The The In the fall of 1938, Orson Wells brought his legendary stage company to radio in the Mercury

Theater on the Air. The prestigious

anthology series featured adaptations of classics from stage, screen, and

literature, but it lacked sponsorship. That is, until Wells October 30th production of

H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds made front-page headlines around the world. The attention

on both Orson Wells and his program the rebranded Campbell Playhouse made Campbell's Coup to sign on a sponsor.

The rebranded Campbell Playhouse

made its debut on December 9th, 1938. Slowly but surely changes began to

take shape at the show. Campbell's introduced a policy of special guest

stars, one that challenged the idea of a

repertory theater company on radio.

Campbell's eventually began selecting stories for the show, a decision that led to

clashes between Wells and his advertisers.

At the end of his contract, Wells, who said he was sick of having the heart torn out of a script by radio censorship, left the show.

He turned his attentions to making Citizen Kane, but he would return to radio in 1942

and would remain heavily involved in the medium for the rest of the decade,

whether hosting his own shows, guesting on programs like suspense,

or subbing for a sick Jack Benny for several weeks on the comedian's popular program.

I don't know if the murder of Roger Acroyd was one of the stories forced on Wells by

Campbell's, as it seems like one he would have elected to adapt on his own.

During his Mercury Theater on the air run, Wells starred as Sherlock Holmes in an adaptation

of William Gillette's Holmes' stage play and a love of mysteries was clearly in Wells blood.

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