Orson Welles was a director.
George Orson Welles ( [ ˈwɛlz ] May 6 , 1915 -- October 10 , 1985 ) was an American actor , director , writer , and producer who worked in theatre , radio , and film . Other works of his , such as The Lady from Shanghai ( 1947 ) and F for Fake ( 1973 ) , are also well-regarded . The Lady from Shanghai is a 1947 film noir directed by Orson Welles and starring Welles , his estranged wife Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane .