Voting Station

Mercury Theater on the Air

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Radio Personality

The Resume

    (June 1937-December 9, 1939)
    Aired on the CBS
    Founded by John Houseman & Orson Welles
    Produced many adaptions of classic stories for radio listeners
    The program was produced, directed, scripted, and acted in by Orson Welles
    Brought to fame for the updated version for the airwaves of H. G. Wells's 'The War of the Worlds,' which panicked America into the belief they were being invaded by a Martian army
    Became the Campbell's Soup playhouse in June 1939
    Aired their last broadcast March 1940
    Featured regular actors such as Martin Gabel, Alice Frost, Ray Collins, Virginia Welles, Agnes Moorehead & Everett Sloane
    Featured guests such as Katherine Hepburn, Burgess Meredith, Helen Hayes, Madeleine Carroll, Laurence Olivier, Gertrude Lawrence, Joan Bennett, Lionel Barrymore & Humphrey Bogart
    Featured music from the CBS staff composer/conductor of the time, Bernard Herrmann

Why they might be annoying:

    They caused chaos when they fooled America into believing they were under attack by an army from the red planet.
    The theater was basically a showcase for Orson Welles.
    A majority of the group's accomplishments were accredited to Welles.
    They sold out to corporate sponsors and became a Campbells' soup owned company.
    They had a low Crossley rating (radio listeners rating) of 5.4.
    They placed unconvincing adverts for soup into their plays.

Why they might not be annoying:

    They were so good in their broadcast of War of The Worlds that they managed to convince thousands of listeners that it was real.
    Many of its members went on to be respected members of the film industry.
    They delivered classic literature to the people in a format which was both enjoyable and easy to take in.
    They often had to perform unrehearsed.
    They inspired the film 'The Night That Panicked America.'

Credit: Fandango


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 8 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 6 Votes: 16.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 15 Votes: 20.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 11 Votes: 45.45% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 12 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 13 Votes: 53.85% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 15 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 44 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 33 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 90 Votes: 46.67% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 119 Votes: 46.22% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 244 Votes: 44.26% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 97 Votes: 49.48% Annoying