Orson Welles

(1915 - 1985)

Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Orson Welles entertained his friends as a child by staging miniproductions of William Shakespeare’s plays and performing magic tricks. After working in theater and radio in the 1930s, he went on to become an actor, director, producer, and writer for RKO Radio Pictures. His credits include Citizen Kane, The Stranger, The Lady from Shanghai, Othello, and Touch of Evil, among other films. When asked where he got the confidence as a first-time director to make Citizen Kane, Welles responded, “Ignorance. Sheer ignorance. There is no confidence to equal it.”