The May 6th, 2015 would have been the 100th birthday of Orson Wells.

The legendary actor and director is celebrated for his classic films like Citizen Kane, Touch of Evil, and The Third Man.

But Radio was a major presence in Wells Life, from his earliest days on Broadway, well into his career as a film director.

It was during this later period, the years that found Wells in England, far from the Hollywood scene,

that he lent his unique voice and commanding presence to the Black Museum, an anthology of mystery and murder set among the files of Scotland Yard.

In each episode of this syndicated series, Wells led radio

listeners on a tour of the Titular Museum, an archive of objects, everything

from a wool jacket to a 22 caliber pistol, all with something in common.

Each was a key piece of evidence in a murder case.

Wells would stop at one of the objects and spin its story from the

crime itself to the investigation to the final verdict. Each item, no matter how innocuous it appeared, was tied to a violent death.

On radio, one gets the image of wells shrouded in shadow as he moves through a cavernous collection of mayhem. In fact, the real black museum

sounds a little less foreboding. It was first opened in 1875, and it was intended as a resource to help the police investigate crimes.

It won the name Black Museum in 1877

though its official title is the Crime Museum of Scotland Yard.

Today it still exists as part of New Scotland Yard

with an assortment of weapons and artifacts of some of England's most infamous crimes, including some letters allegedly

penned by Jack the Ripper.

As of today, it is not open to the public.

The Black Museum was another product of the partnership between Orson Wells and producer Harry Allen Towers.

Towers built himself as the Orson Wells of Europe, so perhaps it was only fitting that the two teamed up while Wells was

abroad. During Wells years in England, he starred in not only the Black Museum for

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