The Mercury Theatre on the Air, Vol. 1
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Narrated by:
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Orson Welles
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full cast
About this listen
The Mercury Theatre was an independent repertory company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and producer John Houseman, who is best known for his Oscar-winning performance as Professor Charles Kingsfield in the The Paper Chase. After a series of acclaimed stage productions, Welles and his Mercury Theatre were offered theirown weekly hour-long radio program over the CBS radio network. Here Welles - along with Agnes Moorehead, Ray Collins, Joseph Cotten, Alice Frost, Martin Gabel, and others - presented powerful adaptations of literary classics with Bernard Herrman as composer and conductor.
Considered by many critics as the finest dramatic hour on radio, The Mercury Theatre on the Air was without a sponsor until a single broadcast changed all that: The War of the Worlds.
Episodes include "Dracula", starring Martin Gabel, Agnes Moorehead, George Coulouris, Ray Collins, and Karl Swenson; "A Tale of Two Cities", starring Martin Gabel, Ray Collins, Edgar Barrier, Frank Readick, and Kenny Delmar; "Abraham Lincoln", starring Orson Welles as Lincoln, plus Ray Collins, George Coulouris, Karl Swenson, Agnes Moorehead, Carl Frank, and William Allen; "The Count of Monte Cristo", starring Orson Welles, Ray Collins, Eustace Wyatt, George Coulouris, and Edgar Barrier; " The Immortal Sherlock Holmes", starring Orson Welles, Ray Collins, Edgar Barrier, Alfred Shirley, William Allen, and Arthur Anderson; and "Around the World in Eighty Days", starring Orson Welles, Al Swenson, Arlene Francis, Edgar Barrier, Frank Readick, and Ray Collins.
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Suspense
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- Narrated by: Elliott Lewis
- Length: 9 hrs and 57 mins
- Original Recording
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Overall
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-
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A new era dawns for Radio's Outstanding Theatre of Thrills in 1950, as producer-director Anton M. Leader gives way to one of the medium's all-time creative geniuses—radio Renaissance man Elliott Lewis! Compare and contrast their styles as you listen, but hold onto your seat—because no matter who's running the show, the objective remains the same. Suspense!
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-
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By: Orson Welles
-
Suspense: Motive for Murder
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- Narrated by: Robert Montgomery, Gregory Peck, Lana Turner
- Length: 9 hrs and 58 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
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Performance
-
Story
The greatest stars of screen and stage, the greatest writers of print and radio—all combine to keep you in…suspense! Here are twenty nerve-stretching exercises in crime, mystery, and the uncanny featuring Robert Montgomery, Gregory Peck, Lana Turner, William Powell, Ronald Reagan, Joseph Cotton, and more. Fates and fortunes may be threatened by a jealous spouse, an unscrupulous authority figure…or the truth. Find out what rash decisions are made in the desperation of the moment in riveting radio plays produced and directed by Anton M. Leader, William Spier, and Norman Macdonnell.
-
Imagination Theatre: Weird & Strange Fantasy
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Head to distant worlds and alternate futures! Explore the limitless potential for twists and turns when stories are fueled by the infinite power of imagination! Here are twenty-four thought-provoking tales as up-to-date as tomorrow. It's new-time radio in the classic old-time-radio manner, from the mind of producer Jim French.
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Mercury Theatre: The War of the Worlds - October 30, 1938
- By: Orson Welles
- Narrated by: Orson Welles
- Length: 51 mins
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-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a radio series created by Orson Welles, presented adaptations of classic literary works. These were performed by actors from Welles' celebrated Mercury Theatre repertory company, with music composed or arranged by Bernard Herrmann. The series ran from July to December 1938, after which the title was changed to The Campbell Playhouse.
-
-
The infamous broadcast that scared the country!
- By A. West on 01-17-19
By: Orson Welles
-
Suspense: Black Curtain
- By: Original Radio Broadcast
- Narrated by: Cary Grant, Agnes Moorehead, Peter Lorre, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 56 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
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What listeners say about The Mercury Theatre on the Air, Vol. 1
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
- cd listener
- 06-09-23
Mercury treater
Ordóñez Welles and his company at their best. Classic OTR. Lots of well known cast members.
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