Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane (133 page)

social activism of, 40, 41–42, 44, 49, 51–53, 55, 56–60, 63–64, 69–71, 72, 78, 80, 352

social life of, 30–31, 33–34, 38–40, 44, 45–46, 64, 65–66, 71–73, 74, 89–90, 94, 98

and son Orson,
see
Welles, George Orson

and son Richard Ives Welles, 32, 75, 92

travels of, 39, 44, 46, 63

wedding of Dick and, 27–28, 33

Welles, Christopher (daughter),
see
Feder, Chris Welles

Welles, George Orson:

as actor, 215, 230, 232, 253, 265, 267, 268–69, 270, 271, 283, 285–86, 288, 304, 310, 311, 312, 331, 357, 363, 366, 372, 376, 379, 427, 430, 442, 443, 453, 515, 528–29, 645, 656, 745

in Africa, 241–46

anti-Welles faction in Hollywood, 582–86, 607–8, 609, 647–48, 650, 659

aura and inner confidence of, 196, 197–98, 271, 307, 329, 333

awards and honors to, 736, 742–43, 744–45

and belief in Satan, 371–72

and Bernstein,
see
Bernstein, Maurice A.

Big Ideas of, 226–27, 236, 238–39, 271, 272–73, 296, 314–16, 323, 373, 621, 628, 660

biographies of, 13, 60, 86, 113, 206, 316, 407, 418–19, 595, 696, 734

birthdays of, 103–4, 115, 127, 150, 169, 181, 216, 245, 282, 321, 349, 380, 453, 542, 573, 630, 656–57, 659, 718, 719, 735, 743

birth of, 5–6, 26, 64

as born showman, 84–85, 432

as boy genius, 6, 90, 112–13, 125, 130, 132, 617

at camp, 118–21

character portrayed in films, 420–21

childhood of, 78, 79, 80, 82, 84–90, 92, 93, 94–95, 97, 101, 102, 106, 107, 109–32, 144–46, 525, 617, 729

cigar smoking, 195, 196, 217

in Cornell touring company, 253–54, 258–73

critical reviews of, 204–5, 207, 208, 209, 212, 213, 267, 268–69, 282, 285, 288, 295, 300, 311, 313, 363–65, 366, 376, 380, 404–5, 427, 453, 484, 513–14, 529

on death, 738

death of, 743–44

as director, 211, 215, 280, 282, 283, 312, 329, 331–32, 339–42, 343–45, 348, 361–62, 363–64, 374–77, 404, 414–15, 416, 462, 465, 470, 475–77, 480, 484, 514, 588–89, 591–95, 663

dramatic instinct of, 319

drinking, 344, 524, 610

early girlfriends of, 163–64

early poems by, 120, 124–25, 141–44, 158, 243

eccentricities of, 135, 145, 420, 422–23, 590

ego of, 107, 271, 647

and
Everybody’s Shakespeare
,
see Everybody’s Shakespeare

on evil as dramatic tool, 372

and fatherhood, 450, 467, 614

and filmmaking seminar, 713–14

films of,
see specific films

and finances, 107, 193, 195, 232, 234, 245, 248, 263, 297, 314–16, 319, 320, 330, 337, 346, 350, 413, 449, 463, 518, 535–36, 541, 551–52, 562, 605–8, 613, 614, 629–30, 633, 641, 642, 646, 647, 656–59, 701–2

and the Gate,
see
Gate Theatre

gravestone of, 747

health of, 101, 111–12, 167

and Hill,
see
Hill, Roger

and his brother, 100–101, 140–41, 178, 193, 227–28, 559, 706, 721, 722, 723

and his father, 60, 81, 85, 87–89, 113, 149, 169–72, 174–75

and his father’s death, 177, 178, 550

and his father’s will, 147

and his mother, 9, 79, 84, 85–87, 92, 101, 103–4, 107–8, 371, 379

and his mother’s death, 104, 106, 107, 108, 109, 149, 152, 178

in his twenties, 318–19, 323–24, 331, 337, 350, 370, 421, 430, 513, 529, 533, 545, 576, 630, 702

