Orson Welles

Orson Welles

Biography: George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985), best known as Orson Welles, was an American film director, actor, theatre director, screenwriter, and producer, who worked extensively in film, theatre, television and radio. Noted for his innovative dramatic productions as well as his distinctive voice and personality, Welles is widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished dramatic artists of the twentieth century, especially for his significant and influential early work—despite his notoriously contentious relationship with Hollywood. His distinctive directorial style featured layered, nonlinear narrative forms, innovative uses of lighting such as chiaroscuro, unique camera angles, sound techniques borrowed from radio, deep focus shots, and long takes. Welles's long career in film is noted for his struggle for artistic control in the face of pressure from studios. Many of his films were heavily edited and others left unreleased. He has been praised as a major creative force and as "the ultimate auteur." After directing a number of high-profile theatrical productions in his early twenties, including an innovative adaptation of Macbeth and The Cradle Will Rock, Welles found national and international fame as the director and narrator of a 1938 radio adaptation of H. G. Wells's novel The War of the Worlds performed for the radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was reported to have caused widespread panic when listeners thought that an invasion by extraterrestrial beings was occurring. Although these reports of panic were mostly false and overstated, they rocketed Welles to instant notoriety. Citizen Kane (1941), his first film with RKO, in which he starred in the role of Charles Foster Kane, is often considered the greatest film ever made. Several of his other films, including The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), The Lady from Shanghai (1947), Touch of Evil (1958), Chimes at Midnight (1965), and F for Fake (1974), are also widely considered to be masterpieces. In 2002, he was voted the greatest film director of all time in two separate British Film Institute polls among directors and critics, and a wide survey of critical consensus, best-of lists, and historical retrospectives calls him the most acclaimed director of all time. Andrew Sarris in his influential book of film criticism The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929–1968 included him in the "pantheon" of the 14 greatest film directors who had worked in the United States. Well known for his baritone voice, Welles was also an extremely well regarded actor and was voted number 16 in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Stars list of the greatest American film actors of all time. He was also a celebrated Shakespearean stage actor and an accomplished magician, starring in troop variety shows in the war years.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: May 06, 1915

Deathday: October 10, 1985

Popularity:

17.899

Known For

Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane

1941-04-17

A Man for All Seasons
A Man for All Seasons

1966-12-13

The Magnificent Ambersons
The Magnificent Ambersons

1942-07-10

Chimes at Midnight
Chimes at Midnight

1965-12-22

The Third Man
The Third Man

1949-08-31

Touch of Evil
Touch of Evil

1958-03-30

History of the World: Part I
History of the World: Part I

1981-06-12

The Trial
The Trial

1962-12-21

Twelve Plus One
Twelve Plus One

1969-10-07

The Transformers: The Movie
The Transformers: The Movie

1986-08-08

Moby Dick
Moby Dick

1956-06-27

Catch-22
Catch-22

1970-06-24

The Lady from Shanghai
The Lady from Shanghai

1947-12-24

Is Paris Burning?
Is Paris Burning?

1966-10-26

The Stranger
The Stranger

1946-07-02

And Then There Were None
And Then There Were None

1974-09-24

House of Cards
House of Cards

1968-09-16

Journey into Fear
Journey into Fear

1943-01-07

Treasure Island
Treasure Island

1972-10-01

The Deep
The Deep

2007-07-08

Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees
Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees

1965-12-22

Jane Eyre
Jane Eyre

1943-12-24

Don Quixote
Don Quixote

1992-04-20

According to Occam's Razor
According to Occam's Razor

1999-01-01

Welles' Language
Welles' Language

1990-01-01

Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional
Celebração - 100 Anos do Cinema Nacional

1997-01-01

Casino Royale
Casino Royale

1967-04-13

Waterloo
Waterloo

1970-10-26

Follow the Boys
Follow the Boys

1944-05-05

The Battle of Neretva
The Battle of Neretva

1969-10-07

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
Rikki-Tikki-Tavi

1975-01-09

Macbeth
Macbeth

1948-10-01

Butterfly
Butterfly

1982-02-05

The Long, Hot Summer
The Long, Hot Summer

1958-05-17

Compulsion
Compulsion

1959-04-01

Necromancy
Necromancy

1972-09-22

The Lost Print: The Making of Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons
The Lost Print: The Making of Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons

