Orson Welles Welles had not been drafted. "The Mercury Wonder Show" ran August 3 – September 9, 1943, in an 80-by-120-foot tent located at 9000 Cahuenga Boulevard, in the heart of Hollywood. At intermission September 7, 1943, KMPC radio interviewed audience and cast members of "The Mercury Wonder Show"—including Welles and Rita Hayworth, who were married earlier that day. Welles remarked that "The Mercury Wonder Show" had been performed for approximately 48,000 members of the U.S. armed forces. The idea of doing a radio variety show occurred to Welles after his success as substitute host of four consecutive episodes (March 14 –
Orson Welles last campaign rally, speaking at an event November 4 at Boston's Fenway Park before 40,000 people, and took part in a historic election-eve campaign broadcast November 6 on all four radio networks. On November 21, 1944, Welles began his association with "This Is My Best", a CBS radio series he would briefly produce, direct, write and host (March 13 – April 24, 1945). He wrote a political column called "Orson Welles' Almanac" (later titled "Orson Welles Today") for "The New York Post" January–November 1945, and advocated the continuation of FDR's New Deal policies and his international vision, particularly the establishment