Orson Welles as KK

[DudiousMax at aol.com]

Yo Dudes and Dudeens,
          Over the years it has come down to me from various books and 
articles and TV specials that Orson Welles was a very bright, talented guy 
who established himself early as a "special" person.  In the late 1930s and 
early 1940s he was making real good films, directing the Black Shakespeare 
Theater of Harlem, and serving as "The Shadow" on network radio.  The radio 
programs, in those days, were done live, with only a flimsy acetate disc to 
keep any sort of record.  It was before magnetic tape (a technology conquered 
from the Nazis).  Orson was so well thought of he was allowed to have an 
ambulance , with siren, to get downtown from Harlem to the broadcast studio 
for his radio show.  His cover identity for The Shadow is Lamont Cranston, 
and it had a special resonance at that time, for it used the half-name of 
Thomas Lamont, who was a senior partner at J.P. Morgan, one of the shrewdest 
men on the street of shrewd men.  It was whispered that the shadow of 
Lamont's hand could be seen behind many a deal on the Stock Exchange.
          In additon to doing all these activities, Welles was something of 
an insult artist (a flamer) who delighted in tweaking the noses of the rich 
and powerful.  In particular he seemed to have a grudge against William 
Randolph Hearst, whose mistress was one Marion Davies (watch the film CITIZEN 
KANE).  It came to Welles' attention that Hearst affectionate nickname for 
Miss Davies was what he called her pudenda, when he addressed it in private, 
"Rosebud."  So having the film Citizen Kane focus on the word, seemingly 
innocuous to the public, was really an insider joke, and a very complex 
insult. Welles' was of flaming old man Hearst.
          Hearst, no man to be taken lightly, made it very difficult for 
Welles to get financing for any of his projects for nearly the rest of his 
life.  His film-making career was seriously hampered after that.  He was 
always borrowing from Peter to pay Paul.  Of course he missed out on a lot of 
projects he would have liked to have done.  All of which Pynchon would have 
known, being Pynchon.  There is a round-about reference to The Shadow in LOT 
49.  It wouldn't surprise me if Pynchon kinda-sorta identified with Welles, 
well just a bit.  TRP likes to flame a lot of rich and powerful people too.  
It may have cost him a Putzlicker Prize.  And that may have a kind of Kantian 
moral for us here on the list: "Flame unto others as you would have them 
flame unto you."
                                                                Max, 
                               who believes the best offense is to be 
inoffensive.