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 Paul Masson advertisements "Welles found it "barbaric" not to begin a meal with soup", and noted of Welles's lunchtime drinking, "Orson liked Paul Masson’s cabernet. He often called the ad agency and instructed, “Send more red.” The agency sent more red." It has been speculated that this is what may have led to his state during the recording session. The final advert aired managed to avoid embarrassment about Welles's state, by using a combination of retakes (a close-up of Welles holding a champagne flute), cuts away from Welles to close-ups of the wine bottle, and some (not entirely synchronised) dubbing made by Welles