WKBW War of the Worlds help

[theradiokid]

Hey everyone,

Seeing as it's Halloween, I've been listening to some versions of WKBW's War of the Worlds. I've been able to find the 1973 version, and the 1971 version. However, out of intreague, and now, the wish to analyze them, I also would like to hear the original 1968 and the 1975 versions. However, I have been unable to find them on my own using simple internet searching. Seeing as there are some radio veterans of Buffalo radio on this board, I wonder if anyone might know where I may be able to listen to the 2 versions I have yet to hear. If anyone can help, please reply, or email me at [email protected]. Again, I'd like to be able to say that I've heard all 4 versions, so any help is verry much appreciated. Thanks.

--Jeremy (The Radio Kid.)

 

[chas108]

I'm only familiar with 1971. I heard it live, Sunday night Oct. 31, 1971, as it originally aired.

People familiar with all of them say the 1971 version with Jack Armstrong is best. I honestly don't remember 1973...then again 'KB was going thru its dalliance with the "Q" format, "KB-15".

The 1975 version used Jim Quinn as the jock and by all accounts is horrible.

On the off-chance you didn't see the 1998 30th anniversary salute on WKBW-TV, here's the link:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=wkbw+war+of+the+worlds&aq=0&oq=WKBW+War+OF+The+

 

[stalkthisboard]

That post leads to a pit-of-the-stomach sadness. I remember hearing the first one. Jefferson Kaye, Irv Weinstein and all real voices - people you KNEW were doing it. Knew it was a stunt, but it was still MOST real. THAT was radio - never to be heard again like that first time.

 

[Philip_Airtime]

I'm not sure if they did so tonight. But a couple of years ago, even under the progressive talk format, KB did run the original 1968 version with Sandy Beach on Halloween Night. It was great hearing it again. Joe Downey's opening newscast (KB TOTAL News) had a story about Governor Rockefeller being in town to break ground for UB's Amherst campus. How historic is that? Unfortunately, I did not run "tape" on it. Hopefully, someone does have it and can share it with you.

I first heard War of the Worlds "live" in 1969. But I had fallen asleep and missed the opening part with the DJ (presumably a rebroadcast of the previous year's with Sandy). I didn't wake up until the Martian attack was underway. I remember being really shaken by the realistic presentation, even though I knew it was a dramatization. For some reason, KB did not run it in 1970, perhaps because KB just went through its programming shake-up with Danny moving to mornings and Jack Armstrong joining KB at night. But I was ready a year later with my father's old reel-to-reel ready to capture it on tape, which I still have today in a trunk in the basement. Indeed, Armstrong was at the top of his game that night!

Thanks for bringing up a wonderful Halloween Night memory!

 

[cee]

the original 1968 version with Sandy Beach on Halloween Night.

I'm partial to the Sandy Beach version if only for his joke about Stan Roberts giving out records to trick or treaters in his neighborhood. "I thought he was being generous until I looked at one of the records and it said 'For Promotional Use Only'."

I was just a suburban high school punk when I heard that, but I felt like a radio pro in the making in that I understood this inside radio joke.