Orson Welles (1915-1985) was an actor, playwrite, director and producer of radio, tv and movies. Welles first feature-length film Citizen Kane (1941) is considered to be one of the top three American films ever made. Welles was an important film director, but his influence was also felt very strongly on the radio.
Welles was the child of a well-to-do inventor and a sufferagette. At an early age he was declared a child prodigy. At three he could recite Shakespeare and play both piano and violin. Left an orphan as a teenager, Welles gravitated toward the theater.
He is well know for The Shadow and Mercury Theater on the Air in the 1930s. On the latter program Orson Welles produced War of the Worlds on October 30, 1938. At the age of 23 Welles was catapulted onto the world stage.
The first installment in our Orson Welles double feature is:
The Jack Benny Program March 14, 1943. Jack was seriously ill for several weeks in 1943. Orson Welles took over the Jack Benny Show as a guest host for three weeks. This is the first of Welles guest host appearances and is a very funny show. Welles was very good at poking fun at his own reputation. This program also marks the return of Phil Harris, the very funny band-leader, from military service with the U.S. Merchant Marines.
