On July 27, 1937, a groundbreaking seven-part radio adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic novel Les Misérables made its highly anticipated debut on the Mutual Network. The ambitious project was written, directed, hosted, and starred in by a brilliant 22-year-old theatrical prodigy named Orson Welles.
Playing the lead role of Jean Valjean, Welles utilized this series to pioneer advanced sound design techniques and experiment with first-person narration on the airwaves. This masterful broadcast served as Welles’ first official job as a writer-director for radio, laying the creative groundwork for his legendary 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast and his cinematic masterpiece, Citizen Kane.
