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.

How 1950s LA prepped for nuclear war; the Aqualillies are part of the synchronized swimming renaissance; Brains On and sound; LA's Wrigley Field.

The best of 8 years of Off-Ramp, including "The Ashes of Oakridge," the giant scissors of LA County, Carey McWilliams, and riding a motorbike with Susan Carpenter!

LA City Archivist looks into our water history; A Martinez on the new Lakers season; Tim Robbins brings "Midsummer Night's Dream" back from China; the bizarre waving mannequins of North Hollywood.

Giant sea bass census; the Great Drought and our water-dependent history; Marjorie Elizabeth Cameron Parsons Kimmel; No Mad Scientists in "I Origins"

Seth Menachem: Don't judge me or my 2-year old; an update on the Broad Museum and Hauser, Wirth, and Schimmel; Spike Lee up close & personal.

Sam Humphries, "smartass" Star-Lord writer; Taylor Orci thanks the social worker who rescued her; a mobster-cum-barber; Judy Chicago's Womanhouse

Brando Skyhorse on his tortured Echo Park upbringing, band Harbor Party pays tribute to Yacht Rock, and Kevin and Russ cook the perfect hamburger

RH Greene's appreciation of "Do the Right Thing," which changed the way we talk about race; Piero Selvaggio, who changed food in America; new NPR chief Jarl Mohn, who changed the face of US media.