On this day in movie history - The Night That Panicked America (1975)

The Night That Panicked America

directed by Joseph Sargent,

written by Nicholas Meyer and Anthony Wilson,

based on a story by Nicholas Meyer,

was released in the United States on October 31, 1975.

TV movie, originally screened on the ABC network.

Based on Orson Welles’ dramatized radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds,

in turn based on the novel H. G. Wells broadcast as part of the CBS Radio series

The Mercury Theatre on the Air on October 30, 1938.

Music by Frank Comstock.

Cast:

Paul Shenar, Vic Morrow, Cliff De Young, Michael Constantine, Walter McGinn, Eileen Brennan, Meredith Baxter, Tom Bosley, Will Geer, John Ritter, Granville Van Dusen,   Burton Gilliam, Joshua Bryant, Liam Dunn, Shelley Morrison, Walker Edmiston, Marcus J. Grapes, Art Hannes, Casey Kasem, Ron Rifkin, Byron Webster, Clarke Gordon, Linda Dano, Tracy Brooks Swope, Hanna Landy, Robert Lussier, Ed Bakey, Bob Harks, Michelle Stacy.

Born on this day – John Ritter:

John Ritter

Actor

Producer

Writer, September 17, 1948 – September 11, 2003

Credits:

10th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (2004); 3rd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (1997); 50 Years of Funny Females (1995); 57th Annual Photoplay Gold Medal Awards (1978); 8 Simple Rules (2002–2003); A Child's Wish (1997); A Festival at Ford's (1991); A Gun, a Car, a Blonde (1997); A Life of Laughter: Remembering John Ritter (2003); A Salute to American Imagination (1978); A Smoky Mountain Christmas (1986); ABC Presents Tomorrow's Stars (1978); ABC Presents: A Royal Gala (1988); ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration (2003); ABC's Silver Anniversary Celebration (1978); Access Hollywood (1997–2002); Access Hollywood (2023); All-Star Family Feud Special (1978); All-Star Party for 'Dutch' Reagan (1985); All-Star Party for Lucille Ball (1984); Ally McBeal (1998); American Masters (1989); Americathon (1979); An All Star Salute to Country Music (1990); Anything But Love (1989 / 1991); Artists of the Roundtable (2022); Autopsy: The Last Hours of (2020); Bachelor-at-Law (1973); Bad Santa (2003); Bad Santa: Outtakes (2003); Barnaby Jones (1975); Batman Beyond (2000); Behind Closed Doors (2018); Biography (1987–2009); Bob Hope's Birthday Memories (1994); Bonkers! (1979); Breakaway (1984); Breakfast in Bed (1977); Breaking Ground (1987); Breaking News (2002); Bride of Chucky (1998); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997); Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002); Captain Kangaroo (1977); CBS Mornings (1989 / 2001); CBS: 50 Years from Television City (2002); Celebrity Page (2019–2021); Celebrity Profile (1998–2001); Century of Country (1999); Chance of a Lifetime (1998); Chicago Hope (2000); Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (2014); Clifford the Big Red Dog (2000–2003); Clifford the Big Red Dog: Learning Activities (2000); Clifford the Big Red Dog: Musical Memory Games (2002); Clifford the Big Red Dog: Phonics (2003); Clifford's Really Big Movie (2004); Completely Off the Wall (1979); Crazy World, Crazy People (1968); Dan August (1970); Dave's World (1994–1995); Dead Husbands (1998); Dead Man's Gun / Segment: The Great McDonacle (1997); Dinah! (1978); Disco Fever: 'Saturday Night Fever' Premiere Party (1977); Doc (1976); Donahue (1978); Donald Duck's 50th Birthday (1984); E! True Hollywood Story (1998–2002); E! True Hollywood Story (2005); Entertainment Tonight (1986–2023); ET in TV Land (2003); Evening (1987); Evil Roy Slade (1972); Extra (2003); Family Law (2000); Felicity (2000–2002); Fish Police (1992); For Hope (1996); Fox and Friends (2002); General Electric's All-Star Anniversary (1978); Get Rich Quick! (1977); Gilbert (2017); Given a Chance... A Little Girl's Journey (2003); GMA3: What You Need to Know (2023); Good Day Live (2002); Good Morning America (1977–2003); Graham Nash: Innocent Eyes / Music Video (1986); Gramps (1995); Great Performances (1975); Hacks (1997); Happy 100th Birthday, Hollywood (1987); Harry Anderson: The Tricks of His Trade (1996); Have Faith (1989); Hawaii Five-O (1971–1977); Heartbeat (1993); Hearts Afire (1992–1995); Hee Haw (1978); Help Save Planet