The icon Orson Welles called “the greatest of all the clowns”
Some of the greatest actors in Hollywood history are often revered for their additional ability to create works of art behind the camera, as much as they are proficient in front of it. Such has made the likes of Clint Eastwood, George Clooney, Jodie Foster and Jack Nicholson indelible names in the industry, yet arguably, no one was as good as being both a director and an actor than the great Orson Welles.
First taking to the industry in 1933, making his debut in the short film Twelfth Night, Welles entered proceedings as a director and actor, helming his first screen appearance. The 1938 feature Too Much Johnson followed, yet the star wouldn’t become an industry name until his remarkable 1941 effort Citizen Kane, which won an Oscar for ‘Best Original Screenplay’, and is today considered to be one of the best movies of all time.
Later, Welles became known for helming such classic movies as The Lady from Shanghai, Touch of Evil and The Trial. Becoming a key icon of 20th-century American culture, Welles appeared in countless TV programmes and movies, never shying away from the limelight. The director even appeared in an episode of The Muppets and called the children’s show Sesame Street “the greatest thing to happen to television”.
As such a prominent figure, Welles often gave his opinion on the greatest actors and personalities in the industry and once dished out a considerable amount of praise for the great silent comedian Buster Keaton.
“One of the great films of all time, and one of my favourites – The General – by and with Buster Keaton,” he stated in an old interview.
Continuing, he added: “He was, as we are now beginning to realise, the greatest of all the clowns in the history of cinema. For too many years, he was under the shadow of [Charlie] Chaplin, of course, and too many of his last years, he had a very bad time of it. Those were the years in which I knew him. We used to work in the old stage door canteen. I was doing magic tricks for the troops, and Keaton was washing dishes. He was a lovely person and a supreme artist, and I think one of the most beautiful people ever photographed”.
As outlined by Welles, Keaton was a silent movie comedian who, indeed, lived under the shadow of Chaplin for many years. Yet, his style differed slightly from Chaplin’s, preferring more narrative-less flicks in favour of films that centred more on comedic set pieces. Of his many classics, the likes of The Navigator, Seven Chances and Sherlock Jr are included, alongside the aforementioned General.
Take a look at the clip where Welles professes his love for the “clown” below.
