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Orson Welles’s Followers (191)

Orson Welles

Born

in Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S., The United States

May 06, 1915

Died

October 10, 1985

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs, Films

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George Orson Welles, 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' George Orson Welles, 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. 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. ...more

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Orson Welles’s books

Average rating: 3.99 · 3,652 ratings · 435 reviews · 108 distinct works • Similar authors

	This Is Orson Welles by Orson Welles, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Rosenbaum (Goodreads Author) (Editor) 4.26 avg rating — 1,109 ratings — published 1992 — 23 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Citizen Kane 4.04 avg rating — 279 ratings — published 2006 — 13 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Mr. Arkadin by Orson Welles, Maurice Bessy 3.46 avg rating — 257 ratings — published 1955 — 27 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Moby Dick - Rehearsed by Orson Welles, Herman Melville (Adapter) 3.85 avg rating — 61 ratings — published 1965 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The War of the Worlds by Orson Welles (Narrator), Mercury Theatre on the Air (Actors) 4.44 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 1938 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Big Brass Ring by Orson Welles, Oja Kodar, James Pepper (Preface) 3.43 avg rating — 35 ratings — published 1987 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The trial: A film by Orson Welles; 4.22 avg rating — 27 ratings — published 1970 — 64 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Les Bravades: A Portfolio of Pictures Made for Rebecca Welles by Her Father 4.23 avg rating — 22 ratings — published 1996	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Invasion From Mars Interplanetary Stories 4.20 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 1949 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Miracolo a Hollywood by Orson Welles, Gianfranco Giagni (Editor) really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 18 ratings — published 1952 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Quotes by Orson Welles (?)

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”
― Orson Welles

tags: food, humor

3082 likes

“My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people.”
― Orson Welles

tags: dinner, humor

1262 likes

“Style is knowing who you are, what you want to say, and not giving a damn”
― Orson Welles

tags: fashion, fuck, meaning, style

604 likes

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Orson Welles’s Followers (191)

Orson Welles

Combine EditionsOrson Welles’s books

Topics Mentioning This Author

Combine Editions
Orson Welles’s books