The ants have left the building and I am doing OK.
Amy Saia, http://thatamysaia.blogspot.com/, a very talented writer, singer and all around nice person.wrote a post recently which included an old Bill Cosby album detailing his childhood experiences listening to "scary" programs on the radio. It was so funny and it made me remember running from the room in fear while my parents sat closely around the radio listening to The Shadow on Sunday evenings. Oh, how the radio could spur the imagination and take you in like no other medium. The voices, the music, the sound effects, all put you right inside the story. You were a part of the drama and you felt every little bump in the night.
In this year of a presidential election, we are having our own War of the Worlds or even more suitable, War of the Words. Frightening things will be said, monsters will be created, and this docudrama will be played out 24 hours a day until November. Lordy, lordy, it's time to panic and head for the hills, but really, is there anyplace to hide? Those political telemarketers will find you, no matter what. I'd rather the Martians land.
Amy Saia, http://thatamysaia.blogspot.com/, a very talented writer, singer and all around nice person.wrote a post recently which included an old Bill Cosby album detailing his childhood experiences listening to "scary" programs on the radio. It was so funny and it made me remember running from the room in fear while my parents sat closely around the radio listening to The Shadow on Sunday evenings. Oh, how the radio could spur the imagination and take you in like no other medium. The voices, the music, the sound effects, all put you right inside the story. You were a part of the drama and you felt every little bump in the night.
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men?
The Shadow knows. . . . .
Years ago my mom recounted the story to me of the famous Orson Welles' narration of the radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds". For those of you who are unfamiliar with this, it happened in 1938 on Halloween night. The 60 minute broadcast of the H.G. Wells's novel was presented as news bulletins on The Mercury Theater on the Air and described how aliens had invaded New Jersey. It was only announced twice that this was a docudrama, once at the beginning and the other near the end. There were no commercial breaks which made it seem all the more real and as people turned their radios on to that station, they believed that the Martians had landed and we were at war. There are tales of panic and people running from their homes. Fifty-five minutes into it, Welles' reminded the listeners that the broadcast was a Halloween presentation, and then anger ensued. My mom never admitted that she was one of the victims, but she did tell me that my grandfather was very upset by the whole matter. The outrage over this incident was played up by the news media ( which at that time was only the newspapers) in order to disparage the radio industry which was their only competition.In this year of a presidential election, we are having our own War of the Worlds or even more suitable, War of the Words. Frightening things will be said, monsters will be created, and this docudrama will be played out 24 hours a day until November. Lordy, lordy, it's time to panic and head for the hills, but really, is there anyplace to hide? Those political telemarketers will find you, no matter what. I'd rather the Martians land.
Hello Arleen:
ReplyDeleteOh, the power of radio or, should we say, for we were brought up with it, wireless?! As children we listened with the same fear engendered by 'The Shadow' to a BBC serial 'Journey into Space' which, at the time, was totally gripping.
All of these years later we still greatly enjoy the radio, and how it leaves so much to the imagination, and have never regretted getting rid of the television when we did, sometime in the early 1980s.
I would miss my TV, but I would miss my radio more.
DeleteThat evil laugh can still give you the chills.
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about the politicians or the Shadow?
DeleteI tend to listen to radio 4 quite a bit - most of the telly programmes are a load of old rubbish. Glad the ants have departed.
ReplyDeleteOld rubbish would be a compliment to most of the programs now shown on TV.
DeleteThe radio made the kitchen work go faster when I was young. We listened to the 'soaps', Arthur Godfrey, early talk-shows, and mystery theaters. Loved the radio.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever read Frannie Flagg's book about Radio? She also wrote "Fried Green Tomatoes". Good stuff.
I have read a few of Fannie Flagg's books including Fried Green Tomatoes, but I do not remember reading the one about radio. I will look for that on Kindle. I love the way she writes.
DeleteAh yes, the old radio shows. You know, you can still order a bunch of them on tapes. (And they're just as good now as you remember!) Yeah, I think I'd rather face the Shadow than the negative political ads we're gonna be bombarded with from now until the election. (Not to mention the robo-telephone calls. Those things REALLY drive me nuts!)
ReplyDeleteHappy weekend!
I listen to RADIO 4 (E) A GREAT DEAL... I love the older programmes...serials....dramas and variety shows
ReplyDeleteA measured and balanced post again my friend
I love radio ,and prefer it to television. I'm a Radio 4 fan and in Britain we're lucky to have this speech and features channel which provides very interesting insights into all kinds of topics. I ever heard clips from the War of the Worlds spoof but a few minutes thought would have shown how irresponsible it was to do the show.
ReplyDeleteI've been a radio fan since the days of Bob & Ray and Jean Shepherd. BBC Radio streams on the net, thank gods, and there are lots of good programs on podcast, too. You can still hear a selection of Shep's shows at http://www.flicklives.com/
ReplyDeleteAs an insomniac, I listen to BBC Radio 4 Extra through the night. It still has a magic.
ReplyDeleteAs for politicians, I wouldn't worry. They all lie, they all fail to fulfil their promises, and they're all after what they can get out of it. What's the point in voting?
I have always been a big fan of broadcast radio. As others have mentioned, the BBC has a substantial output of drama, documentary and comedy on it's many nationally networked stations.
ReplyDeleteOne of the reasons I enjoy drama on the radio is that the pictures are so much better!
When I was small I remember seeing the light from the valves (you call 'em tubes) at the back of the set and believing that lots of small people lived in there.
That Orson Welles story is well known in the UK too.
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Arleen, I remember my mother talking about the radio presentation of "War of the Worlds". I am an NPR addict. And yes I cannot wait until the end of November. We have already been beaten down, and now the yard signs are beginning to destroy the landscape. Election years are not my favorite!
ReplyDeleteI remember only hearing about The War of the Worlds, but you're right in that we basically go through something similar every four years. :-)
ReplyDeleteI grew up on the road and have many fond memories of being in the car with my father, somewhere in northern MN or ND and listening to Fireside Theatre for as long as the signal held. The ability to envision, to imagine, is so crucial to the mind, I think; and I pity those who will only have their thoughts/mind fed to them through a screen...
Pearl
Wow, that's an incredible story. I never knew that, and people actually believed it. Hheheee. I remember flying on the plane to England and back and getting a pair of those big earphones (back when they were free). I loved it because there was a station that told stories, not something I'd come across before then.
ReplyDeleteI do remember hearin' 'bout folks really thinkin' that the War of the World was real and all the panic it caused.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom would talk of those old time radio shows all the time.
Great post sweetie!!!
God bless ya and have yourself a glorious weekend my friend!!! :o)
I'm late for the party! Radio programs are so much fun. I love tv, but there's a nice joyfulness to those old shows with their sound effects, and the serials with cliffhanger endings.
ReplyDeleteHere's a link for a great old time channel on the web. It's really fun around Halloween when they play holiday themed shows. They have a 'widget' you can download if you own a Mac.