Orson Welles: Hello Americans (84 page)

1
‘You probably heard from my secretary …’ Letter from William S. Paley to Orson Welles, 15 October 1942.

2
‘The
radio is realising its potency as an educator …’ Speech given by Orson Welles, 6 March 1943.

3
‘I didn’t know until Jack told me …’ Letter from Arthur Miller to Orson Welles, 18 October 1942.

4
‘then genius won.’
Newsweek
, 9 November 1942.

5
‘all Welles and a yard wide.’ ibid.

6
‘The best good-will propaganda …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Nelson Rockefeller, 20 October 1942.

7
‘Orson is
working harder …’ Letter from Jack Moss to J. Hillpot, 15 December 1942.

8
‘I would like to say …’ Letter from Jackson Leighter to Orson Welles, 11 January 1943.

9
‘One first hears the rhythmic beat of jungle drums …’ Bret Wood,
Orson Welles: A Bio-Bibliography
.

10
‘NATURALLY WE ARE UPSET
…’ Telegram from J. Hillpot to Orson Welles, 11 March 1943.

11
‘You will go to Hollywood …’ Letter from
Peter Rathvon to Orson Welles, 19 October 1942.

12
‘
WE BELIEVE YOUR REVISED
…’ Telegram from Al Galston to Orson Welles, 3 September 1942.

13
‘if we do in motion pictures …’ Memorandum from David O. Selznick to Alfred Hitchcock, 12 December 1938.

14
‘he must not deviate …’ Letter from Loyd Wright to Jack Moss, 24 December 1942.

15
‘I should like also to urge you …’ Memorandum from David O.
Selznick to William E. Goetz, 10 December 1942.

16
‘general disbelief …’ Letter from David O. Selznick to Joe Schenk, 15 July 1943.

17
‘the worst accorded to an American actor since …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Robert Stevenson, 10 May 1944.

18
‘certain over-emphases …’
Hollywood Reporter
, 2 February 1944.

19
‘declamatory delivery’.
Variety
, 2 February 1944.

20
‘road-operatic sculpturings
…’ James Agee,
Nation
, February 1944.

21
‘There are about eight or nine …’
Los Angeles Daily News
, 15 February 1943.

22
‘This may be the last time I write a column …’
New York Post
, 10 February 1943.

23
‘Quiet on the set!’
Jack Benny Show
, 14 March 1943.

24
‘
NOW THAT YOU HAVE QUALIFIED
…’ Telegram from William S. Paley to Orson Welles, 16 March 1943.

25
‘I know that you agree …’ Letter from
Orson Welles to Davidson Taylor, 21 September 1943.

26
‘You may not know the difficulties it caused.’ Letter from Davidson Taylor to Orson Welles, 24 September 1943.

27
‘Mr Bryson and I are not
strangers
…’ Letter from Orson Welles to Davidson Taylor, 28 September 1943.

28
‘We cannot with much hope …’ Letter from Lyman Bryson to Orson Welles, 5 October 1943.

29
‘I am sorry to have been advertised
as a speaker …’ Speech by Orson Welles, 16 October 1942.

30
‘All educators, whether they like it or not …’ Speech by Orson Welles to Adult Education Conference, Los Angeles, 5 February 1943.

31
‘We admired tremendously your broad views …’ Letter from Yvonne Ramus, 7 March 1943.

32
‘stage and screen performers …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Helen Bryan, 25 September 1943.

33
‘My part in this
free meeting …’ Speech by Orson Welles, 11 September 1943.

34
‘that it was one …’ Letter from Muriel Miller to Orson Welles, 11 September 1943.

35
‘You were confronted …’ Letter from Charles W. Ward to Orson Welles, 13 September 1943.

36
‘you’re a red-hot potato …’ ibid.

37
‘liberal and courageous remarks …’ Letter from an officer of the Packinghouse Workers to Orson Welles, 12 September 1943.

38
‘I’d give anything to know …’ Letter from Polly of the United Automobile Aircraft and Agricultural Implement Workers to Orson Welles, 15 September 1943.

39
‘
PLAIN TALK BY THE MAN
FROM MARS
…’
Trade Union Press
, n.d.

