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WKBW Halloween show 1973

An aircheck from Halloween night 1973. A night of radio drama starting with a local version of War of the Worlds, Arch Obler's "The Darkness", a show on Vampires, A ghost story called "The Bed", "People Places and Things - a 30" piece on UFO's. Including actual commercials from the time period in Buffalo, NY. All pieces were performed by DJ's at the station at the time.

The DJ for the War of the Worlds was known as Shane, who seemed to be the archetype for the hip DJ of the time.

The first time the station aired their version of WotW several years previously, even though it was promoted heavily, police departments were called and even the National Guard was called to the Grand Island bridges! For several years afterwards it was aired with a new beginning for newer songs and dj's but the final cutaway to the newsroom on track 10 is original.

The other pieces are very good but my favorites are 'The Darkness' and 'The Monkey's paw'. Please enjoy!


This audio is part of the collection: Old Time Radio

Keywords: OTR,Radio,WKBW,Halloween,drama,War of the Worlds, HG Wells, Orson Wells,Mars,Buffalo,radio

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: wwsnyder - - October 31, 2009
Subject: Amazing Programming!
These programs show incredible creativity and innovation. KB's version of War of the Worlds, updated and localized to Western NY was unlike anything ever done at the time.

On Halloween 1973 I recorded War of the Worlds on WKBW from my car in a parking lot in Hamburg, NY.
For 35 years I've felt bad that I didn't record more of the excellent programs that night. Now here it is. Thanks so much for posting this!

Update: I have uploaded the correct closing for the 1973 War of the Worlds program here:
http://www.archive.org/details/WkbwHalloweenShow1973correctedClosing

Reviewer: g.mariner - - October 10, 2009
Subject: Very Entertaining
Enjoyed this very much.A similar show was done here in Philly on Halloween night the same year.WMMR played Arch Oblers Drop Dead lp and a few Edgar Allen Poe stories read by Nelson Olmsted.Then they wound up the evening by playing the Orson Welles 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds.Shame radio doesn't do this anymore.

Reviewer: Shadows_Girl - - May 15, 2009
Subject: very nice
But you really should have included a link to the WKBW tribute site http://wkbwradio.com/ where (among other things---including both WOTW broadcasts) one can access their "Paul (McCartney) is Dead"

By the way...most of what you have here is NOT Public Domain...but I'm sure you knew that when you posted it.