2001: A Space Odyssey (film), 745
Tyler, George C., 229, 235–36, 239, 294, 295
Tynan, Kenneth, 249
UAW (United Auto Workers), 389
Un Chapeau de Paille d’Italie (An Italian Straw Hat) (stage play), 354–57
Uncle Tom’s Cabin (stage play), 320–21, 358
Underwood, Drury, 22, 27, 30, 75
United Press, 647
United Productions, 660
Universal Pictures, 462, 618
“Vakhtangov,” see Alland, William
Valley Forge stage play), 305, 308, 549
Van Anda, Carr Vattel, 636
Vance, William, 278, 286, 287, 474, 668
Vandamm, Florence, 261
Van Dyke, W. S., 587, 589
Van Vechten, Carl, 347
Van Zandt, Philip, 705
Variety, 295, 404, 510, 533, 550–51, 557
Vassar College, Experimental Theatre, 327, 402, 423
Venice Theatre, New York, 393–95, 402
Verne, Jules, Around the World in Eighty Days, 358, 497, 498
Vertigo (film), 744, 745
Victoria Regina (stage play), 434
“Victoria Regina” (radio), 547
Vidal, Gore, 737
Vidor, King, 567, 587–88
Viertel, Peter, Dangerous Friends, 383
Vigil in the Night (film), 589
Voodoo Macbeth, 339–54, 355, 362, 363, 618
backstage team for, 332, 334–35, 341, 373
black community backlash about, 341–42, 346, 352
casting of, 335–37, 352, 386, 586, 727
costs of, 351
critical reviews of, 348–49, 353
documentary film of, 348n
and Negro Unit, 329, 331–37, 339, 351–54
Orson as director of, 329, 331–32, 339–42, 343–45, 348, 382, 418, 513
premiere of, 346–49, 350, 353
rehearsals for, 339–43, 346
road production of, 351, 366
success of, 348, 349, 353, 401, 564
Virgil Thomson as composer of, 332–33, 341, 343, 344, 345, 356
WABC (radio station, NY), 337, 338, 415, 459, 499, 512, 547
Wade, Horace Takisson, 123
Wagner Act (1935), 388
Wakenight, Frances, 129
Waldorf, Wilella, 361, 376Walker, Vernon L., 673
Walk Together Chillun (drama), 331–32, 342
Wallace, Edgar, 233
Wallis, Gladys, 237, 571, 637
Walsh, Raoul, 567
Walska, Ganna, 154–55, 238
Wanger, Walter, 563, 567
Ward, Lydia Avery Coonley, 108
Warner, Henry C., 128, 130
Warner, Jack, 567
“War of the Worlds” (Mercury Theatre), 499–512
audience for, 506, 508, 512
broadcast of, 503, 505–8, 681
cast for, 502
and CBS, 498, 501, 508–10, 511, 513, 516
celebrity as result of, 512, 562
considered too corny, 500, 501, 502, 505, 509
death threats as result of, 511
disclaimers for, 506, 508, 509, 512
film proposal for, 645
government investigation of, 511
as Halloween prank, 511
Howard Koch’s script for, 499–501, 504, 648–50
legal responsibility for, 509, 510, 511
media reactions to, 509–11, 513–14, 537–38
music for, 501–2, 503, 505, 506
Orson’s adaptation of the novel, 499, 501, 504, 508
panicked reactions to, 508–12, 513, 538, 561, 648
press conference about, 510–11
rehearsals of, 501–3
script auctioned off, 523
script passed by censors, 501, 509
special effects for, 501, 503
writings about, 503, 504, 648–50
Warrick, Ruth, 108, 685–89, 693, 734
Warring-Manley, Marian, 465
Washington, Fredi, 347
Washington Daily News, 533
Watkinson, Eve, 206
Watson, Augusta Crafts Tolman, 9, 12, 72
Watson, Ben, 7–8
Watson, Dudley Crafts, 89, 102, 181, 321
and Art Institute of Chicago, 103, 110, 279, 280
and Beatrice Welles’s illness and death, 105
and Beatrice’s performances, 72, 73, 83, 97–98, 103, 161
family of, 106, 109
and Hillside estate, 108–9
and Milwaukee Art Institute, 83, 97–98, 103
and Orson’s future plans, 109, 110
and Ravinia Festival, 94
trip to Europe, 106, 159, 168
and Welles family, 82
and Woodstock summer festival, 280, 281, 282, 286
Watson, James, 7
Watson, William Weldon, 7
Watson, William Weldon III, 9
Watson family, 106, 110, 117–18, 129
Watts, Richard Jr., 364, 366, 376, 427, 428, 436, 513
Wayne, John, 585n, 5980
WEAF (radio station, NY), 338
Webster, John, 409, 410, 445, 446
Weidig, Adolf, 10
Weill, Kurt, 385, 415
Weissberger, L. Arnold:
and The Campbell Playhouse, 569
and Citizen Kane, 696
and The Cradle Will Rock, 392
and “First Person Singular,” 459
and Orson’s finances, 581, 605–6, 614, 616, 630, 656–59, 701
and RKO contract, 551, 559, 565, 597, 628
and “War of the Worlds,” 509
and Welles divorce, 608, 656–59, 702
Weissberger, Augusta, 335, 343, 370, 378, 391, 410, 423, 457, 476, 485, 554, 605, 657
Weitzenkorn, Louis, 571
Welles, Beatrice (daughter), 716, 729, 747
Welles, Beatrice Ives (mother):
in Chicago, 78–79, 83
death of, 104–6, 107, 108, 109, 146, 152, 178, 720
and Dick, 26, 27–28, 716
end of marriage, 81–82, 90, 95, 96–97
family background of, 7–12
friends of, 49–50
health problems, 77, 99, 103–4
and her mother’s death, 77–78
influence of, 277, 371, 379
in Kenosha, 33–34, 38–46, 49–53, 57–60, 62, 69–71, 72, 81, 83
musical interests of, 10–12, 31, 39, 41, 43, 72–73, 83, 86, 89, 98, 99
poem by “B.I.W.,” 76
pregnancy of, 63
public image of, 38
public performances by, 40, 44–45, 56, 58, 59, 62, 71, 72–73, 74–75, 78, 83–84, 92, 97–98, 101–2, 103, 130, 161, 379
and religion, 98–99, 371
and school board, 57–58, 64, 78
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, 150–5
1, 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
Young Orson: The Years of Luck and Genius on the Path to Citizen Kane Page 99
