Happy Birthday, Orson Welles! Born today in 1915 as George Orson Welles, this American actor, writer, producer and director who is remembered for his innovative work in radio, theatre and film. He is considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.
Welles was twenty-three years old when he broadcast an episode of the American radio drama anthology series The Mercury Theatre on the Air.
The episode had been directed and narrated by the future actor and filmmaker, and was an adaptation of English writer H. G. Wells's 1898 science fiction novel The War of the Worlds.
The episode had been directed and narrated by the future actor and filmmaker, and was an adaptation of English writer H. G. Wells's 1898 science fiction novel The War of the Worlds.
Upon hearing the broadcast, local residents in Grover's Mill, New Jersey fled into a panic attack. They believed that real-life aliens had crash-landed into their town and were under attack from outer space invasion and the release of Martian gas.
The broadcast is now considered to be one of the most memorable in radio history.
The broadcast is now considered to be one of the most memorable in radio history.
Three years later, Welles co-wrote, produced, directed and starred in the 1941 American black and white drama/mystery film 'Citizen Kane'. Welles was twenty-six years old.
The quasi-biographical film examines the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles. His character was based in part upon American newspaper magnates.
These included American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician William Randolph Hearst and American newspaper publisher and businessman Joseph Pulitzer.
These included American businessman, newspaper publisher, and politician William Randolph Hearst and American newspaper publisher and businessman Joseph Pulitzer.
These also included Chicago tycoons, being British-born American business magnate, innovator and investor Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick, and aspects of the screenwriters' own lives. Upon its release, Hearst prohibited mention of the film in any of his newspapers.
Among his credits in the 1940s, Welles was best known for directing the 1942 American black and white drama film 'The Magnificent Ambersons', the 1946 American black and white noir/thriller film 'The Stranger' and the 1947 American black and white noir/mystery film 'The Lady from Shanghai', co-starring his then-second wife Rita Hayworth.
Among his acting credits of the 1940s, Welles co-starred one of his more memorable roles as Harry Lime. This was in English film director Carol Reed's ('Odd Man Out') 1949 British noir/thriller film 'The Third Man'.
Among his acting credits in the 1950s, Welles' most memorable role was that of co-starring as the monstrous, game-legged police captain Hank Quinlan. The film also starred Charlton Heston and Janet Leigh. Welles had written and directed the film as well.
Among his credits in the 1960s, Welles was known for writing, directing and narrating the 1962 French/Italian/West German black and white black comedy drama/fantasy film 'The Trial'. The film starred Anthony Perkins in the lead role.
'The Trial' has grown in reputation over the years, and some critics, including American film critic, historian, journalist, screenwriter and author Roger Ebert, have called it a masterpiece.
It is often praised for its scenic design and cinematography, the latter of which includes disorienting camera angles and unconventional use of focus.
The film had been based off of Czech-born German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer Franz Kafka’s eponymous 1925 philosophical absurdist dystopian paranoid fiction novel.
Among his directing credits of the 1960s, Welles was best known for writing, directing and starring as Falstaff in the 1965 Swiss/Spanish black and white period comedy-drama/war film 'Campanadas a medianoche' ('Chimes at Midnight').
'The Trial' has grown in reputation over the years, and some critics, including American film critic, historian, journalist, screenwriter and author Roger Ebert, have called it a masterpiece.
It is often praised for its scenic design and cinematography, the latter of which includes disorienting camera angles and unconventional use of focus.
The film had been based off of Czech-born German-speaking Bohemian novelist and short-story writer Franz Kafka’s eponymous 1925 philosophical absurdist dystopian paranoid fiction novel.
Among his directing credits of the 1960s, Welles was best known for writing, directing and starring as Falstaff in the 1965 Swiss/Spanish black and white period comedy-drama/war film 'Campanadas a medianoche' ('Chimes at Midnight').
The script for the film contains text from five of William Shakespeare's plays; primarily Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2, but also Richard II, Henry V, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
The following year, 'Chimes at Midnight' premiered at the 19th Cannes Film Festival, winning two awards there. This occurred in May 1966.
In the early 1970s, Welles was best known for co-writing, directing and starring in the 1973 French/Iranian/West German documentary/docudrama film 'F for Fake'. In French, the film is known as 'Vérités et mensonges' ('Truths and lies').
The film was also co-written by Croatian actress, screenwriter and director Oja Kodar. She co-stars as The Girl, and was also known as Welles' partner during the later years of his life.
In 1975, in spite of all his box office failures, Welles received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 1975, in spite of all his box office failures, Welles received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award.
Four years later, Welles gave one of his final film appearances. This was in appearing in a cameo as Hollywood producer and studio executive Lew Lord in the 1979 American family musical road comedy film 'The Muppet Movie'.
The character's name is a reference to Ukrainian-born British media proprietor and impresarioS ir Lew Grade. He was then also the head of British company, ATV, which originally co-produced The Muppet Show.
In 1984, the Directors Guild of America awarded Welles its highest honor; the D.W. Griffith Award. Welles' reputation as a filmmaker steadily climbed thereafter.
In 1984, the Directors Guild of America awarded Welles its highest honor; the D.W. Griffith Award. Welles' reputation as a filmmaker steadily climbed thereafter.
Welles was an outsider to the studio system, and struggled for creative control on his projects early on with the major film studios in Hollywood.
Later in life, he also struggled with a variety of independent financiers across Europe, where he spent most of his career. Many of his films were either heavily edited or remained unreleased.
Later in life, he also struggled with a variety of independent financiers across Europe, where he spent most of his career. Many of his films were either heavily edited or remained unreleased.
According to Welles' personal life, he had three marriages (most notably with Hayworth) and three children.
Known for his baritone voice, Welles performed extensively across theatre, radio and film. He was a lifelong magician, noted for presenting troop variety shows in the war years.
Known for his baritone voice, Welles performed extensively across theatre, radio and film. He was a lifelong magician, noted for presenting troop variety shows in the war years.
In 1989, 'Citizen Kane' was selected by the Library of Congress as an inductee that year's inaugural group of twenty-five films for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 1991, 'The Magnificent Ambersons' was added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.
In 1993, 'Touch of Evil' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
In 2018, 'The Lady from Shanghai' was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
Considered by many critics, filmmakers, and fans to be the greatest film ever made, 'Citizen Kane' was voted as such in five consecutive British Film Institute Sight & Sound polls of critics, and it topped the American Film Institute's 100 Years ... 100 Movies list in 1998, as well as its 2007 update.
The film is particularly praised for Gregg Toland's cinematography, Robert Wise's editing (who would later become a producer and film director), Bernard Herrmann's music, and its narrative structure, all of which have been considered innovative and precedent-setting.
In 2002, Welles was voted the greatest film director of all time in two British Film Institute polls among directors and critics. In 2018, he was included in the list of the 50 greatest Hollywood actors of all time by The Daily Telegraph.
Wells had been active from 1931–1985.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i7ycxiog40
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