Hello, I’m Orson Welles, and I’ve been quoting from another Wells – no relation – H. G. Wells, the distinguished novelist, historian, prophet, who was also the great master of science fiction.
He wrote The War of the Worlds, on which was based a certain notorious radio broadcast, which as some of you may remember, sent many thousands of our listeners panicking into the streets all over the country.
H. G. denounced me for doing it, but later when he realized that our broadcast, like his story, was not intended to cause riots but just to entertain, we got to be good friends. And I was forgiven.
Whether all those people who jammed the highways and even took to the hills to escape the Martians have forgiven me is another matter.
