Mercury Theater

THE MERCURY THEATER ON THE AIR was first heard as a Summer series of nine shows, on CBS affiliated stations and in Canada on the CBC. It was the first time a theater company brought drama to the radio. The shows featured hour-long dramatizations of classic books. It was produced and directed by Orson Welles, who also acted in the main roles. When the Summer series ended with 'The Man Who Was Thursday' on Sept. 5, 1938, CBS continued to sustain the series until Dec. 4. During this time the best known radio show in radio's history was broadcast, the radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' 'The War of the Worlds'. At the conclusion of the Nov. 6 show, Welles announced that the Campbell's Soup Company would become sponsor; the series changed its name to THE CAMPBELL PLAYHOUSE and moved from Sunday to Friday.