Beatrice Welles’ decision to put more than 70 items belonging to her late father, Orson Welles, on the auction block later this month drew national attention when it was announced Monday. Most of the items were found in two trunks, which had been left unopened for nearly 50 years. She detailed the find in an interview with Wellesnet.
What has not been revealed until now is the amazing discovery made by Welles’ youngest daughter – scores of detailed letters chronicling the wunderkind’s life throughout the 1920s and early ’30s. The missives date back to age 6 or 7; continue through his years at the Todd School for Boys in Woodstock, Illinois; include his visit to Ireland and debut at the Gate Theatre in Dublin; and conclude with his performances with Broadway legend Katharine Cornell at the age of 19. Beatrice Welles plans to publish a book made up of her father’s letters and sketches, which he had sent religiously to his guardian, Maurice “Dadda” Bernstein and his wife, Hazel.
What was your reaction when you first found the letters?
It was a most extraordinary find. My mouth is still open… I have letters he wrote when he was 6 or 7 years old. He wrote prolifically throughout his life. When he was younger, he would write to “Dadda” and Hazel every day, wherever he was. The whole time he was in Dublin he would write almost daily. And I have these letters with the sketches that he did of the people he saw and of his experiences – detailed. These are tomes of letters – 10, 20 pages, some letters are 23 or 24 pages long.
I want to make a book out of them. Basically, it’s his first autobiography because he never wrote such a book. Granted, it is when he was younger. It goes up to the Katharine Cornell days (of 1934). He was not as steady as when he was younger when he would write every day.
It’s not letters, it’s more like a journal. Instead of Dear Diary, they begin Dear Family. It’s absolutely fascinating.
I am dying to do a book out it. It is so much work. Did my father ever write a date on anything? (laughs) Oh, God, no. That would be way too easy. It’s a jigsaw puzzle putting them all together. It is definitely, definitely the book I want to do. It is one of the many things that came from the discovery of all these things.
The book is to me Priority No. 1 for me. The book will be just what he wrote in the chronological order of his life as he wrote it to “Dadda.” It is so incredible. What a full life he had.
Do you have an agreement with a publisher?
Not yet, not yet. I am basically still sifting through where I think it belongs. It is very time consuming. I have to refer myself to Orson Welles biographies to go back that far.
In addition to the letters and sketches, what other writings have you found?
There are essays I would love to publish in different ways if possible, but not to add them to the book. There are essays and some screenplays (and it’s) almost impossible to find out if they are available to me and if they belong to the Estate.
Because they may have been written for a studio?
They were written for a studio. There are a lot of screenplays, beautiful screenplays… “Two By Two,” “Saladin” … Now, I have a block. I didn’t know you were going to ask these questions (laughs). Forgive me. I am not trying to be cagey.
What else can we look forward to?
We are going to do a huge art exhibit in New York of all of his drawings I have found. I cannot tell you how happy I am about the exhibit. You don’t know me. My emotions rule my life. I feel totally, totally happy about this. Everything has fallen into place.
I am doing it with Margo Feiden, who did the Al Hirschfeld exhibit, which was absolutely incredible. I shopped around and talked to a lot of people and she is incredible… It tales a special kind of person to put this together.
(My father) started off as painter, but there is a mish mash of sketches, drawings, oil paintings, Christmas cards. It is going to happen but we have talked dates yet… I’d like to offer copies or lithos that are affordable. I don’t want to put crazy prices on them. He would hate that anyway.
So much is lost. He did sketches of sets and costumes for every movie he did. Where are all those? I would kill to have Chimes? I have one drawing from Chimes of someone in a costume he liked.
On the subject of his movies, Carlotta Films is planning a theatrical release of your 1992 restoration of Othello, as well as a home video release for Europe. Will there be an American DVD and Blu-ray release in the near future?
Yes. Julian Schlossberg will be doing the home video release. There is no better person. He should be seen as knight in shining armor for Orson Welles films.
That’s the dream of my life, to that for him. The owners refuse to sell it. Chimes at Midnight is out there on the black market and they won’t lift a finger to stop that. And Julian says, “I am sorry, but there is no way I am going to spend money and try to restore this film when it is plastered all over the place illegally.” The owners will not spend a penny… It’s just sickening. Unless they decide to do something, nobody is going to touch it… There are a lot of people interested in restoring Chimes, not just Julian, but it has got to be free and clear… It’s crazy. They don’t want to sell it. They want to keep it because of the prestige, but they will not do a thing to stop the black market (videos).
With the 100th anniversary of your father’s birth next year, there are many celebrations planned, including one in Woodstock. Do you plan to take part?
I don’t know, probably. If there was one thing my father hated, it was birthdays. Of course, you know his mother died days after his ninth birthday. You had to tip-toe around him around the time of his birthday. The idea of participating in something he hated so much like a birthday is, well (laughs). I am not not saying I am not going.
I feel like I really need to stop being such a recluse.
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Check out part 1 of the Wellesnet interview with Beatrice Welles.
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