for the sugar candy, see Rockets. A rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of a fast moving exhaust from withi capsule--lands in New JerseyNew Jersey is a state of the United States of America and has the U. postal abbreviation of NJ . The state is named after the island of Jersey in the English Channel. The USS New Jersey one of the most decorated vessels in the United States Navy, was name. A crowd gathers, and then the Martians incinerate curious onlookers with their "heat ray".
More Martian ships land, and then proceed to wreak havoc throughout the United States, destroying bridges and railroads, and spraying a poison gas into the air. An unnamed Secretary of the Interior advises the nation on the growing conflict. (The "Secretary" was originally intended to be a portrayal of then-President Franklin Delano RooseveltFranklin Delano Roosevelt Order 32nd President Term of Office March 4, 1933 April 12, 1945 Predecessor Herbert Hoover Successor Harry S. Truman Date of Birth January 30, 1882 Place of Birth Hyde Park, New York Date of Death April 12, 1945 Place of Death W, but CBS insisted this detail, among others, be changed. The "Secretary" did, however, end up sounding very much like Roosevelt.)
Military forces attack the Martians, but are unable to fight them off. People gather in churchThis article is about the Christian buildings of worship. For other uses of the word, see Church (disambiguation . Stanford University. A church is a building used in Christian worship. See also altar, altar rails, confessional, dome, nave, pew, pulpit, ses to pray.
This section ends famously with a lone reporter talking from the top of a building, above the poison gas and desperate masses and saying, "Isn't there anyone on the air? Isn't there anyone on the air? Isn't there ... anyone?"
The less famous last third was a monologueA monologue is a speech by one person directly addressing an audience. An opening monologue is often a segment of stand up comedy, such as at the beginning of The Tonight Show. In a monologue the actor need not be alone, however, none of the supporting ca and dialogueThe term dialogue expresses basically reciprocal conversation between two or more persons. Literature When reported or imitated in writing, "dialogue" labels a form of literature invented by the Greeks for purposes of rhetorical entertainment and instruct featuring Welles, portraying "notable astronomer" Professor Peirson, who had earlier commented on the strange Martian explosions.
Welles' adaptation is possibly the most successful radio dramatic production in history. It was one of the Radio ProjectThe Radio Project was a social research project funded by the Rockefeller Foundation to look into the effects of mass media on society. In 1937, the Rockefeller Foundation started funding research to find the effects of new forms of mass media on society,'s first studies.