40
‘The armies of our united …’ Speech by Orson Welles at Overseas Press Club, 2 November 1943.

41
‘the debt our theatre …’ Memorandum by Orson Welles, 3 November 1943, outlining
his forthcoming speech at Soviet-American Congress.

42
‘he speaks for his nation to all the nations …’ Speech by Orson Welles to Soviet-American Congress, 8 November 1943.

43
‘“Elsa,” Welles told …’ ‘Lesson in Morals’, Elsa Maxwell Column,
New York Post
, 7 November 1943.

44
‘I thought I was going to be …’ Unpublished interview with Kathleen Tynan, 12 February 1983.

1
‘America must undertake now …’ Henry Luce,
Time
, 17 February 1941.

2
‘This is a fight between a slave world …’ Speech by Henry Wallace, 8 May 1942.

3
‘Despite being a political dictatorship …’ Louis Dolivet, ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s World’,
Free World
, 1946.

4
‘The Good Neighbor policy …’ Orson Welles editorial, ‘Good Neighbor Policy reconsidered’,
Free World
,
March 1944.

5
‘Very probably …’ Orson
Welles,
‘The Unknown Soldier’,
Free World
, October 1944.

6
‘"I got a tip," he said …’
Los Angeles Times
, 7 May 1943.

7
‘the fool who makes a deliberate choice …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Robert Stevenson, 10 May 1944.

8
‘
WOULD LIKE START WORK
…’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Alexander Korda, 26 June 1943.

9
‘personally, I am up to my neck …’ Letter
from Sergei Mihailovich Eisenstein to Alexander Korda, 3 October 1943.

10
‘the slightest noise …’ Orson Welles introduction to
Magic
by Bruce Elliot.

11
‘with my lousy presentation …’ Letter from Richard Himber to Orson Welles, 14 January 1942.

12
‘It’s taken me a lot longer …’ Orson Welles publicity blurb, August 1943.

13
‘The tent …’
Collier’s Magazine
, August 1943.

14
‘a bewildered, slightly
bitter expression …’
Vogue
, October 1943.

15
‘Miss Hayworth also works …’
Hollywood Reporter
5 August 1943.

16
‘The case of Orson Welles …’ ibid.

17
‘and the harrowing and beautiful experience in Brazil …’
Collier’s Magazine
, op. cit.

18
‘AS YOU KNOW I HAVE BEEN …’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Alexander Korda, 10 March 1944.

1
‘February 2nd is Ground
Hog day …’ Letter from Orson Welles to the show’s writers, 28 January 1944.

2
‘You say that people …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Bob Presnell, 18 February 1944.

3
‘
YOU ALSO HAVE TENDENCY
…’ Telegram from John McMillan to Bob Presnell, 4 March 1944.

4
‘rashly put into my hands …’ Telegram from Orson Welles to John McMillan, 5 March 1944.

5
‘the main intention was comic …’ Telegram from Orson
Welles to Leonard Lyons, 1 March 1944.

6
‘That’ll be all …’
Orson Welles Almanac
, 8 March 1944.

7
‘many of you listening …’
Orson Welles Almanac
, 15 March 1944.

8
‘relax and leave us be …’ Letter from John McMillan to Orson Welles, 22 March 1944.

9
‘To renew or not renew?’ Letter from Dick Compton to William Collier, 16 May 1944.

10
‘I am sure you will be very helpful …’ Letter from Henry
Morgenthau to Orson Welles, 16 May 1944.

11
‘WON’T YOU PLEASE WRITE AS A PRAYER OR A DEDICATION …’
Telegram from Orson Welles to Carl Sandburg, 15 May 1944.

12
‘I
WOULD LIKE MUSIC FOR THIS
…’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Bernard Herrmann, 20 May 1944.

13
‘
DELIGHTED
…’ Telegram
from
Bernard Herrmann to Orson Welles, 20 May 1944.

14
‘
BE SURE TO KEEP TEXARKANA
…’ Telegram from Fred Smith to
Orson Welles, 19 May 1944.

15
‘
NOW HERE’s A JOB FOR YOU
…’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Fred Smith, 22 May 1944.

16
‘Today we talk of the sacrifices …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Fred Smith, 22 May 1944.

