CFR Old Time Radio Presents The Mercury Theatre “Around The World In 80 Days”
Posted by: admin in Adventure, Podcasts
The finest radio drama of the 1930’s was The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a show featuring the acclaimed New York drama company founded by Orson Welles and John Houseman. In its brief run, it featured an impressive array of talents, including Agnes Moorehead, Bernard Herrmann, and George Coulouris. The show is famous for its notorious War of the Worlds broadcast, but the other shows in the series are relatively unknown.
The show first broadcast on CBS and CBC in July 1938. It ran without a sponsor until December of that year, when it was picked up by Campbell’s Soup and renamed The Campbell Playhouse. The Mercury Theater on the Air concentrated on classic literature such as ” Treasure Island,” “The Count of Monte Cristo” and “Dracula.” Radio listeners knew that the show was unique and the acting of Welles Virginia Welles (Mrs. Orson Welles), Agnes Moorehead, and Everett Sloane and others as well as the musical compositions by Bernard Herrmann was exceptional.
In 1947 Orson Wells’ playbook of Jules Vernes story was adapted to the musical stage by Cole Porte. The show opened at the Adelphi Theatre, NYC on May 31st 1946 and ran for 75 performances. The show closed on August 3rd 1946. Directed by Orson Welles the show’s cast was.
Orson Welles (Dick Fix)
Arthur Margetson (Phileas Fogg)
Mary Healy (Missus Aouda)
Julie Warren (Molly Muggins)
Larry Laurence [Enzio Stuarti] (”Pat” Passepartout)
Victoria Cordova (Lola)
“Around the World in 80 Days” stared Orson Welles as Phileas Fogg and aired on October 23rd 1938 one week before the infamous and historic “War of the Worlds” broadcast.
Join your host Johnny Night as we follow Phileas Fogg around the globe on this timeless adventure by Jules Verne.
