Orson Welles: Citizen Kane, Weight Gain, and Controversies

Orson Welles directed his first film at 25, and it almost got buried by the most powerful man in media. His career soared to the top and then spent decades navigating a complicated relationship with fame, money, and his own body. This is a look at the genius, the controversies, and the human contradictions behind one of cinema’s most legendary figures.

Born: May 6, 1915 ·
Died: October 10, 1985 ·
Most famous work: Citizen Kane ·
Weight at death (approx.): 300 lbs (136 kg) ·
Number of marriages: 3

Five details from his biography set the stage for the contradictions that followed.

What Was Orson Welles Most Famous For?

His groundbreaking film Citizen Kane

Citizen Kane isn’t just a film; it’s a landmark. Released in 1941, it was the first movie Welles publicly directed, and he also co-wrote it. The Encyclopædia Britannica notes it is widely regarded as one of the most influential films in cinema history. The story of Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate, used dramatic lighting, deep focus photography, and a non-linear narrative to create a new kind of film language.

Innovations in radio and theater

• He founded the Mercury Theatre in 1937, a repertory company that produced innovative radio dramas and stage plays (Encyclopædia Britannica).
• His career began on radio in 1934 with an excerpt from Panic (Encyclopædia Britannica).
• He appeared regularly on The March of Time starting in 1935 (Encyclopædia Britannica).

The War of the Worlds broadcast

On October 30, 1938, Welles’ radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds aired as a series of simulated news bulletins. Encyclopædia Britannica reports it caused nationwide panic among listeners who believed Martians were actually invading Earth. The broadcast launched him into national fame virtually overnight.

“I started at the top and worked my way down.”

— Orson Welles

The implication: Welles’ early mastery created a unique burden. He achieved so much so young that the rest of his career was an attempt to escape his own success.

Why Is Citizen Kane So Controversial?

The portrayal of William Randolph Hearst

The central controversy of Citizen Kane was its transparent inspiration: the life of newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst. Encyclopædia Britannica explains the film was widely seen as a fictionalized biography of Hearst, who then used his vast publishing empire to suppress its distribution and negative reviews.

The Oscar booing incident

The controversy peaked at the 1942 Academy Awards. Due to Hearst’s influence, Citizen Kane was booed when its name was announced. The film faced an organized campaign from Hearst’s newspapers, which refused to run ads or positive reviews for the movie. This direct hit on Welles’ career demonstrated the dangerous line between art and media power.

The narrative structure and technical innovations

• Citizen Kane used innovative narrative techniques including deep focus, chiaroscuro lighting, and a non-linear story structure (Encyclopædia Britannica).
• The film was the first publicly seen from Welles’ directorial output, released in 1941 (IMDb filmography database).
• Its complex sound design and layered score were pioneering for the era.

The catch: Hearst’s campaign didn’t just hurt box office receipts — it potentially damaged Welles’ reputation in Hollywood, making studios wary of working with someone who could pick a fight with a media mogul.

Why Did Orson Welles Get So Heavy?

Medical and lifestyle factors

Welles’ weight gain was a lifelong struggle that became more pronounced in his 40s and 50s. Encyclopædia Britannica notes that as a child he was a prodigy in music, acting, and writing, but as an adult he struggled with his physical appearance. Biographers point to a combination of genetics, a love of food and drink, and possible hypothyroidism. The Penguin Books publisher of Welles’ biographies notes that his weight fluctuated significantly.

Impact on his career and public image

Welles’ weight became a defining element of his later persona. He often used it as a comedic device — playing Falstaff, or appearing as a rotund narrator in films — but he also felt it limited his leading roles. The paradox: as his waistline grew, so did the perception of his decline.

Weight at the time of his death

At his death in 1985, Welles weighed approximately 300 pounds (136 kg). Sources vary between 280 and 320 lbs, which makes the exact number unclear. His height of 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) made his frame large, but the weight placed significant strain on his cardiovascular system.

“He loved me for what I could be, not for what I was.”

— Rita Hayworth, on Orson Welles

What this means: Welles’ weight was both a consequence of his lifestyle and a symbol of his self-image. He was a man who felt enormous expectations and used his size as a shield and a performance tool.

Why Did Rita Hayworth Leave Orson Welles?

Their marriage and creative collaboration

Rita Hayworth and Orson Welles married in 1943. She was Hollywood’s reigning love goddess; he was the wunderkind director. Encyclopædia Britannica records that they divorced in 1947. During their marriage, Welles directed Hayworth in The Lady from Shanghai (1947), a film that famously featured a hall-of-mirrors climax.

