English: Photograph of a rehearsal of CBS Radio's The Mercury Theatre on the Air, printed in many US newspapers following the broadcast of "The War of the Worlds"

Subjects include Orson Welles, with arms upraised; Bernard Herrmann, conducting the CBS Radio orchestra; actor Ray Collins at the CBS microphone, and Richard Wilson (white shirt) beside him.

• Snipe on reverse side of original photo distributed October 31, 1938, reads as follows:
  Awe-Inspiring Mercury Theater Group In Rehearsal
  New York City—A rehearsal session of the Mercury Theater radio group which threw the nation into a panic with its radio dramatization of H. G. Wells' novel, "The War of the Worlds," is pictured above. Standing with his arms upraised is Producer Orson Welles. This is not a picture of the rehearsal of the startling presentation, but is a typical Mercury Theater rehearsal shot. The highly realistic arrangment of the novel, with Welles acting in the role of a news commentator reporting catastrophic happenings in New Jersey where a band of warriors from Mars, according to the story, were spreading destruction and death with weapons invulnerable to human attack, sent thousands of listeners into hysteria. Many listeners believed they were hearing an actual news broadcast.
  Your credit line must read (Acme Telephoto)