Advertising executive John Annarino recalled his own lunchtime chats with Orson Welles in an article for The Desert Sun.
Annarino was creative director for DDB Needham, one of the top advertising agencies in the country. Its clients included Paul Masson wines.
Inspired by Henry Jaglom’s best-seller “My Lunches With Orson,” Annarino recalled his meeting with Welles, who signed on to pitch Paul Masson wines “because he was eager for almost any kind of work in the early 1980s, hoping to complete a film that was languishing in some European vault (The Other Side of the Wind).”
As for lunchtime meals, Welles found it “barbaric” not to begin a meal with soup. And he would often call the ad agency and request more red wine.
At times Welles could be difficult on the set, but also quite charming, Annarino recalled. He would talk about the making “Citizen Kane,” the studio cutting of “The Magnificent Ambersons,” the opening tracking shot in “Touch of Evil” and his marriage to Rita Hayworth.
Welles’ promise on behalf of the winery proved memorable; “We will sell no wine before its time.”
“Orson’s imposing presence and his masterful delivery of the slogan made the campaign a huge success,” Annarino wrote. “We did six commercials together. And about that many lunches, all preceded, of course, with soup.”
You can read the full piece at The Desert Sun website.