The columbia broadcasting system and its affiliated stations present orson welles and the mercury theatre on the air in the war of the worlds by h. When peter pan returns to the home of the darling family to retrieve his lost shadow, hes not expecting to meet wendy, or that shell join him on a trip to neverland for the adventure of a lifetime. As with storytellers from traditional cultures, welles the showman cannot be separated from welles the artist. Orson welles was already a household name by the time these mercury theatre projects the first ever recorded fulllength shakespeare plays contributed to making him one of the immortal voices of radio and other media. Rare recording of caesar radio show with orson welles found. A location number of 111 indicates i have the show in my collection, but they havent yet been assigned a location number. Since we cant go back in time to see the orson welles theatre productions of note, we can at least read the scripts to see how he cut them and read the insightful notes by richard france about the productions. Classic 1938 oldtime radio broadcast the war of the worlds, starring orson welles. Welles s direction and acting, bernard herrmanns visionary scores and the likes of joseph cotten and agnes moorehead in supporting roles, combined to produce electrifying renditions of established classics. The mercury theatre s own radio version of dressing up in a sheet and jumping out of a bush and saying boo.
George orson welles may 6, 1915 october 10, 1985 was an american actor, director, writer and producer who is remembered for his innovative work in radio, theatre and film. The weekly hourlong show presented classic literary works performed by welles s celebrated mercury theatre. Since the mercury theatre name was not trademarked, welles continued to use it for some of his subsequent projects. War of the worlds 1938 radio broadcast with orson welles. A landmark work in the history of cinema, citizen kane is acclaimed by many critics as the greatest movie ever made. Feb, 2018 the finest radio drama of the 1930s was the mercury theatre on the air, a show featuring the acclaimed new york drama company founded by orson welles and john houseman. The spotify playlist, embedded below, includes a christmas carol, heart of darkness and even a rehearsal for julius caesar. Recordings of the mercury theatre on the air, the 1930s radio show created by orson welles. In its brief run, it featured an impressive array of talents, including agnes moorehead, bernard herrmann, and george coulouris.
The impersonation of welles by christian mckay in me and orson welles is the centerpiece of the film, and from it, all else flows. Now you can listen to that infamous radio play along with 61 hours of other radio plays, all created by welles for his 1930s radio show, the mercury theatre on the air. The mercury theatre on the air made its debut on cbs on july 11, 1938 with an. Mercury theatre on air wasnt trying to fool anyone. In a whirlwind week in 1937 in new york city, a young aspiring actor named richard is thrown into the middle of orson welles mercury theatre company on the eve of the opening of welles historic. Mercury theatre musical theme announcer ladies and gentlemen, the director of the mercury theatre and star of these broadcasts, orson welles. The mercury theatre on the air by orson welles on free audio. Today, orson welles brought the war of the worlds upon us. Audio download online audio free the finest radio drama of the 1930s was the mercury theatre on the air, a show featuring the acclaimed new york drama company founded by orson welles and john houseman. Welles revived the mercury theatre title for a short series in the summer of 1946. When orson welles burst onto the hollywood scene in 1941 with citizen kane it was the.
Orson welles the war of the worlds mercury theatre on the air music. The mercury theatre production team of john houseman and orson welles separated during the making of citizen kane, but as the rko mercury unit retained its name until its removal from the studio in 1942. Onehour adaptions of literary works, including hell on ice and the war of the worlds. Citizen kane, american film drama, released in 1941, that was directed, produced, and cowritten by orson welles, who also starred in the lead role. Sina weibo sitejot skype slashdot sms stocktwits svejo symbaloo.
Orson welles collection best known for his airing of war of the worlds, orson welles made numerous appearances on a variety of different shows during his magnificent radio career. The weekly hourlong show presented classic literary works. Orson welles legendary radio productions, remastered and 100% free. Orson welles and the mercury theatre on the air present, treasure island. The mercury theatre on the air listen and download. Several newspapers ran advertisements for the show, and there were. Mercury theatre s orson welles radio almanac 1944 the mercury summer theatre of the air summer of 1946 les miserables mbs les miserables 1937 was comprised of most of the players from welles and housemans mercury theatre repertory, but les miserables was not specifically referred to as a mercury theatre production. Best known for his stage productions of voodoo macbeth, cradle will rock and julius caesar. Except where noted, contents and presentation are c 20042020 generic radio workshop. As a registered charity, we depend upon donations to sustain our work. Orson welles the war of the worlds mercury theatre on the air. Zac ephron, claire danes and newcomer christian mckay star in a ribald tale of a single week that changed theatre, film and american culture forever.
