Produced in Australia and first broadcast in 1940, The Adventures of Marco Polo was a 52-episode two-a-week series created by George Edwards, a well-known figure in Australian radio. Already recognized for a series of successful multi-episode literary adaptations ("The Corsican Brothers", "Frankenstein"), the series was based on the original book and adapted for radio by Maurice Francis. Produced by and starring Edwards, along with his actress-wife Nell Stirling and Tom Farley, Warren Barry, and Eric Scott, the serial captured the attention of listeners thanks to a highly charged dramatic narrative that emphasized action over dialogue. Featuring a score combining original compositions with well-known classical pieces, the series garnered excellent notices - as can be demonstrated by this review in the newspaper "Listen In", published in March 1940.