大象传媒

By taking McDonald鈥檚 from a single burger joint in California to a household name across the world, Ray Kroc made one of America鈥檚 great fortunes. After a few false starts - and dumping his existing wife at a party to celebrate their upcoming round-the-world cruise - he married a blonde pianist called Joan. He proposed with an 11-carat pink heart-shaped diamond.

Joan loved Ray, but she didn鈥檛 love his drinking. And she didn鈥檛 love the boring life of a society wife. So she set up a charity to fight alcoholism - sparking an interest in philanthropy which would see her give away more than a billion dollars. Along the way, this great widow also gambled in Vegas, commissioned a sculpture of a mushroom cloud and bought herself a Faberg茅 egg.

For two decades, Great Lives on Radio 4 has explored what it takes to change the world. But Helen Lewis wants to ask a different question: what does it take to live with someone who changes the world? In the second season of Great Wives, we鈥檒l meet more fascinating women - and men - and uncover the relationships that created great art, started wars and changed history.

Written and performed by Helen Lewis with additional voices from Kudzanayi Chiwawa & Joshua Higgott
Producer: Gwyn Rhys Davies
Production Coordinator: Sarah Nicholls
Sound Design: Neil Goody

A 大象传媒 Studios Production for Radio 4