Orson Welles' Daughter
by Michael B. Druxman on 08/24/11
August 25, 2011
Below is an unedited letter I received yesterday via Facebook from Orson Welles' daughter. I had sent her a message, informing her that my play about her father had been published.
I believe her letter is self-explanatory, and my response follows.
Dear Mr. Druxman,
Reading the synopsis of your play on Amazon.com, I can only say how unfortunate it is that an accomplished writer like yourself has chosen to contribute to the myth that Orson Welles was "self-destructive" and that after he made "Citizen Kane," it was "all downhill." Clearly, you are not familiar with the films he made in Europe, even though your biography states that you have taught courses in film, or if you are, you fail to see their artistry. You are obviously unfamiliar with Orson Welles as he was in real life and yet you have the gall to write a play about him. If you have not read my memoir, "In My Father's Shadow: A Daughter Remembers Orson Welles," published by Alonquin Books of Chapel Hill, you might find it illuminating.
Sincerely,
Chris Welles Feder
Dear Ms. Feder:
Thank you for your response.
No, I did not know your father. But, I would have liked to have known him.
On the other hand, I didn't know George Washington or Abraham Lincoln either, but if one does their research and takes an honest approach to the subject, I don't see anything wrong with writing a biography...or a play about them.
That's what we writers do.
I wrote this play in 1986. Before I began, I read every biography, news story and magazine interview I could find on your father. I also did extensive interviews with people who knew him well, including my good friend and publicity client, Dan O'Herlihy.
Actually, if you read my play, you would see that my portrait of your father is a very sympathetic one. I have always been a great admirer of his work and, in fact, I wrote a college thesis about him.
I have most of his films on DVD, including KANE, AMBERSONS, THE STRANGER, MACBETH, OTHELLO, CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT, MR. ARKADIN, THE TRIAL and others. He was a master filmmaker and I learn something new every time I watch one of them.
But, let's be honest, as great a filmmaker as he was, after TOUCH OF EVIL, he could not get a directing job with the Hollywood studios.
His movies did not make money and he was not a "team player". He was Orson Welles and he had to go his own way. Had he not done that, he would not have been Orson Welles.
I'm very proud of this play, and I hope you have the opportunity to read it some day. I think you would be pleased.
Kindest regards,
Michael Druxman
You have a creative day.
