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By taking McDonald’s from a single burger joint in California to a household name across the world, Ray Kroc made one of America’s 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’t love his drinking. And she didn’t 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 Fabergé 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’ll 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 ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Studios Production for Radio 4