Earth (1990); Hero at Large (1980); History of the Sitcom (2021); Hollywood Insider (2020 / 2021); Hollywood Mavericks (1990); Hollywood Squares (2000–2003); Holy Joe (1999); Hooperman (1987–1989); Hour Magazine (1982–1988); How to Survive the 70s and Maybe Even Bump Into Happiness (1978); I Love You (1978); I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1998); In Love with an Older Woman (1982); Inside TV Land (2001–2002); Insight (1981); Intimate Portrait (2000); It (1990); It Came from the Sky (1999); It's Howdy Doody Time (1987); I've Got a Secret (2001); Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon (2003); John Ritter: Being of Sound Mind and Body (1980); King of the Hill (1997–2004); Kojak (1974); KTLA Morning News (2002); Larry King Live (2000 / 2003); Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1997–2003); Laugh? I Thought I'd Die! (1999); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2002); Leave Yesterday Behind (1978); Lethal Vows (1999); Letting Go (1985); Life with Lucy (1986); Life's Most Embarrassing Moments (1983); Live with Kelly and Mark (2000–2002); Living Seas (1986); Loss of Faith (1998); Lost in the Pershing Point Hotel (2000); Love Thy Neighbor (1984); M*A*S*H (1973); M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television (2024); Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (2000); Mad TV (2002); Man of the Year (2002); Manhood (2003); Mannix (1975); Martin & Lewis: Their Golden Age of Comedy (1993); Maury (1991); Medical Center (1973); Memories Then and Now (1988); Mercenary (1996); Merry Christmas from the Grand Ole Opry (1978); Mickey's 60th Birthday (1988); Montana (1998); Morning Joe (2023); Movin' On (1975); Muppet Babies (1990); Muscles & Mayhem: An Unauthorized Story of American Gladiators (2023); My Adventures in Television (2002); My Brother's Wife (1989); Nature (2001); Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy (2010); NewsRadio (1995); Nickelodeon (1976); Noises Off... (1992); North (1994); Nostalgia Critic (2014); Nowhere (1997); Nuncrackers (2001); Omnibus (1980); Ordinary/Extraordinary (1997); Over the Top (1997); Owen Marshall, Counselor at Law (1974); Panic (2000); Petrocelli (1975); Phyllis (1976); Poochinski (1990); Pray TV (1982); Prison for Children (1987); Problem Child (1990); Problem Child 2 (1991); Pryor's Place (1984); Real Men (1987); Regis and Kelly in Prime Time (2002); Rhoda (1975–1976); Ringo (1978); Robin Williams: Off the Wall (1978); Ryan & Ruby (2014); Saturday Night Live (2000); Scandalous John (1971); Scrubs (2002); Sex, Censorship and the Silver Screen (1996); Shadow of Doubt (1998); Skin Deep (1989); Sling Blade (1996); Special Collector's Edition (2012); Stand-up Comics Take a Stand (1988); Stanley's Dinosaur Round-Up (2006); Star-athon: Weekend with the Stars 1987 (1987); Star-athon: Weekend with the Stars 1988 (1988); Star-athon: Weekend with the Stars 1989 (1989); Star-athon: Weekend with the Stars 1990 (1990); Star-athon: Weekend with the Stars 1991 (1991); Starsky and Hutch (1976); Stay Tuned (1992); Strong Kids, Safe Kids (1984); Sunday Night Live (1984); Sunset Limousine (1983); Super Birthday: A World's Fair Salute to Bob Hope (1984); Superstar (2021); Superstars and Their Moms (1987); Tadpole (2002); Tales from the Crypt (2000); Tattletales (1977); Teenage America: Glory Years (1986); Terror Tract / Segment: Make Me An Offer (2000); That Thing on ABC (1978); The $10,000 Pyramid (1977–1978); The 10th Annual People's Choice Awards (1984); The 13th Annual People's Choice Awards (1987); The 14th Annual People's Choice Awards (1988); The 1978 Cerebral Palsy Telethon Benefit (1978); The 1983 Annual American Image Awards (1983); The 1987 Annual Salute to Hollywood Benefit (1987); The 19th Annual People's Choice Awards (1993); The 28th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2001); The 29th Annual People's Choice Awards (2003); The 2nd TV Academy Hall of Fame (1985); The 30th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards (2003); The 30th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1978); The 31st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1979); The 33rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1981); The 36th Primetime Emmy Awards (1984); The 38th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1986); The 39th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1987); The 40th Annual Golden Globe Awards 1983 (1983); The 40th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1988); The 41st Annual Golden Globe Awards (1984); The 44th Annual Golden Globe Awards (1987); The 44th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1992); The 4th Annual Family Television Awards (2002); The 4th Annual People's Choice Awards (1978); The 54th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (2002); The 70s: The Decade That Changed Television (2000); The 76th Annual Academy Awards (2004); The 8th Annual American Comedy Awards (1994); The Alan Hamel Show (1978–1979); The American Cinematheque Honors Ron Howard (1990); The American Red Cross Emergency Test (1990); The Associates (1980); The Barefoot Executive (1971); The Bob Crane Show (1975); The Bob Newhart Show (1974); The Colony (1995); The Comeback Kid (1980); The Daily Show (2002); The Dating Game (1967); The Dick Cavett Show (1990–1992); The Dreamer of Oz (1990); The Ellen Show (2002); The Factor (2008); The Fantastic Miss Piggy Show (1982); The First Annual Comedy Hall of Fame (1993); The Flight of Dragons (1982); The Funniest Families of Television Comedy: A Museum of Television & Radio Special (2004); The Game Show Show (2023); The Goldie Hawn Special (1978); The Greatest Commercials Ever Made (1995); The History of Comedy (2018); The History of Toys and Games (1997); The Hollywood Squares (Daytime) (1977); The Honeymooners 50th Anniversary Celebration (2002); The Insider (2014); The Jim Nabors Show (1978); The Joy of Natural Childbirth (1985); The Larry Sanders Show (1993–1994); The Last Fling (1987); The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (2003); The Lie (1973); The Lorenzo and Henrietta Music Show (1976); The Love Boat (1977–1983); The Love Boat Fall Preview Special (1983 / 1984); The Magical World of Disney (1973 / 1989); The Making of 'High Noon' (1992); The Making of: The Other (2021); The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1975); The Merv Griffin Show (1977); The Mike Douglas Show (1977–1980); The Night That Panicked America (1975); The Only Way Out (1993); The Other (1972); The Other Half (2002); The Paul Ryan Show (1978); The Power of Play (2002); The Prisoner of Second Avenue (1975); The Real Story of O Christmas Tree (1991); The Regis Philbin Show (1982); The Rookies (1975); The Ropers (1979); The Rosie O'Donnell Show (1999–2000); The Secret World of the Very Young (1984); The Singing Cowboys Ride Again (1979); The Stone Killer (1973); The Streets of San Francisco (1975); The Summer My Father Grew Up (1991); The Teen Choice Awards 2003 (2003); The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1977–1989); The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1993–2002); The View (2002); The Waltons (1972–1976); The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons (1980); The Wayne Brady Show (2002); The World's Greatest Magic 3 (1996); The World's Greatest Magic 4 (1997); The World's Greatest Magic 5 (1998); They All Laughed (1981); They All Laughed 25 Years Later: Director to Director - A Conversation with Peter Bogdanovich and Wes Anderson (2006); Thicke of the Night (1983); This Is My Father (1999); Three's a Crowd (1984–1985); Three's Company (1976–1984); Time Machine: When Cowboys Were King (2003); Totally Animals (1996); Touched by an Angel (1996–1999); Treasury of Children's Stories (1996); Tricks of the Trade (1988); Tripfall (2000); Tucker (2001); TV Funhouse (2001); TV Guide's Truth Behind the Sitcom Scandals (1999); TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (2003); TV Road Trip (2002); TVography: Suzanne Somers - Mastering Success (2002); TV's Censored Bloopers (1981); Unforgivable (1996); Unnatural Causes (1986); Veronica's Closet (1999); VH-1 Behind the Movie (2002); Visionado obligado (2011); Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade (2002); We the People 200: The Constitutional Gala (1987); Weekend with the Stars Telethon (1983 / 1984 / 1985 / 1986); What About Me? I'm Only 3! (1992); What's Life Got to Do with It? (2011); Whew! (1979); Wholly Moses! (1980); Wings (1996).