The Mercury Theatre on the Air, created and hosted by Orson Welles, was a radio series of live radio dramas that aired from July 11, 1938, on CBS Radio, featuring classic literary works performed by Welles's Mercury Theatre repertory company. The hour-long show featured music composed or arranged by Bernard Herrmann and originally aired on Mondays at 9 pm ET before moving to Sundays at 8 pm. The show gained significant fame for its "The War of the Worlds" broadcast in October 1938, which allegedly caused widespread panic, leading Campbell Soup Company to sign on as the sponsor. The last episode of The Mercury Theatre on the Air aired on December 4, 1938, and The Campbell Playhouse began five days later. The show received praise for its creative adaptations of literary works, such as Dracula, Treasure Island, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, pushing the boundaries of sound effects and storytelling to create immersive experiences for listeners. In 1988, the show was inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame.