Here's a bonus Off-Ramp Episode to celebrate a special anniversary!

In 1938, Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre scared the pants off the American public with the CBS Radio broadcast "The War of the Worlds."

In 2013, to mark the 75th anniversary of Welles' radio masterpiece, I commissioned RH Greene to produce a documentary telling the backstory of the broadcast, which he called "The War of the Welles." The icing on the cake is that it's introduced by the one and only George Takei. 

So let's listen to it again on the 84th anniversary, and lift a glass to the power of audio. 

(Fun fact: "The War of the Words" was broadcast on October 30, not 31, 1938.)

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

Today, we dig into the Off-Ramp archives to pay tribute to a man named Jules Bass, who was a part of our childhood. Bass died Tuesday at the age of 87.

With his partner, the late  Arthur Rankin, Jr., Bass produced some of the most beloved children's Christmas TV specials: "The Little Drummer Boy," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," and one more that maybe isn't really a Christmasspecial at all. 

In 2012, Off-Ramp's RH Greene argued cogently that "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town" was a Jewish origin story for Santa ... essentially a Hanukkah special. The clues are all there in plain sight: The villains are cartoon Nazis who burn toys instead of books. Santa is a foundling, like Moses, raised by Tante Kringle -- the Yiddish word for "aunt." And Santa is a freedom fighter, whose ragged band make an Exodus to their own promised land in the cold desert.

Support for this podcast comes from Gordon and Dona Crawford, who believe that quality journalism makes Los Angeles a better place to live; and bythe Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people.

Off-Ramp theme music by Fesliyan Studios.

80-year old portrait artist Don Bachardy saw Angelina Jolie naked, Kevin Ferguson saw something disturbing in "Batman Returns," Jerry Siegel's daughter sees him in his Superman typewriter.

In 1968, KPCC editor Paul Glickman's mom wrote to Charles Schulz, asking him to integrate Peanuts. Franklin was born. Plus: a tribute to Chandler, Pierce College Farm Center, and the harpsichord.

Jim Tully, rescued from obscurity; Canadian v American Thanksgiving; Getty Research Institutes World War 1 exhibit; the big (art) heroes behind "Big Hero 6"

Let's all sing "Happy Birthday" to the Disney Organ, 10 years old; water witchery is debunked, but still popular; Merv Griffin interviews now memorialized on 12 DVDs.

A variety of vets weigh in on Veterans Day; Caitlin Doughty gives her cat The Meow a "good death;" DrinkLA saves you time, money, tastebuds; SCOTUS frees Sherlock Holmes

Hello Kitty turns 40; Skirball exhibit celebrates the enemies of the Nazis who changed Hollywood; Patt Morrison tells us about the devastating drought of the 1800s.

Remembering: Breakthrough TV with Norman Lear, Oscar de la Renta with a fashion design student, our loved ones with Caitlin Doughty and "the good death," James Brown and the TAMI concert

The Flesh Eaters reunite to tell the story of their album "A Minute to Pray, a Second to Die," Kevin Ferguson has lunch with Tommy Lasorda at his favorite restaurant, we meet the sole survivor of a disaster you probably haven't heard about.