100 years ago (on May 6th), Orson Welles was born in Kenosha, Wisc. His father was a wealthy inventor, his mother a concert pianist — both died before he was 15, but before their deaths, the young Welles traveled the world with them. As a child, it was apparent that he could excel in just about all he tried, including painting, playing piano, and the art of magic. At one point, he even gave bullfighting a try.
By age 19, Welles was producing theatrical works and directing short films. In 1937 (at age 22), he began working with actor and film producer John Houseman, and formed the Mercury Theatre. The pair produced the radio drama series The Mercury Theatre on the Air — which famously created "The War of the Worlds."
Welles's first feature film was 1941's 'Citizen Kane', in which he co-wrote, produced, directed, and starred in as Charles Foster Kane. Bernard Herrmann composed the Academy Award nominated score, which we'll listen to on this week's Flicks in Five.
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