Orson shmoozes about a cockatoo

[viniciusb]

Cavett, "I can't get one pretentious answer out of you!" It's great when someone like Welles plays down or tells the truth about the significance of his work.

[Whackooyzero]

Love Welles and Lewis equally but for different reasons.

[sd02231]

@shnoepie1 My comment had nothing to do with comparing the talents of either man. To gain or maintain creative freedom in Hollywood, your movies have to be commercially successful. It's as simple as that. Welles was a great filmmaker but was terrible at the business side of "the movie business". That's why he couldn't succeed in Hollywood.

[Onlymusical]

People in their 29s have now reversed from what Welles complained about back in the '70s.

[sd02231]

To continue my post (I got cut off), it's a message that in many ways we're still not ready to hear.

[sd02231]

@Ballsarama I still think "Kane" would have had trouble commercially even without Hearst's intervention. With US involvement in World War II just around the corner, Hollywood would eventually bring more escapist films. The idea that the life of a man in America, no matter how successful and powerful he was, could end in such a bitter, empty way was not something the nation would have wanted to hear at the time. Welles's message was cautionary, the antithesis of the American Dream. It's a messag

[ChortortleC]

@sd02231 I don't know if it's so much to do with the American Dream - Kane didn't earn his way up to riches from nothing, which is supposed to be the American Dream. Rather, he was given money and from it created public stature and influence.

But I agree, it's certainly a dreary film for wartime. It's the sort of movie that should temper a period of excess.

[sd02231]

It's still an great interview, though. Orson Welles is one of my favorite actor/directors. I just didn't like him taking potshots at Jerry Lewis who is another of my favorites.

[sd02231]

Orson Welles was just jealous that he never got the creative freedom at any studio that Jerry Lewis got at Paramount. Of course, in order to have that kind of freedom, you have to be commercially successful, which Welles never was. I'm not saying Jerry wasn't or couldn't be full of himself at times, but he eventually got out of that pretentious frame of mind in later years.

[Ballsarama]

@sd02231 One wonders about the comercial success Wells and RKO might have had without the Herst blacklist of RKO advertising and the associated publicity around that. James Cameron's 3D film was a radicallly new experience in the last few years and he made a mint. Citizen Kane might have had the same success if RKO's advertising was geared to the idea that Kane was a new and innovative type of movie. Their slogan for the movie was: "It's Terrific!"

[shnoepie1]

@sd02231 Lol, Welles had more talent in his pinky than Lewis had in his entire body. Jealous is the wrong word, perhaps resentment is more fitting.

[Darrylizer1]

Excellent interview! Thanks for posting this.

[gedec05]

The last of the real comedians. Now we have people telling the raunchiest jokes and passing them as comedy.

[sclogse1]

IF you read Simon Callow's 2, soon to be 3 books on Orson, you realize that as a young man, he also has "presenting" himself, the way that Jerry Lewis does. It's all over Orson's voice and delivery, especially in his radio days. Orson's demands for credit and control were monumental when he was young. The ego that creates, also needs food...and isn't necessarily going to wait till you give it. Orson at this stage here seems truly master of himself...he took the ride of our lives.

[mommyimadeapoopy]

theres a veracity in what you're saying

[WhitStillman]

These two are great together. Orson is one of my favorite persons ever.

[SeverusFelix]

"That was to wake up the audience."

Orson Welles just joined the short list of time machine visits I must make.

[Drac39]

I love Orson Welles interviews. He was so intelligent and full of life. I'd have loved to have had an hour or two just to talk with him

[HS22181]

Funny, there is a Dick Cavett interview with Jerry Lewis here on YouTube and you can see what Orson Welles describes about him in this clip.

[eddtoro]

Orson is so funny. No wonder Charlton Heston said working with others is work, but working with Orson, Orson makes it fun.

[NGS712]

What did Jerry Lewis do for Myra Breckinridge?

[ottoskidoo]

Welles lays the smackdown on poor Jerry Lewis!

[geligniteandlilies]

I love his line about history. This is such a amazing interview. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.

[EdOscuro]

It's amazing, watching these interviews, how many of the statements from these guys I actually have read in biographies. You have to wonder if what Welles says about history is playing out here!

[chapaev36]

Cavett brought out the best in people.

[pjtravistouchdown]

great interview, thanks for uploading this

[madamoiselle0sahara]

Orson welles had such a strong and commanding presence. It makes me smile that in nearly all the interviews ive seen of him the interviewer is close to shaking with anxiety- see michael parkinson's.

[darkprose]

When Dick asks "do you have any recurrent dreams?" and they cut to Welles and his cigar -- LOL! Nice editing.

[fcampbell696]

@darkprose he reminded me so much of my dad with that cigar in his mouth.

[ninjast4r]

@fcampbell696 I know what you mean. I was struck by a flashback of my loud, boisterous grandfather who loved cigars and a good ribald joke.

[madsciiscrazy]

@darkprose Oddly enough its not a bad cut - SMOKE enters the the shot prior

[thegreatbandini]

Orson is high.

[giles422]

yes, this was great. Cavett is better than I realized, and Orson is great, in a good mood, hilarious, and forthcoming. Thanks for the post

[NGS712]

giles: I agree. Cavett seemed to bring out a whole new dimension to Welles.

[chamesrichalds]

What a great interview! Dick Cavett is so quick and I forgot just how funny he was. He and Orson had such a great rapport with each other.