2022-07-01

The Vikings
The Vikings

1958-06-11

F for Fake
F for Fake

1973-09-01

Napoleon
Napoleon

1955-03-25

The V.I.P.s
The V.I.P.s

1963-09-01

American: An Odyssey to 1947
American: An Odyssey to 1947

2022-10-20

The Black Rose
The Black Rose

1950-09-01

The Southern Star
The Southern Star

1969-03-04

Prince of Foxes
Prince of Foxes

1949-11-11

From Introduction to Orson Welles’s Falstaff: Chimes at Midnight
From Introduction to Orson Welles’s Falstaff: Chimes at Midnight

2023-04-09

Mr. Arkadin
Mr. Arkadin

1955-08-09

Tomorrow Is Forever
Tomorrow Is Forever

1946-02-20

Three Cases of Murder
Three Cases of Murder

1955-03-15

The Kremlin Letter
The Kremlin Letter

1970-02-01

Alfonso Sansone: Producer by Chance
Alfonso Sansone: Producer by Chance

2014-09-10

Malpertuis
Malpertuis

1971-01-02

Othello
Othello

1951-11-28

The Man Who Saw Tomorrow
The Man Who Saw Tomorrow

1981-01-09

Royal Affairs in Versailles
Royal Affairs in Versailles

1954-02-10

Orson Welles: The One-Man Band
Orson Welles: The One-Man Band

1995-10-08

The Biggest Battle
The Biggest Battle

1978-02-07

The Dominici Affair by Orson Welles
The Dominici Affair by Orson Welles

2003-04-12

Tepepa
Tepepa

1969-01-31

The Secret Life of Nikola Tesla
The Secret Life of Nikola Tesla

1980-02-19

Slapstick of Another Kind
Slapstick of Another Kind

1982-12-09

A Safe Place
A Safe Place

1971-10-01

Hot Tomorrows
Hot Tomorrows

1977-04-01

Trent's Last Case
Trent's Last Case

1952-09-22

Ten Days' Wonder
Ten Days' Wonder

1971-12-01

The Immortal Story
The Immortal Story

1968-06-01

Emergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"
Emergency: Donald Trump’s "Touch of Evil"

2019-02-21

The Late Great Planet Earth
The Late Great Planet Earth

1978-01-17

David and Goliath
David and Goliath

1960-01-22

Voyage of the Damned
Voyage of the Damned

1976-12-22

Black Magic
Black Magic

1949-08-19

It's All True
It's All True

1993-10-17

Ferry to Hong Kong
Ferry to Hong Kong

1959-10-29

Ro.Go.Pa.G.
Ro.Go.Pa.G.

1963-02-19

Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street
Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street

2021-04-23

Future Shock
Future Shock

1972-02-22

Get to Know Your Rabbit
Get to Know Your Rabbit

1972-06-07

The Fountain of Youth
The Fountain of Youth

1958-09-16

The Force Beyond
The Force Beyond

1977-12-02

The Spanish Earth
The Spanish Earth

1937-07-10

The Witching
The Witching

1983-11-25

Marco the Magnificent
Marco the Magnificent

1965-08-06

It Happened One Christmas
It Happened One Christmas

1977-12-11

Filming Othello
Filming Othello

1978-07-10

Mysterious Castles of Clay
Mysterious Castles of Clay

1978-01-01

I'll Never Forget What's'isname
I'll Never Forget What's'isname

1967-12-18

Trouble in the Glen
Trouble in the Glen

1954-06-15

Where Is Parsifal?
Where Is Parsifal?

1984-01-01

It's All Brazil
It's All Brazil

1997-09-18

Return to Glennascaul
Return to Glennascaul

1953-02-01

Parkinson at 50
Parkinson at 50

2021-08-28

The Road to Bresson
The Road to Bresson

1984-05-13

Too Much Johnson
Too Much Johnson

2013-10-09

The Tartars
The Tartars

1961-04-01

Is It Always Right to Be Right?
Is It Always Right to Be Right?

