Orson Welles "First Person Singular", with the formula that Welles would play the lead in each show. Some months later the show was called "The Mercury Theatre on the Air". The weekly hour-long show presented radio plays based on classic literary works, with original music composed and conducted by Bernard Herrmann. The Mercury Theatre's radio adaptation of "The War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells October 30, 1938, brought Welles instant fame. The combination of the news bulletin form of the performance with the between-breaks dial spinning habits of listeners was later reported to have created widespread confusion among listeners who
Orson Welles well as Bernard Herrmann. Welles invested his earnings into his failing stage play. "Commentaries" was a political vehicle for him, continuing the themes from his "New York Post" column. Again, Welles lacked a clear focus, until the NAACP brought to his attention the case of Isaac Woodard. Welles brought significant attention to Woodard's cause. The last broadcast of "Orson Welles Commentaries" on October 6, 1946, marked the end of Welles's own radio shows. The film that Welles was obliged to make in exchange for Harry Cohn's help in financing the stage production "Around the World" was "The Lady from Shanghai",