in Hollywood, 557–68, 573–80, 582–97, 598, 603–7, 608–10, 614–18

and Hollywood blacklist, 727–28

and Hollywood offers, 407–8, 539–41, 546, 551–54

home movies of, 159–60, 218, 219, 286–87, 475

and homosexuals, 126, 155, 167, 208, 418–20, 584–85

and Houseman,
see
Houseman, John

improvisation by, 470, 594

infancy of, 66, 69, 72

infidelities of, 438–39, 440–41, 448, 454–57, 466, 480, 487, 525, 600

injuries to, 688, 728

in Ireland, 187, 188–216

and John Brown play (“Marching Song”), 219, 220, 222–26, 227, 229–37, 239, 252, 253, 278, 294, 316, 567, 622

laughter of, 156, 198, 203, 319, 599–600, 713, 734

legacy of, 745–46

lifestyle reflecting success, 418, 420, 442, 462–63, 466, 524, 605

and luck, 254, 277, 308, 323–24, 362, 373, 408, 512, 527, 703, 733, 734, 735, 742

and magic, 103, 114–15, 117, 123, 127–28, 136, 362, 373, 709–13, 714–15, 730, 741

media interviews and stories about, 123–25, 261, 453–54, 459, 460, 462–63, 512, 518, 524–25, 559n, 561–62, 582–83, 590, 614, 617, 647–48

memorial to, 746–48

on
Merv Griffin Show
, 730–34

and motion pictures, 475–80, 484, 539–41, 548, 551–58, 565, 589–90, 592–95, 661–63, 687–88, 703, 735;
see also specific films

multitasking, 223–24, 225, 231, 236, 295, 302, 337–38, 339, 344, 359, 362–63, 375, 411, 413, 414, 432, 435, 447–49, 458, 480–81, 491, 494, 743

and Negro Unit, 329, 331–37, 339–42, 345–49, 351–54, 363

newspaper articles by, 153–54, 726

and New York, 216, 227, 228–36, 253, 255–61, 293–97, 323–24

and “Orson’s people,” 333–35, 415, 552, 582–83, 587

overseas in blacklist years, 727–28

at parties, 205–6, 252, 406, 566–68, 574, 576–77, 609, 614–15, 616

physical appearance of, 155–56, 275, 306, 307

and politics, 312–13, 352, 382, 385, 402, 495, 585, 734

portraits of, 350, 430, 730

practical jokes by, 129–30, 431

and Project 891,
see
Project 891

public image of, 123, 350, 377, 418, 462–63, 512, 560–61, 568, 580, 612, 614, 633, 710

as public speaker, 161, 179, 320, 447, 448, 523, 630, 646–48

and radio, 235, 281, 320, 324–26, 330, 337–39, 346, 350, 357–59, 362–63, 368–70, 375, 378–80, 403–5, 413, 430–32, 443, 447, 458–60, 463, 467–71, 482, 485–87, 516–18, 531, 542, 547, 642–44, 645–46, 726;
see also specific shows

and radio/TV commercials, 338, 430, 518, 544

and religion, 371–72

rise to the top, 418, 420, 449, 461, 462, 524

and RKO,
see
RKO

rootlessness of, 107, 215

schooling of, 75, 111–12, 115, 121–22, 131, 132, 135–39, 141–45, 147–49, 226–27, 240;
see also
Todd School

self-promotion of, 346, 612

Senate testimony of, 447–48

and “The Shadow,” 413, 414, 430–32, 435, 440, 441, 448, 449, 459, 514

short stories by, 239–40, 245–46, 248, 730

in Spain, 246–50, 251, 747

stage/scenery designs by, 210–11, 213, 214, 215, 217, 329, 374, 386, 414, 433, 492–93, 497, 514

and “The Summing Up,” 460–61, 462

tales told by, 22, 130, 151, 152, 155, 159–60, 163–64, 169–72, 193, 195, 206, 245, 248–50, 313, 371, 383, 403, 440, 729–30