1970-10-31

Hot Money
Hot Money

1983-01-01

Man, Beast and Virtue
Man, Beast and Virtue

1953-05-09

Someone to Love
Someone to Love

1987-09-11

The Fight for Rome
The Fight for Rome

1968-12-17

Magic with the Stars
Magic with the Stars

1982-01-17

The Cave: a parable told by Orson Welles
The Cave: a parable told by Orson Welles

1973-01-01

King Lear
King Lear

1953-10-18

Centinelas del Silencio
Centinelas del Silencio

1971-05-01

The Greatest Adventure--The Story of Man's Voyage to the Moon
The Greatest Adventure--The Story of Man's Voyage to the Moon

1979-01-02

Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote
Orson Welles in the Land of Don Quixote

2000-11-05

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

1977-01-01

Tall Tales: The Ireland of Orson Welles
Tall Tales: The Ireland of Orson Welles

2021-10-17

Notre Dame de la Croisette
Notre Dame de la Croisette

1983-02-23

Othelo The Great
Othelo The Great

2024-09-05

Edge of Outside
Edge of Outside

2006-06-11

The Sailor from Gibraltar
The Sailor from Gibraltar

1967-01-01

The Dreamers
The Dreamers

1985-02-05

Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure
Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure

2011-08-26

The Roots of Heaven
The Roots of Heaven

1958-10-15

Crack in the Mirror
Crack in the Mirror

1960-05-19

To Build a Fire
To Build a Fire

1969-01-01

Orson Welles in Spain
Orson Welles in Spain

1966-06-01

Man in the Shadow
Man in the Shadow

1957-12-12

The Muppet Movie
The Muppet Movie

1979-06-22

Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen
Final Cut: Ladies and Gentlemen

2012-02-04

The Battle Over Citizen Kane
The Battle Over Citizen Kane

1996-01-29

The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years
The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years

1986-01-21

Looking Back Before You Leap
Looking Back Before You Leap

2023-01-31

Ten Days That Shook the World
Ten Days That Shook the World

1967-01-01

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles
Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles

2014-12-12

It's Pretty, but is it Art?
It's Pretty, but is it Art?

2023-03-02

Flame of Persia
Flame of Persia

1971-01-02

The Other Side of the Wind
The Other Side of the Wind

2018-11-02

The Paranormal Peter Sellers
The Paranormal Peter Sellers

2001-01-01

A King's Story
A King's Story

1965-01-01

The Spirit of Charles Lindbergh
The Spirit of Charles Lindbergh

1984-01-01

Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend
Clint Eastwood: The Last Legend

2022-11-13

Upon This Rock
Upon This Rock

1970-01-01

Tut: The Boy King
Tut: The Boy King

1978-01-01

This Is Orson Welles
This Is Orson Welles

2015-05-21

The Hearts of Age
The Hearts of Age

1934-01-01

Jodorowsky's Dune
Jodorowsky's Dune

2013-08-30

Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues
Louis Armstrong's Black & Blues

2022-10-27

Twelfth Night
Twelfth Night

1933-05-15

The Shadow Knows
The Shadow Knows

2012-05-04

Vienna
Vienna

1968-01-01

Lucifer et moi
Lucifer et moi

2009-02-04

LIFE BEYOND: Visions of Alien Life
LIFE BEYOND: Visions of Alien Life

2024-04-17

Swiss Family Robinson
Swiss Family Robinson

1940-02-08

The Merchant of Venice
The Merchant of Venice

1969-12-01

LIFE BEYOND I: The Dawn
LIFE BEYOND I: The Dawn

2019-11-19

On the tracks of a filmmaker
On the tracks of a filmmaker

1988-01-01

Who's Out There?
Who's Out There?

