Orson Welles, the Rise and Fall of an American Genius

ORSON WELLES, THE SHADOW, AND OLD TIME RADIO By Mike RayBefore he made Citizen Kane (recently named the Greatest American Movie ever), and before his success at the Gate Theatre in Dublin, and the Apollo Theatre in New York, Orson Welles was the top Radio star of his day. Barely 21 years old, Welles was the producer and director of "The Mercury Theatre on the Air," as well as the main attraction of "The American Cavalcade," and as Lamont Cranston, the dapper man about town, in "The Shadow." Yes it's true, Welles had "THE VOICE," but he was also a pure genius (not a term to be thrown around lightly). He had a vision for what he wanted to accomplish, and many of his Radio productions are considered (60 years later) the greatest programs the industry ever produced. Welles believed that ones creative days are limited. So he literally conducted his life burning both end! ! s of the candle to accomplish everything he wanted to do. His typical day would have him start out at 8 a.m. with the Mutual Radio Network, and then he would rush across town to hit NBC by nine. He, and that marvelous voice would be needed at CBS to do the Shadow at 10 a.m. Then back to Mutual and continue the process throughout the day. Not only was that process physically draining on Welles, it was also nerve racking trying to make his job appointments on time. One day a co-worker (Agnes Moorhead of the Mercury Theatre) suggested to him that he rent out an ambulance and with siren blaring weave in and out of traffic to get him to the networks on time. Welles found out that it was not against the law to travel in this fashion, and adopted this mode of transportation for the next 2 years. At night Welles would produce his own stage productions, using money he earned from all of his radio jobs during the day. Quite often his Mercury Theatre Radio team would join him in his e! ! vening pursuits. Welles and his Mercury crew produced Shake! speare's "Julius Caesar" in New York. The play was such a hit it put him on the cover of TIME. Not bad for a chubby kid from Kenosha, Wisconsin. Welles then produced Macbeth with an all black cast at the Apollo theatre in Harlem. The Apollo was not only sold out, but on opening night traffic was at a standstill for over a mile radius of the Theatre. The play was an unqualified success. Welles received rave reviews from critics everywhere. Still on his breakneck pace, the now 22 year old sensation was about to embark on the project that would make him a household name in America. On October 30, 1938 Welles and his Mercury Theatre presented "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells. The story is about a Martian invasion of earth. Under Welles' direction, the play was written and performed so it would sound like a news broadcast about an invasion from Mars. As the play unfolded, dance music was interrupted a number of times by fake news bulletins reportin! ! g that a "huge flaming object" had drop