On this day in radio history - The War of the Worlds (1938):

The War of the Worlds

directed by Orson Welles,

originally broadcast on CBS Radio, on October 30, 1938.
A one-hour dramatization, based on the novel by H. G. Wells.
Written by Howard Koch.
Produced by Orson Welles and John Houseman.
Broadcast from 8 – 9 p.m. (ET)
Announced by Dan Seymour.
Hosted by the radio series: The Mercury Theatre on the Air.
Narrated by Orson Welles.
Cast: Orson Welles, Frank Readick, Kenny Delmar, Ray Collins.

Recommended reading - The War of the Worlds, by H.G. Wells (1898):

The War of the Worlds

By H.G. Wells

First published 1898.

ISBN 10: 0451522761
ISBN 13: 9780451522764

Description:

No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man’s and yet as mortal as his own....

So begins The War of the Worlds, the science fiction classic that first proposed the possibility of intelligent life on other planets and has enthralled readers for generations. This compelling tale describes the Martian invasion of earth. When huge, tireless creatures land in England, complete chaos erupts. Using their fiery heat rays and crushing strength, the aliens just may succeed in silencing all opposition. Is life on earth doomed? Will mankind survive? A timeless view of a universe turned upside down, The War of the Worlds is an ingenious and imaginative look into the possibilities of the future and the secrets yet to be revealed.