On the centennial of his birth, the defining wunderkind of modern
entertainment gets his due in a groundbreaking new biography of his
early years--from his first forays in theater and radio to the
inspiration and making of Citizen Kane.
In the history of American popular culture, there is no more dramatic
story--no swifter or loftier ascent to the pinnacle of success and no
more tragic downfall--than that of Orson Welles. In this magisterial
biography, Patrick McGilligan brings young Orson into focus as never
before. He chronicles Welles's early life growing up in Wisconsin and
Illinois as the son of an alcoholic industrialist and a radical
suffragist and classical musician, and the magical early years of his
career, including his marriage and affairs, his influential friendships,
and his artistic collaborations.
The tales of his youthful achievements were so colorful and improbable
that Welles, with his air of mischief, was often thought to have made
them up. Now after years of intensive research, McGilligan sorts out
fact from fiction and reveals untold, fully documented anecdotes of
Welles's first exploits and triumphs, from starring as a teenager on the
Gate Theatre stage in Dublin and bullfighting in Sevilla, to his time in
the New York theater and his fraught partnership with John Houseman in
the Mercury Theatre, to his arrival in Hollywood and the making of
Citizen Kane. Filled with intriguing new insights and startling
revelations--including the surprising true origin and meaning of
"Rosebud"--Young Orson is a fascinating look at the creative
development and influences that shaped this legendary artistic genius.
