Orson Welles was a thespian.
Citizen Kane is a 1941 American mystery drama film by Orson Welles , its producer , co-screenwriter , director and star . 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 . His first film was Citizen Kane ( 1941 ) , which he co-wrote , produced , directed , and starred in as Charles Foster Kane . The Lady from Shanghai is a 1947 film noir directed by Orson Welles and starring Welles , his estranged wife Rita Hayworth and Everett Sloane .