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John Houseman (1902-1988) was a 20th Century entertainer, known in his early years as a producer for stage, radio and film, and in later life as a character actor in film and television.
In the 1930s, Houseman along with Orson Welles founded the Mercury Theatre, a stage company that later began working in radio. It was a Mercury Theatre adaptation of H.G. Wells' novel The War of the Worlds in 1938 that first garnered national attention to the company, though most of this was directed a Welles. During the time of making the radio play, Welles had an encounter with the Eighth Doctor (BFA: Invaders from Mars).
In his senior years, Houseman found renewed success as an actor, most notable in the 1973 film The Paper Chase and a subsequent television series based upon the film.