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American Experience

War of the Worlds: Outtakes

Outtakes from the recreation shoot for War of the Worlds.

Aired 10/29/2013 | Rating NR

American Experience

War of the Worlds: Outtakes

Clip: Season 25 Episode 6 | 1m 18s

Outtakes from the recreation shoot for War of the Worlds.

To bring freshness to the story behind Orson Welles' famous broadcast, producers used letters written by listeners right after hearing War of the Worlds. Actors delivered monologues of parts of these letters as if they were archival interviews - you can see it in the film. Here, actors have some fun at the end of the day describing what it's like to play a character from the 1930s.

Aired 10/29/2013 | Rating NR

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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Dear Mr. Welles: Uncovering Original Material

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 2m 59s | Letters from a library archive come alive in the American Experience documentary. (2m 59s)

Fear and the Great Depression

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 18s | Americans were living in fear during the height of the Great Depression. (18s)

From Martian to German

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 48s | "Alien army invader in the late '30s was quickly translatable from Martian to German." (48s)

A Grave Announcement

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 22s | In Oct. 1938, a panicked radio announcer reported that Martians had landed in New Jersey. (22s)

Making War of the Worlds

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 2m 59s | Actors, antique radios, and the greatest prank of all times. (2m 59s)

Orson Welles' Best Performance

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 32s | The press conference was one of Welles great performances as an actor. (32s)

Orson Welles' Press Conference

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 23s | Orson Welles could not imagine how anyone could believe that Martians had really landed. (23s)

The Power of Propaganda

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 18s | Many Americans were in awe that some people had believed the War of the Worlds broadcast. (18s)

Radios by the Millions

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 29s | During the height of the Great Depression, radios were being purchased by the millions. (29s)

There Was No Stopping Orson Welles

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 26s | CBS network executives ordered a break in the broadcast, but Welles could not be stopped. (26s)

War of the Worlds Chapter 1

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 7m 16s | Watch chapter 1 of War of the Worlds, premiering on PBS October 29, 2013 at 9/8c. (7m 16s)

War of the Worlds Preview

Preview: S25 Ep6 | 30s | Airing October 29, 9/8c. The most famous invasion that never happened. (30s)

We Interrupt this Program...

Clip: S25 Ep6 | 16s | In the 1930s, Americans worried when radio programs were interrupted by news bulletins. (16s)

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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