tantrums of, 341, 343–45, 421, 494, 581, 583, 614

as teen-aged genius, 179, 261, 267, 281, 284

teen years of, 150, 152–59, 169–75, 177, 179–87, 204, 206–7, 211, 216, 220–25, 229, 256, 261, 267, 268, 272, 281, 284, 288, 317

travels of, 159–61, 168–72, 179, 187, 188–216, 240, 241–50

trust fund of, 48, 177, 181–83, 241, 541, 630, 656–59

as twenty-year-old genius, 323, 337, 350, 353, 408, 418, 420, 421, 428, 437, 449, 513, 528, 533, 543, 561, 562, 742

and vaudeville, 546–47, 548–51

and Virginia, 284, 287, 298–99, 517;
see also
Welles, Virginia Nicolson

voice of, 156, 198–99, 201, 203, 207, 214, 263, 270, 304, 309, 358, 361, 370, 379, 383, 446, 510–11, 743

weight of, 537, 711, 715, 718–19, 730, 732

“Where Was Moses?,” 231, 236

“Why Race Hate Must Be Outlawed,” 352

wives of, 715, 716

Woodstock summer company of, 271–89

Welles, Rebecca (daughter), 716, 726, 727

Welles, Richard Head “Dick” (father), 7, 12–26

adulterous affairs of, 81–82, 83, 96

and Badger Brass, 24–26, 29, 31–32, 34–38, 40, 45, 52, 55, 73–74

and Bain Wagon Works, 23

and Beatrice, 26, 27–28, 716;
see also
Welles, Beatrice Ives

and Beatrice’s death, 105, 106, 146

birth and childhood of, 17–18

in Chicago, 22–23, 26, 28, 78–79, 80

death of, 176–77, 178, 720

and “Dick Welles” (horse), 26–27

drinking, 80–81, 82, 96, 110, 170, 172, 174

end of marriage, 81–82, 90, 95, 96–97

family background of, 12–20

health problems of, 110–11, 146, 172, 176–77

and Hotel Sheffield, 100–101, 117–18, 121, 128–29, 145–46, 150–51, 152

influence of, 277

inventions of, 29, 55, 60, 183, 525

as model citizen, 80–81

and money matters, 96–97, 176, 729

nightlife enjoyed by, 27, 46, 70, 87

and Orson’s childhood, 87–89, 102, 109–11, 113–15, 117, 118, 120, 127–29, 144, 525

and Orson’s teen years, 152, 159, 160, 173–75

progressive views of, 26, 54–55, 60–61, 352

retirement of, 168–69

school years of, 20–21

and social activism, 54–55, 76

social life of, 64, 65–66, 71–73, 74

and son Richard Ives Welles, 115, 130–31, 139–41, 147

travels of, 22, 28, 44, 46, 63, 110, 159, 168–72, 179, 658

trust fund of, 21–22

wedding of, 27–28

will of, 146–47, 176, 177, 181–83

Welles, Richard Ives (brother):

asocial traits of, 82, 83, 101, 140, 178, 321–22, 378

birth of, 32

in California, 559, 706

childhood of, 39, 46, 48–49, 51, 58, 63, 72

court case of, 139–41

death of, 720, 723

and his mother’s death, 105–6, 183

injuries of, 48–49, 75, 91

institutionalization of, 140–41, 147, 183, 227–28

in later years, 720–23

and money matters, 130–31, 140, 147, 183, 193, 228, 722

released from hospital, 321–22

on the road, 96, 101, 115, 140

and school, 75, 78–79, 82, 83, 91–92

tales told by, 378

teen years of, 90–92, 96, 97, 100

Welles (Wells), Richard J. (grandfather), 13–15, 16, 17

Welles, Virginia Nicolson (wife):

as “Anna Stafford,” 472, 480, 489, 492, 530, 531, 599, 627, 658

and “Bright Lucifer,” 314

on Caribbean cruise, 377–78, 381

and
Cradle
, 384, 398

and
Danton’s Death
, 492, 494

and daughter Chris (Feder), 406, 411, 449–50, 454, 575

and Hollywood, 408, 552–53

and
Horse Eats Hat
, 360, 361–62

and John Houseman, 353

and Charles Lederer (second husband), 658, 702, 716–17

letters from Orson, 299, 377, 378, 412, 414, 530, 538, 557–58, 559, 560, 566, 574–78, 585–86, 598

marriage of Orson and, 298–99, 300, 301–2, 307, 322, 350, 403, 405–6, 407, 411–12, 437–39, 457, 466, 472, 494, 530, 715

