"Me and Orson Welles"

JohnVerity · Post by **JohnVerity** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 9:58 am

I am a Welles fan from way back and just stumbled onto this most interesting and entertaining and useful site. Bravo!

I was surprised to find no mention of a novel published in 2003, Me And Orson Welles, written by Robert Kaplow. Publisher: MacAdam/Cage Publishing.

While it is a fiction, this book is based on a good deal of serious and unique research. Kaplow managed to locate one of the actors who had appeared in the famous Mercury Theater stage production of Julius Ceasar; the man, whose name escapes me just now, still lives in NYC. Kaplow interviewed him at length and used what he learned in his book.

The book should be out in paperback soon. It's a fun book, not deep, but quite entertaining and well-informed. It has some good jokes and evidently accurate descriptions of Welles and his gang: Joseph Cotten's nickname, it seems, was "Fertlizer," on account of his bedding so many women.

(Full-disclosure: Kaplow and I went to college together, shafred a strong interest in Welles, have stayed in touch off and on since then - more off than on. He is a quite serious Welles fan/scholar, even met the guy, has collected many interesting Welles-related items, as I recall.)

Here's a story I just found on the Web:

Orson, the kid, and a ukulele, 1937
Sunday, February 1, 2004

By JIM BECKERMAN

"Me and Orson Welles" is Robert Kaplow's first book in a foreign language.

It's the language not of another place, but another time - New York, 1937.

"That don't buy beans." "A bum of the first water." "What's the diff?" "Take a runout powder" (later to be shortened to the more familiar "take a powder").

"I made this long list, it must have been eight pages of words and phrases, and I hung it in the doorway of my kitchen," says the Metuchen writer. "I wanted to work those things in."

It's the language of a Preston Sturges movie or a Clifford Odets play - "half poetic and half street mook," Kaplow calls it. And it gives an authentic edge to this lively yarn, à la "My Favorite Year," about an eager-beaver high school kid from Westfield who crosses paths and then swords with the great Orson Welles.

The book, Kaplow's sixth, has gotten glowing reviews from Entertainment Weekly ("A-"), The Washington Post, and Kirkus.

"This is really based on a deep and lifelong interest in Welles and the theater, and the popular art of that time," Kaplow says.

The time is the Great Depression. Fiorello LaGuardia is mayor. "Have You Got any Castles?" is No. 5 on the hit parade, and bratty 22-year-old genius Welles is about to make Broadway history with his first Mercury Theatre production, a modern-dress, "fascist" rendition of "Julius Caesar."

It was a photo from that production that sparked "Me and Orson Welles."

Ten years ago Kaplow, who teaches English, creative writing, and film at Summit High School, came upon a 1937 theater magazine. In it was a picture of Welles in his "Julius Caesar" garb. Next to him was a bit player - a teenage boy with a lute, which on closer inspection proved to be a modified ukulele.

"I said, 'Wow, this is a novel,'" Kaplow recalls. "What does this moment feel like? Not from Welles' point of view, but from this kid's point of view?"

Kaplow, 49, well remembers what it feels like to be young and bursting with ambition.

Soon after graduating Rutgers in 1976, he became one of the founding members of The Punsters, an offbeat rock band-comedy troupe that released two albums and appeared many times on National Public Radio.

In the end, Kaplow based his teenage hero Richard partly on himself (Kaplow is originally from Westfield) and partly on his father, who had been a stage-struck teen in the 1930s. But he also managed to track down the boy actor from the photograph.

Arthur Anderson, now in his 80s, lives in lower Manhattan.

"He had a very good memory of the period, and he kept a scrapbook," Kaplow says of Anderson, who played Lucius, a boy musician, in the production.

He let Kaplow question him at length about John Houseman, Joseph Cotton, Martin Gabel, and other members of The Mercury Theatre, some of whom later came to fame in Welles' notorious "War of the Worlds" radio broadcast and his history-making first film, "Citizen Kane."

"I went through everyone in the playbill," Kaplow says. "I said, 'Tell me everything about these guys you can remember.' I said to him, 'Where were the bathrooms in the theater? Where were the dressing rooms? Was it cold?'" (It was - Welles couldn't afford heat until opening night.)

More than one of Anderson's anecdotes made their way, heavily fictionalized, into the novel. "He told me how he set the sprinkler system off in the building with a pack of matches in the dressing room," Kaplow says. "I worked that into the book."

The actor also had a surprise for Kaplow. "He says to me, 'I still have the ukulele.'

"Then he goes to the shelf and pulls down this Gibson ukulele from 1937. I said to him, 'Do you remember the song you sang in the play?' He says, 'I could sing it in my sleep.' So right at his kitchen table, he sings the song. And he let me tape it. I couldn't believe it."

Amazon's page: http://www.amazon.com/exec....s=books

Roger Ryan · Post by **Roger Ryan** » Thu Mar 03, 2005 11:29 am

"Me And Orson Welles" was discussed briefly on this board right after it was published. I received the book for my birthday last year and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of clever Wellesian in-jokes; I was especially amused by the part where the character of Welles begins appropriating passages of dialogue from "The Magnificent Ambersons" into an unrelated radio play, then passes it off as spontaneous improvisation. It was clear that Kaplow had done his homework even though the storyline was fictional.

Orson&Jazz · Post by **Orson&Jazz** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 4:46 am

I recently order this book from Amazon. I haven't recieved it yet.

I am hoping soon, because after reading this, it makes it sound even more interesting!

;)

colwood · Post by **colwood** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:03 am

This book sounds interesting, going to have to check it out.