17
‘I want you to know …’ Letter from Henry Morgenthau to Orson Welles, 27 June 1944.

18
‘It was a business decision …’ Letter from Dick Compton to Orson Welles, 12 June 1944.

19
‘repainting
dressing room defaced by you’. NBC, 14 June 1944.

20
‘To the fighting armies …’ Speech by Orson Welles to the Hollywood Free World Association, 6 July 1944.

21
‘
WE FILMMAKERS REALISE …’
Telegram from Orson Welles to
Time
, 12 February 1944.

22
‘I send you herewith …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Hedda Hopper, 28 January 1944.

23
‘
GENUS GENIUS
…’ Hedda Hopper,
Photoplay
, May 1944.

24
‘“Henry
Wallace,” Welles said …’ Speech by Orson Welles to Independent Voters’ Committee for Arts and Sciences for Roosevelt, 21 September 1944.

25
‘There is something to thank God for …’ Article by Orson Welles, ‘American Leadership in ’44’,
Free World
, 30 July 1944.

26
‘“they” would try to get …’ Speech by Orson Welles to the Hollywood Democratic Association, 1 September 1944.

27
‘What happened to
the men …’ Speech by Orson Welles at Registration Week Luncheon, 10 October 1944.

28
‘This is Orson Welles speaking …’ Broadcast speech for American Labor Party, WABC, 11 October 1944.

29
‘I cannot believe …’ Speech by Orson Welles,
Herald Tribune
Forum: False Issues and the American Presidency, 18 October 1944.

30
‘They are both suffering from …’ Letter from Maurice Bernstein to Food Rationing
Board, 28 October 1944.

31
‘I HAVE JUST LEARNED …’
Telegram from Franklin D. Roosevelt to Orson Welles, 23 October 1944.

32
‘Dear Mr President …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Franklin D. Roosevelt, 25 October 1944.

33
‘At such a time as this …’ Unused campaign speech by Orson Welles, 6 November 1944.

34
‘You can sell that …’
PM Magazine
, 22 October 1944.

35
‘
I AM AFRAID I DON’T …’
Telegram
from Donald Ogden Stewart to Orson Welles, 18 May 1944.

36
‘It is precisely for this reason …’ Speech by Orson Welles,
Herald Tribune
Forum, op. cit.

37
‘The racist and all the other liars …’ Article by Orson Welles, ‘Significance of the Election’,
Free World
, November 1944.

38
‘Dear Mr Welles …’ Letter
from Franklin
D. Roosevelt to Orson Welles, 25 November 1944.

39
‘Dear Mr President …’
Letter from Orson Welles to Franklin D. Roosevelt, 23 December 1944.

40
‘I know she can’t help …’ Telegram from Harry S. Truman to Orson Welles, 24 February 1945.

1
‘a kind of licensed jester’. Unpublished interview with Kathleen Tynan, 12 February 1983.

2
‘as excited as hell’. Letter from Ted Thackrey to Jackson Leighter, 15 November 1944.

3
‘What
is it that makes a man …’ Leonard Lyons Column Guest,
New York Post
, 1 December 1944.

4
‘to fuss’. Letter from Orson Welles to Ted Thackrey, 7 December 1944.

5
‘
ALMANAC VERY LUSTY
…’ Telegram from Ted Thackrey to Orson Welles, 13 December 1944.

6
‘It looks as if the administration …’ Letter from Geneva Cranston to Orson Welles, n.d.

7
‘Our Astrology department …’
Orson Welles Almanac, New
York Post
, 22 January 1945.

8
‘The sting of a bee …’ ibid., 23 January 1945.

9
‘
ACTOR TURNS COLUMNIST
…’
Time
, 29 January 1945.

10
‘This column is so important …’
New Yorker
, 27 January 1945.

11
‘The editor of this
Almanac …’ Orson Welles Almanac, New York Post
, 30 January 1945.

12
‘I visited our State Department …’ ibid., 31 January 1945.

13
‘This war is not all destruction …’ ibid., 1
March 1945.

14
‘The general was the finest …’ ibid., 26 March 1945.

15
‘Bursting up out of the bloody crust …’ ibid., 7 March 1945.