Married at Leisure
by, 716–17

and money matters, 319, 320, 656, 658–59, 702, 716, 717

in New York, 317, 324

and Orson’s “love notes,” 438–39, 440

and
Panic
, 308, 309, 310

parents of, 296, 299, 320, 322, 323, 530, 614

performances of, 301, 314, 369, 373, 404, 406–7, 473, 480, 489, 520

pregnancy of, 405, 407, 411, 437, 438, 449

and Jackie Pringle (third husband), 716, 717

and Project 891, 373, 374

separation and divorce, 598–601, 608, 613–14, 627, 630, 641, 658–59

side romances of, 472, 600

socializing, 406, 414, 542–43, 549

and vacation getaways, 377–78, 381, 413, 414, 515, 553, 558

and Voodoo
Macbeth
, 329, 341, 343

Welles, Virginia (Nicolson):

marriage to Orson, 298–99, 715;

in New York, 296, 297, 298, 317

and Woodstock summer theater, 279, 284, 286, 288

Wellman, William, 557

Wells, Henry Hill, 13

Wells, H. G.,
The War of the Worlds
, 499, 504, 512

Wells, Orson C. “Ort” (stockbroker), 63, 188

Wells, Rachel Dagworthy, 12–13

Wells, Richard (ancestor), 12, 13

Wells, William Dagworthy, 13, 15

Wells, William H., 12–13

We Work Again
(WPA film), 348n

WGN Chicago, 281

Whaley, Bart,
Orson Welles: The Man Who Was Magic
, 743

Wheelock, Ward, 516, 568–69, 573, 580, 581

Whiffen, Lawrence C., 224

Whipple, Sidney B., 436, 514

Whistler, James Abbott McNeill, 233–34

Whole Town’s Talking, The
(film), 590

Whorf, Richard, 310

Wickes, Mary, 473, 492

Wiene, Robert, 589

Wilcox, Herbert, 674

Wilde, Oscar, 123, 125, 126, 239, 464

Wilder, Thornton, 133, 282, 301

The Bridge of San Luis Rey
, 252, 517

influence of, 253–55, 256, 258, 259, 260, 303

The Long Christmas Dinner
, 252, 685

Wiley, Louis, 636

Wilkerson, W. R., 583

Willard, John A., 416

Williams, “Big Boy” Guinn, 585

Williams, Charles, 738

Williams, E. L., 24, 29

Williams, Tennessee, 198

Williams and Walker, 27

Wilson, Mrs. Richard (Betty), 727

Wilson, Frank, 329, 331

Wilson, Harry Leon, 146

Wilson, Richard, 471, 549, 745–46

and
Citizen Kane
, 667, 697, 704

and
It’s All True
, 746

and Mercury Theatre, 434, 521, 547, 610, 667

and Orson’s “slaves,” 434, 473, 492, 502, 547

Wilson, Woodrow, 69, 612

Wiman, Dwight Deere, 228–29

Winchell, Walter, 562, 641, 659

Wings over Africa
(film), 589

Winters, Linda,
see
Dorothy Comingore

Winwood, Estelle, 405

Wisconsin, women’s suffrage in, 42, 49–50, 51–54, 55–56, 59, 60, 72, 76, 78

Wise, Rabbi Jonah B., 511

Wise, Robert, 673, 703

Witham, Barry B., 384, 391, 402

Witherspoon, Herbert, 301

Witmer, Charles C., 61