Orson Welles, Volume 1: The Road to Xanadu - Softcover

Callow, Simon

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0140254560 ISBN 13: 9780140254563

Publisher: Penguin Books, 1997

Synopsis

“A splendidly entertaining, definitive work.”—Entertainment Weekly

In this first installment of his masterful biography, Simon Callow captures the chameleonic genius of Orson Welles as only an actor/director deeply rooted in the entertainment industry could. Here is Welles’s prodigious childhood; his youth in New York, with its fraught partnership with John Houseman and the groundbreaking triumph of his all-black Macbeth; the pioneering radio work that culminated in the notorious 1938 broadcast of War of the Worlds; and finally, his work in Hollywood, including an authoritative account of the making of Citizen Kane. Rich in detail and insight, this is far and away the definitive look at Orson Welles—a figure even more extraordinary than the myths that have surrounded him.

About this title

Review:

Now in paperback, Callow's vastly entertaining chronicle of Welles's first 26 years seems even finer than it did in 1995. The author's ability to skewer his subject's evasions and lies while retaining critical affection for him is perhaps explained by the fact that Callow, an actor himself, understands the need to mythologize. Welles's innovative theatrical work in the 1930s has never been better described or analyzed. Even such oft-told sagas as the War of the Worlds broadcast and the filming of Citizen Kane gain new dimension from Callow's intelligent treatment.

About the Author:

Simon Callow is an actor, director, and writer. He has appeared on the stage and in many films, including Four Weddings and a Funeral. His other books include Orson Welles: Hello Americans, Orson Welles: One-Man Band, Shooting the Actor, and Being an Actor.

About this edition

• Publisher: Penguin Books
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0140254560
• ISBN 13: 9780140254563
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 688