1975-01-01

Jim Henson Idea Man
Jim Henson Idea Man

2024-05-18

The Battle of Grovers Mill
The Battle of Grovers Mill

2024-06-08

A Step Away
A Step Away

1980-01-02

The Last Sailors: The Final Days of Working Sail
The Last Sailors: The Final Days of Working Sail

1984-05-09

Moby Dick
Moby Dick

2000-05-01

Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still
Letter to Jane: An Investigation About a Still

1974-04-11

Orson Welles' Magic Show
Orson Welles' Magic Show

1985-01-24

Lafayette
Lafayette

1962-02-16

Filming 'The Trial'
Filming 'The Trial'

1981-02-01

The Finest Hours
The Finest Hours

1964-09-29

Portrait: Orson Welles
Portrait: Orson Welles

1968-06-01

Directed by John Ford
Directed by John Ford

1971-09-06

Rita Hayworth: Dancing Into the Dream
Rita Hayworth: Dancing Into the Dream

1990-01-01

Oedipus the King
Oedipus the King

1968-06-01

King of Kings
King of Kings

1961-10-11

Start the Revolution Without Me
Start the Revolution Without Me

1970-02-04

Soft Self-Portrait of Salvador Dali
Soft Self-Portrait of Salvador Dali

1969-12-29

The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal
The Fight for Rome II - The Betrayal

1969-02-21

Freedom River
Freedom River

1971-01-01

With Orson Welles: Stories from a Life in Film
With Orson Welles: Stories from a Life in Film

1990-02-05

London
London

1971-12-31

An Evening with Orson Welles: The Golden Honeymoon
An Evening with Orson Welles: The Golden Honeymoon

1970-12-31

A Huey P. Newton Story
A Huey P. Newton Story

2001-06-18

The Well
The Well

2005-03-11

From Fiber to Fabric: Wool's a Natural
From Fiber to Fabric: Wool's a Natural

1977-01-01

Lost in La Mancha
Lost in La Mancha

2002-02-11

Show-Business at War
Show-Business at War

1943-05-21

Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?
Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?

1975-08-06

NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 3
NASA: A Space Odyssey Vol. 3

2001-01-01

Duel in the Sun
Duel in the Sun

1946-12-31

Rita
Rita

2003-09-09

A Horse Called Nijinsky
A Horse Called Nijinsky

1970-01-01

The Orson Welles Show
The Orson Welles Show

1979-02-01

Disorder
Disorder

1950-12-02

The Greenstone
The Greenstone

1980-01-01

They'll Love Me When I'm Dead
They'll Love Me When I'm Dead

2018-08-31

The Quest for Fire Adventure
The Quest for Fire Adventure

1982-01-01

Working with Orson Welles
Working with Orson Welles

1993-01-01

Filmmakers vs. Tycoons
Filmmakers vs. Tycoons

2005-07-17

Bugs Bunny Superstar
Bugs Bunny Superstar

1975-12-19

The Enchanted Journey
The Enchanted Journey

1981-10-10

Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces
Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces

2000-10-24

The Eyes of Orson Welles
The Eyes of Orson Welles

2018-08-17

The Hitch Hiker
The Hitch Hiker

2004-08-11

The Battle of Sutjeska
The Battle of Sutjeska

1973-07-03

The Welles Raft
The Welles Raft

2022-06-23

High Journey
High Journey

1959-12-31

Orson Welles: The Paris Interview
Orson Welles: The Paris Interview

2010-04-01

Around the World of Mike Todd
Around the World of Mike Todd

1968-09-08

La Classe américaine
La Classe américaine

1993-12-31

Battle for Survival
Battle for Survival

1946-07-25

Orson Welles at the Cinémathèque Française
Orson Welles at the Cinémathèque Française

1983-02-28

The Other Side of Welles
The Other Side of Welles

2005-06-03

Hopper/Welles
Hopper/Welles

2020-09-09

The Cave
The Cave

1973-01-01

Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit
Jeanne Moreau: Free Spirit

2018-04-02

The Challenge... A Tribute to Modern Art
The Challenge... A Tribute to Modern Art

1974-12-05

The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts
The Best of the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts

1998-01-01

Rosabella - La storia italiana di Orson Welles
Rosabella - La storia italiana di Orson Welles