16
‘we loved the man this side of idolatry …’ ibid., 1 February 1945.

17
‘the rest of his life was an anti-climax …’, 15 February 1945.

18
‘Chaliapin used to hold me on his knee …’ ibid.

19
‘The me-only boys …’ ibid., 27 February 1945.

20
‘Every season for
quite some time now …’ ibid., 2 February 1945.

21
‘It isn’t as slick as …’ ibid., 25 January 1945.

22
‘If it was his plan …’ ibid., 5 February 1945.

23
‘The villainous customs official …’ ibid., 6 March 1945.

24
‘Mrs Pankhurst and her lady friends …’ ibid., 2 March 1945.

25
‘Rub bacon fat …’ ibid., 7 March 1945.

26
‘it should be sent in a plain wrapper …’ ibid., 2 March 1945.

27
‘I know
that Orson …’ Memorandum from Robert Hall of
New York Post
Syndicate Department, 22 February 1945.

28
‘the fantastic Mars genius …’ Letter from Geneva Cranston
to Orson
Welles, 14 February 1945.

29
‘People have heard …’ Letter from Geneva Cranston to Orson Welles (undated).

30
‘Ghost writer … is a member …’ FBI report, 25 April 1945.

31
‘Then, in a little bit of a giveaway …’ Letter from Jackson
Leighter to Ted Thackrey, 9 March 1945.

32
‘These German newspapers which live …’
Orson Welles Almanac, New York Post
, 8 March 1945.

33
‘I’ve read most of Noël’s book …’
Orson Welles Today, New York Post
10 April 1945.

34
‘Remember that there is no choice …’ ibid., 3 April 1945.

35
‘there is no doubt that this leadership …’ Article by Louis Dolivet, ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s World’,
Treasury for
the Free World
, Arco, 1945.

36
‘Personally it would make me most happy …’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Franklin D. Roosevelt, 8 February 1945.

37
‘April will be …’ Message from Franklin D. Roosevelt 3 March 1945.

38
‘“This newsletter” he wrote …’ Orson Welles in Free World daily paper, 6 June 1945.

39
‘The heaped-up dead …’
Orson Welles Today, New York Post
, 8 May 1945.

40
‘Mr Roosevelt
isn’t 29 years old …’ Broadcast, January 1945.

41
‘No, not for a moment …’ Unpublished interview with Kathleen Tynan, 12 February 1983.

42
‘Today another servant of the Lord …’ CBS broadcast speech by Orson Welles, 12 April 1945.

43
‘Something is on its way from Georgia …’ Speech by Orson Welles, 13 April 1945.

44
‘I am going to ask that you be as co-operative …’ Letter from Wayne Tiss to
Jackson Leighter, 15 March 1945.

45
‘
my best
in every sense of the word …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Arthur Pryor, 30 May 1945.

46
‘Editors did not expect …’ Letter from Robert Hall to Orson Welles, 19 May 1945.

47
‘Frankly I haven’t recovered from the shock …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Robert Hall, 30 May 1945.

48
‘a young woman had leaped up …’
Orson Welles Today, New York Post
, 23 April
1945.

49
‘it’s the darnedest thing …’ ibid., 23 May 1945.

50
‘Jack Benny’s black sidekick …’ ibid., 4 June 1945.

51
‘in which you are a recognised authority’. Letter from Bob Hall to Orson Welles, 26 June 1945.

52
‘Without question, the daily task …’ Letter from Ted Thackrey to Orson Welles, 5 July 1945.

53
‘For three weeks …’ Letter from Orson Welles to Ted Thackrey, 31 July 1945.

54
‘
HOW WAS LAST COLUMN
? …’ Telegram from Orson Welles to Ted Thackrey, 1 September 1945.

55
‘His Gorgeousness, the Bey …’
Orson
Welles Today, New York Post
, 9 September 1945.

56
‘Clifton’s. A marvellous place …’ ibid., 22 September 1945.

57
‘It’s always “Labor trouble” …’ ibid., 29 September 1945.

58
‘we’re figuring on …’ ibid., 9 October 1945.

59
‘We are the world’s greatest production …’ ibid.,
19 March 1945.