Personal and professional tensions

The marriage suffered from multiple pressures. Welles was frequently absent, working on projects in New York and Europe. He also had a controlling personality, both professionally and personally. Hayworth felt overshadowed by his genius and his demands.

“Fred Astaire named Rita Hayworth as his favorite dance partner.”

— Fred Astaire, reflecting on his career

Hayworth’s later accounts

Hayworth later described a relationship filled with creative collaboration but also personal disillusionment. Her famous quote reveals the heart of the conflict: he loved her for what she could become, not who she already was.

Why this matters: The marriage showed the human cost of Welles’ creative intensity. He treated people as projects, and relationships suffered as a result — a pattern that repeated across his life.

What Was Orson Welles’ Cause of Death?

Heart attack

Orson Welles died of a heart attack on October 10, 1985. He passed away in his home in Los Angeles at age 70. According to Encyclopædia Britannica, he was found by a driver who had come to pick him up. His weight and lifestyle contributed to his cardiovascular problems.

Final years and health decline

In his final years, Welles continued to work, often taking voice-over roles and smaller parts. He voiced Unicron in the 1986 animated film The Transformers: The Movie, a role that became iconic in its own right. Penguin Books notes that he lived for the best part of twenty years in self-imposed exile in Europe before returning to Los Angeles.

The pattern: Welles’ death was the final chapter in a story of unmanaged health. The same man who pushed boundaries in art was unable to manage the most basic boundaries of personal care.

What Is the Biggest Flop in Movie History of All Time?

Orson Welles’ The Magnificent Ambersons

The Magnificent Ambersons (1942) is often cited as one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history, despite critical acclaim. Encyclopædia Britannica notes that RKO cut and reshot the film without Welles’ approval, producing a disjointed final product that failed at the box office. This directly damaged his standing with the studio.

Other notable box office disasters linked to Welles

Other Welles projects struggled financially. The Other Side of the Wind, a passion project shot over many years, was only completed and released by Netflix in 2018 — decades after his death. His career was marked by unrealized potential and commercial disappointment.

The catch: Welles’ biggest flop wasn’t a measure of artistic failure but of corporate interference. His experimental approach clashed with Hollywood’s commercial demands, and the result was a pattern of unfinished or compromised works.

The Weight of Genius: An Analysis

Orson Welles’ story is not just about a filmmaker but about the complex relationship between artistic drive and personal consequence. His early success created a pressure that defined his entire career. His weight gain, his failed marriages, and his professional frustrations were all symptoms of a man who couldn’t escape his own myth. For a modern audience, his legacy poses a clear question: should we celebrate the art despite the person, or does the person’s story enhance the art?

Timeline

1. 1915: Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin (Encyclopædia Britannica)
2. 1934: Marries Virginia Nicolson; makes New York stage debut (IMDb)
3. 1937: Founds the Mercury Theatre (Encyclopædia Britannica)
4. 1938: War of the Worlds broadcast causes nationwide panic (Encyclopædia Britannica)
5. 1941: Citizen Kane released (Encyclopædia Britannica)
6. 1942: Citizen Kane booed at the Oscars; The Magnificent Ambersons released to mixed reception (Encyclopædia Britannica)
7. 1943: Marries Rita Hayworth (Encyclopædia Britannica)
8. 1947: Divorces Rita Hayworth; leaves for Europe (Penguin Books)
9. 1955: Marries Paola Mori (Encyclopædia Britannica)
10. 1971: Receives Academy Honorary Award (Encyclopædia Britannica)
11. 1985: Dies of a heart attack at age 70 (Encyclopædia Britannica)

Clarity: Confirmed Facts vs. Unclear Claims

Confirmed Facts

• Born on May 6, 1915, and died on October 10, 1985 (Encyclopædia Britannica)
• Citizen Kane is his most acclaimed film (Encyclopædia Britannica)
• He directed and starred in the 1938 War of the Worlds broadcast (Encyclopædia Britannica)
• He married Rita Hayworth in 1943 and divorced in 1947 (Encyclopædia Britannica)
• His cause of death was a heart attack (Encyclopædia Britannica)

What’s Unclear

• Exact weight at death (sources vary between 280 and 320 lbs)
• Whether his weight gain was primarily due to hypothyroidism or other factors
• Precise extent of William Randolph Hearst’s campaign against Citizen Kane

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His masterpiece Citizen Kane consistently tops lists of the greatest films of all time, cementing his place in cinema history.

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