If fictionalized history interests you, there is another Welles-related book that came out a few years ago. I think it was only mentioned once on this site but don't know if it is as well researched as Me and Orson appears to be. It's the story of a PI on his first job, protecting Welles after he started getting death threats prior to the opening of the Voodoo Macbeth. It's called King of Harlem. Currently its available from a Print on Demand company, iUniverse, but may get a real publishing soon.

http://www.amazon.com/gp....=283155

http://fuziondigital.com/Harlemhome.htm

Wilson · Post by **Wilson** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 11:25 am

There was also a novel published in Europe, set during the filming of BLACK MAGIC, in which a murder occurs. There had been talking of filming it at one point, but nothing ever came of it. The name of the novel escapes me at this point though.

Eve_h · Post by **Eve_h** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 2:36 pm

I think the name of the novel was 'Fade To Black' ['Dissolvenza al Nero'] by Davide Ferrario. It was published in Italy in 1994. It seems that the author even did a kind of documentary titled 'Confidential Report - about Orson Welles' in 1996 (running about 20 minutes) which deals with the novels' content.

Alan Brody · Post by **Alan Brody** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:31 pm

Apparently Zac Effron is being wooed to possibly play the lead in a film version of Me and Orson Welles. I agree that it's a good book and think it would make a good film.

http://justjared.buzznet.com/2007/08/18 ... on-welles/

Alan Brody · Post by **Alan Brody** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 9:56 am

Looks like Zac has decided to do it, with Richard Linklater directing! I've enjoyed every one of Linklater's movies I've seen, so this one looks like it may have some big potential:

http://www.topix.com/who/zac-efron/2008 ... -in-welles

Christian Mckay will play Orson Welles. Here's a picture of him as Welles in the 2004 stage production Rosebud- the Lives of Orson Welles:

http://www.theatermania.com/news/images/10870a.jpg

Glenn Anders · Post by **Glenn Anders** » Sat Jan 19, 2008 4:24 pm

Alan: What splendid news.

Looks as if the market for "Orson Welles" as a movie character is picking up. The IMDb has suddenly posted "7 March 2008" as a UK release date for FADE TO BLACK, a film recently discussed on another thread, based on a novel mentioned by Jeff Wilson above. Somewhat disconcertingly, Movie Mania carried the following unsubstantiated item, dated January 11, 2008:

"zack2366's videos:

"Fade to Black - Released by Lionsgate on January 18th 2008

"movie trailer lionsgate film to christopher welles black london danny walken huston fade diego luna paz vega orson :: Friday, January 11, 2008 by zack2366

"Rome 1948: In an attempt to recover from his failed marriage to Rita Hayworth and to restart his career, Orson Welles (Danny Huston) travels to Italy to make his come-back film, but when an actor is murdered on set, he is drawn into a dangerous web of intrigue, murder and politics. Based on true events. Starring: Danny Huston, Christopher Walken, Paz Vega and Diego Luna. Fade to Black will be showing from January 18th exclusively at Odeon, 11/18 Panton Street, London, SW1Y 4DP."

The plot thickens like a Black Pudding.

If true, the March 7 date may suggest a wider opening after the Odeon limited engagement.

The more the merrier in this Year of Welles 2008!

Glenn

ToddBaesen · Post by **ToddBaesen** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:15 am

Here's more on ME AND ORSON WELLES in a story from THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Christian McKay looks like he could be a good Welles look alike, but I don't quite see Ben Chaplin as George Coulouris. Does anyone who has read the book know who else from the Mercury theater has a big part?

ToddBaesen · Post by **ToddBaesen** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:16 am

delete

ToddBaesen · Post by **ToddBaesen** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 5:18 am

ZAC EFRON Hangs with WELLES

By Borys Kit

Zac Efron will star in "Me and Orson Welles," an adaptation of the period coming-of-age novel by Robert Kaplow that Richard Linklater will direct.

Set in 1937, the story centers on a high school student (Efron) who, while strolling the streets of New York, happens upon the yet-to-open Mercury Theatre and is noticed by its mercurial founder, Orson Welles. The man lands a bit part in "Julius Caesar," the production that catapulted Welles to the top, and spends the next week learning about life and love.

Newcomer Christian McKay will play Welles. Ben Chaplin ("Water Horse: The Legend of the Deep") has been cast as English film and stage actor George Coulouris.

The script was written by Holly Gent Palmo, who was a production coordinator on Linklater's "Dazed and Confused," and Vince Palmo, who was first assistant director on several of the helmer's films.

Anne Carli, who worked on Linklater's "Fast Food Nation," is a producer on the project, which is independently financed.

Glenn Anders · Post by **Glenn Anders** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:39 am

delete

Glenn Anders · Post by **Glenn Anders** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 6:40 am

At least, Todd, Ben Chaplin is about three years older than Coulouris would have been in 1937. Coulouris was 34 at the time. Most of us don't remember Coulouris before 1941, when he was indeed 37 or so. With a little makeup, Chaplin should be able to pull it off.

Although the cast changed around a bit, Coulouris played Marc Anthony for much of the run. In the movie, among other Mercury people we should see, in addition to Welles, are Joseph Cotten, Martin Gabel, Edmund O'Brien, and Norman LLoyd.

Glenn

Alan Brody · Post by **Alan Brody** » Sun Jan 20, 2008 1:08 pm

I seem to remember Joseph Cotton Norman Lloyd as minor characters in Kaplow's book. Did anyone here see the Rosebud play that Christian McKay starred in? Looks like it played in New York this past June. Here's an NYT review:

http://www.atomic80productions.com/ROSE ... eviews.htm