1993-09-08

Something Else
Something Else

Genocide
Genocide

1982-03-14

Orson Welles at Large: Portrait of Gina
Orson Welles at Large: Portrait of Gina

1958-09-01

Orson Welles' Sketch Book
Orson Welles' Sketch Book

1955-04-24

King Penguin: Stranded Beyond the Falklands
King Penguin: Stranded Beyond the Falklands

1983-06-22

The Psychic Connection
The Psychic Connection

1983-08-18

Baryshnikov in Hollywood
Baryshnikov in Hollywood

1982-04-21

Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady
Natalie - A Tribute to a Very Special Lady

1982-08-16

The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Michael Landon
The Dean Martin Celebrity Roast: Michael Landon

1984-12-07

Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind
Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind

2020-01-27

Let Poland Be Poland
Let Poland Be Poland

1982-01-31

Doug Henning's World of Magic
Doug Henning's World of Magic

1982-02-14

Out of Darkness
Out of Darkness

1956-12-02

Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years
Frank Sinatra: The First 40 Years

1979-12-13

A Legend a Lifetime: Citizen Welles
A Legend a Lifetime: Citizen Welles

1974-12-01

Orson Welles - The Marketed Genius
Orson Welles - The Marketed Genius

1975-05-11

The Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz

1960-06-17

Disorder Is 20 Years Old
Disorder Is 20 Years Old

1967-06-06

The Magic History of Cinema
The Magic History of Cinema

2017-08-30

The Great Buster: A Celebration
The Great Buster: A Celebration

2018-10-05

Embers & Dust
Embers & Dust

2016-11-16

Know Your Ally: Britain
Know Your Ally: Britain

1944-01-01

Lords of the Forest
Lords of the Forest

1958-11-21

An Arabian Night
An Arabian Night

1960-06-09

Mexico City, Old and New
Mexico City, Old and New

1945-12-01

River of the Ocean
River of the Ocean

1962-12-09

South Seas Adventure
South Seas Adventure

1958-07-16

It's Not All True
It's Not All True

1986-08-22

The Man Who Came to Dinner
The Man Who Came to Dinner

1972-11-29

In Our Hands
In Our Hands

1984-02-16

Magnificent Monsters of the Deep
Magnificent Monsters of the Deep

1975-04-27

Power and Corruption
Power and Corruption

1973-12-01

Wagner e Venezia
Wagner e Venezia

1982-12-03

The Lions of Capitalism: Some Call It Greed
The Lions of Capitalism: Some Call It Greed

1977-12-03

To Try Again... and Succeed
To Try Again... and Succeed

1979-12-04

The New Deal for Artists
The New Deal for Artists

1981-07-06

The Double McGuffin
The Double McGuffin

1979-06-01

Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park
Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park

1980-12-10

Almonds and Raisins
Almonds and Raisins

1985-08-09

The New Media Bible: Book of Genesis
The New Media Bible: Book of Genesis

1979-12-17

Search for the Titanic
Search for the Titanic

1981-12-03

The Enemy Before Us
The Enemy Before Us

1970-10-16

A Gift of Harvest
A Gift of Harvest

1981-12-10

Kelly Country
Kelly Country

1973-10-01

NBC: The First Fifty Years
NBC: The First Fifty Years

1976-11-21

Jeanne Moreau : Vive le cinéma !
Jeanne Moreau : Vive le cinéma !

1972-01-01

Brasil
Brasil

1981-12-05

Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff
Cameraman: The Life and Work of Jack Cardiff

2010-05-05

Caesar's Guide to Gaming with Orson Welles
Caesar's Guide to Gaming with Orson Welles

1978-01-01

The Land of the Basques
The Land of the Basques

1955-10-07

The Blinding of Isaac Woodard
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard

2021-03-30

Beggars Would Ride
Beggars Would Ride

1967-12-01

Who Is Henry Jaglom?
Who Is Henry Jaglom?

1997-07-08

Night of 100 Stars
Night of 100 Stars

1982-03-08

Magic Mirror Maze
Magic Mirror Maze

2012-05-10

Aliens Uncovered: Close Encounters
Aliens Uncovered: Close Encounters

2024-05-21

The Scorpion and the Frog
The Scorpion and the Frog

2025-01-12