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Orson Welles

Orson Welles

  • Teen actor

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.

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The Battle of Grovers Mill

The Battle of Grovers Mill

2024

Original Story

Hopper/Welles

Hopper/Welles

2020

Director

Cerné par le diable

Cerné par le diable

2019

Thanks

Halston

Halston

2019

Theme Song Performance

The Other Side of the Wind

The Other Side of the Wind

2018

Director, Editor, Screenplay

Silent Times

Silent Times

2018

Thanks

The Brother Side of the Wake

The Brother Side of the Wake

2018

Thanks

Passage to Mars

Passage to Mars

2016

Theme Song Performance

Bucket

Bucket

2015

Thanks

Tim May Presents Reptile

Tim May Presents Reptile

2014

Thanks

Citizen Vader

Citizen Vader

2014

Characters

Too Much Johnson

Too Much Johnson

2013

Director, Screenplay, Producer, Editor

The Debridement of Rome

The Debridement of Rome

2012

Thanks

Welcome to the Basement

Welcome to the Basement

2012

Theme Song Performance

Incident at Barstow

Incident at Barstow

2011

Thanks

Variations on a High School Romance

Variations on a High School Romance

2010

Thanks

Beer and Board Games

Beer and Board Games

2010

Thanks

L'antre du Mea

L'antre du Mea

2010

Thanks

Dahmer vs. Gacy

Dahmer vs. Gacy

2010

Thanks

F for favor

F for favor

2008

Original Concept

The Deep

The Deep

2007

Director, Screenplay, Producer

The Hitchhiker

The Hitchhiker

2007

Original Concept

Orson Welles Talks With Roger Hill

Orson Welles Talks With Roger Hill

2005

Director

The Dominici Affair by Orson Welles

The Dominici Affair by Orson Welles

2003

Director

The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons

2002

Screenplay

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV

Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV

2001

Thanks

Moby Dick

Moby Dick

2000

Director, Theatre Play, Editor

The Big Brass Ring

The Big Brass Ring

1999

Writer

As Long as He Lives

As Long as He Lives

1998

Thanks

The Way to Santiago

The Way to Santiago

1998

Writer

The Big Brass Ring

The Big Brass Ring

1997

Writer

The Hearts of Age

The Hearts of Age

1997

Original Concept

Treasury of Children's Stories

Treasury of Children's Stories

1996

Theme Song Performance

Valentines. A Bouquet of Letters and Poetry of Lovers

Valentines. A Bouquet of Letters and Poetry of Lovers

1994

Theme Song Performance

It's All True

It's All True

1993

Director

Historias Breves 0: Distant encounters

Historias Breves 0: Distant encounters

1993

Thanks

Don Quixote

Don Quixote

1992

Director, Producer, Editor, Screenplay

Dieter & Andreas

Dieter & Andreas

1989

Thanks

Continental

Continental

1989

Thanks

Waxwork

Waxwork

1988

Thanks

It's All True: Four Men on a Raft

It's All True: Four Men on a Raft

1986

Director, Writer

Scene of the Crime

Scene of the Crime

1985

Creator

Moonlighting

Moonlighting

1985

Thanks

The Dreamers

The Dreamers

1985

Director, Writer

Orson Welles' Magic Show

Orson Welles' Magic Show

1985

Director, Writer, Producer

The Spirit of Charles Lindbergh

The Spirit of Charles Lindbergh

1984

Director

Trick or Treats

Trick or Treats

1982

Other

The War of the Worlds: Next Century

The War of the Worlds: Next Century

1981

Thanks

Filming 'The Trial'

Filming 'The Trial'

1981

Director, Producer

The Orson Welles Show

The Orson Welles Show

1979

Director, Writer

Filming Othello

Filming Othello

1978

Director, Writer

NBC: The First Fifty Years

NBC: The First Fifty Years

1976

Writer

3 A.M.

3 A.M.

1975

Editorial Services

Crónicas fantásticas

Crónicas fantásticas

1974

Thanks

F for Fake

F for Fake

1973

Director, Writer, Editor

Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

Orson Welles' Great Mysteries

1973

Director, Screenplay, Creator

Treasure Island

Treasure Island

1972

Writer

London

London

1971

Director, Writer, Editor

Freedom River

Freedom River

1971

Producer

An Evening with Orson Welles: The Golden Honeymoon

An Evening with Orson Welles: The Golden Honeymoon

1970

Writer, Director, Producer, Editor, Music Arranger, Production Design

The Merchant of Venice

The Merchant of Venice

1969

Director, Screenplay, Producer, Editor

One Man Band

One Man Band

1968

Director, Screenplay, Creator

The Immortal Story

The Immortal Story

1968

Director, Screenplay

Vienna

Vienna

1968

Director, Writer, Producer

The Bible: In the Beginning...

The Bible: In the Beginning...

1966

Additional Writing, Scenario Writer

Chimes at Midnight

Chimes at Midnight

1965

Director, Screenplay, Costume Design

Shindig!

Shindig!

1964

Theme Song Performance

In the Land of Don Quixote

In the Land of Don Quixote

1964

Director, Editor, Additional Camera, Producer, Creator

The Trial

The Trial

1962

Director, Screenplay, Editor

Tempo

Tempo

1961

Director, Writer

Hong Kong as seen by Orson Welles

Hong Kong as seen by Orson Welles

1960

Director

The Fountain of Youth

The Fountain of Youth

1958

Director, Writer, Producer, Production Design, Music Arranger

Orson Welles at Large: Portrait of Gina

Orson Welles at Large: Portrait of Gina

1958

Director, Writer

Colgate Theatre

Colgate Theatre

1958

Music Arranger, Director, Screenplay, Producer

Touch of Evil

Touch of Evil

1958

Director, Screenplay

The Land of the Basques

The Land of the Basques

1955

Director

Around the World with Orson Welles

Around the World with Orson Welles

1955

Director, Writer, Creator

Mr. Arkadin

Mr. Arkadin

1955

Director, Screenplay, Story, Producer, Editor, Production Design, Costume Design, Art Direction

Orson Welles' Sketch Book

Orson Welles' Sketch Book

1955

Director

Three Cases of Murder

Three Cases of Murder

1955

Theme Song Performance

Othello

Othello

1951

Director, Producer, Screenplay

Portrait of a Murderer

Portrait of a Murderer

1949

Writer, Production Design

Macbeth

Macbeth

1948

Director, Screenplay, Producer, Costume Design, Set Designer

The Lady from Shanghai

The Lady from Shanghai

1947

Screenplay, Producer, Director

Monsieur Verdoux

Monsieur Verdoux

1947

Story

The Stranger

The Stranger

1946

Director, Co-Writer

Jane Eyre

Jane Eyre

1943

Associate Producer

Journey into Fear

Journey into Fear

1943

Screenplay, Producer

The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons

1942

Director, Screenplay, Producer, Additional Photography

Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane

1941

Director, Producer, Screenplay

The Hearts of Age

The Hearts of Age

1934

Director, Writer

Twelfth Night

Twelfth Night

1933

Director, Director of Photography, Costume Design, Adaptation

Something Else

Something Else

Original Concept

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