The show aired during the tense years leading up to world war ii, when fascism was on the rise in europe. For orson welles, showmanship was more than shrewd marketing. If there is one you are particularly fond of and would like to hear on the air, would you please write me about it. With orson welles reading the part of an astronaut and professor, the mercury theatre on the airs broadcast of war of the worlds hit a frayed nerve in the american public. The finest radio drama of the 1930s was the mercury theatre on the air, a show featuring the acclaimed new york drama company founded by orson welles and john houseman. The mercury theatre was a theatre company founded in new york city in 1937 by orson welles and john houseman. He is considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. On this episode of orson welles on the air, well hear the mercury summer theaters production of the hitch. Orson welles treasure island july 18 1938 mercury theatre. And now here is the director to tell you about next weeks mercury theatre production, mr. The mercury theatre on the air first known as first person singular is a radio series of live radio dramas created by orson welles. Originally intending treasure island to be the first of the mercury theatre broadcasts, the 23yearold welles abruptly changed his mind a week before the recording and set about adapting stokers novel in a series of winesoaked meetings with producer john houseman. May 12, 2016 orson welles and the mercury theatre on the air present, treasure island. The mercury theatre the niuean pop cultural archive.
Mercury theater on the air heart of darkness, starring. Wellesnet is dedicated to the memory of orson welles may 6, 1915october 10, 1985. Next week the mercury theatre is going to tell you robert lewis. Mercury theatre american theatrical company britannica. Radio stories by orson welles and the mercury theatre on discogs. In commemoration of the 75th anniversary of this radio broadcast and halloween, i present this vinyl rip ive made of the war of the worlds, as done in 1938 by orson welles and the mercury theatre. After a string of live theatrical productions, in 1938 the mercury theatre progressed into their bestknown period as the mercury theatre on the air, a cbs radio series that included one of the most notable and infamous radio broadcasts. The mercury theatre was an independent repertory theatre company founded in new york city in 1937 by orson welles and producer john houseman. Hear orson welles iconic war of the worlds broadcast 1938. Based on a true story and set in the art deco glory of 1930s new york city, me and orson welles is a celebration of love, theatre and the passions that inspire greatness. In 1938 the mercury theatre presented william gillettes comedy too much johnson. The mercury theatre on the air produced some of the most extraordinary radio to ever hit the airwaves.
Ladies and gentlemen, what are your favorite stories. The mercury theatre on the air is a radio series of live radio dramas created by orson welles. Remember that orson welles himself didnt always look like orson welles. This is orson welles, ladies and gentlemen, out of character to assure you that the war of the worlds has no further significance than as the holiday offering it was intended to be. For decades, the only audio document of the mercury theatre on the air. Rare orson welles mercury theatre shakespeare productions. When the mercury theatre on the air produced beau geste, welles took the cast to the roof of a manhattan building and fired rifles into the air to recreate the sounds of. In his first outing as a writerdirector for radio, orson welles, 22, adapted les. Welles used the banner mercury productions on many of his films, and several of the actors from his mercury theatre company appeared in them, notably in citizen kane, the magnificent ambersons and macbeth. Mercury theatre on the air orson welles on the air, 19381946.
Welless direction and acting, bernard herrmanns visionary scores and the likes of joseph cotten and agnes moorehead in supporting roles, combined to produce electrifying renditions of established classics. Theatre and radio in the 1930s same year they formed the mercury theatre, which presented a renowned moderndress version of shakespeares julius caesar. After a series of acclaimed stage productions, the mercury theatre progressed into its most popular incarnation as the mercury theatre on the air. Orson welles on the columbia broadcasting system in 1938. He was truly a creative genius in radio, before he went on to hollywood. Welles shot three short silent films to precede each act of the play.