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William Alland is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter, Producer and Editor American born on 4 march 1916 at Delmar (USA)

William Alland

William Alland
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Nationality USA
Birth 4 march 1916 at Delmar (USA)
Death 11 november 1997 (at 81 years) at Long Beach (USA)

William Alland (March 4, 1916 – November 11, 1997) was an American actor, producer, writer and director of science fiction and western films. As an actor, he played the reporter who investigates the life of the newspaper tycoon in Orson Welle's Citizen Kane (1941).

In his early 20s, he arrived in Manhattan and took courses at the Henry Street Settlement House, where he met Orson Welles. He also lent his voice to Welles's The War of the Worlds. Alland won a Peabody Award as producer of Doorway to Life.

Alland's role as reporter Jerry Thompson in Citizen Kane (1941) is unusual because the camera never closes up on his face; in fact, for the majority of his scenes in the film, he shows his back to the camera, and whenever his face can be seen, it is always in long-shot and almost always clouded in shadow. As noted by film critic Roger Ebert on the DVD commentary of Citizen Kane, Alland once reportedly told an entire audience of people that they would probably recognize him if he were to show his back to them. Additionally, in Citizen Kane he also voiced the Newsreel Announcer in the "News on the March" segment, a spoof of the then-popular March of Time newsreels. In later years, Alland twice provided voiceovers for pastiches of this News on the March segment; once for the 1974 Orson Welles film F for Fake, and again for a 1991 Arena documentary for the BBC, The Complete Citizen Kane. F for Fake had a News on the March pastiche showing what the opening of Citizen Kane would have looked like if it had been modelled on Howard Hughes rather than William Randolph Hearst, while The Complete Citizen Kane has a pastiche of News on the March about Orson Welles making Citizen Kane, rather than about the death of Charles Foster Kane.

Behind the camera, his greatest fame came from producing science fiction movies at Universal and Paramount in the 1950s. His sci-fi producing career is the subject of a 60-page interview in the book "Monsters, Mutants and Heavenly Creatures" (Midnight Marquee Press, 1996) by Tom Weaver.

Biography

Collaborateur d'Orson Welles
William Alland fait ses études à Baltimore et y commence sa carrière dans le show business comme acteur dans une troupe semi-professionnelle. Il arrive à Manhattan (New York) au début des années 1920, avec 25 $ en poche, une « valise en carton » et l'ambition de travailler à Broadway. Il débute comme acteur, sous le pseudonyme de Vakhtangov. Il suit des cours à la Henry Street Settlement House et y fait la connaissance, en 1936, d'Orson Welles, d'un an son aîné. Sa renommée va être liée à sa collaboration avec ce dernier. Celui-ci l'engage dans son théâtre Mercury , où Alland assure simultanément les fonctions d'acteur, de metteur en scène et de machiniste. Il interprète notamment les rôles de Marullus dans Caesar, en 1937, du Serviteur dans The Shoemaker's Holiday, en 1938, et de Peto dans Five Kings, en 1939.

Il est assistant réalisateur de Welles pour la radio. Il participe à l’émission radiophonique d’Halloween 1938, La Guerre des mondes, ainsi qu'à Treasure Island, The Count of Monte Cristo, Heart of Darkness et Around the World in 80 Days (en 1938), Mutiny on the Bounty et Les Miserables (en 1939).

En 1941, il accompagne Orson Welles lorsque ce dernier s'installe à Hollywood. Il est surtout connu pour son interprétation du journaliste Jerry Thompson, qui enquête sur la vie du magnat de la presse Charles Foster Kane, dans Citizen Kane d'Orson Welles (1941). Dans ce rôle, il cherche la signification de la dernière parole de Kane : Rosebud. Ce rôle est considéré comme étant son plus important. La caméra ne se rapproche jamais de son visage ; en fait, dans la majorité des scènes du film dans lesquelles Alland apparaît, il est filmé de dos, et, lorsque son visage est visible, c'est toujours de loin et presque toujours caché dans l'ombre. Comme le note, dans son commentaire sur le DVD de Citizen Kane, le critique de films Roger Ebert, Alland aurait une fois dit à son auditoire que ce dernier le reconnaîtrait certainement s'il lui tournait le dos. On entend également sa voix dans les actualités du début du film. Welles voulait engager Westbrook Van Voorhees pour assurer lui-même son émission The March of Time, mais, devant le cachet prohibitif demandé par Van Voorhees, il renonce et c'est Alland qui va assurer l'imitation du journaliste.

Durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, William Alland sert dans l'armée de l'air des États-Unis et participe à 50 missions, dont plus de 40 bombardements dans le Pacifique.

Après la guerre, il joue dans d'autres films de Welles, notamment La Dame de Shanghai (1947) et Macbeth (1948). Il produit également des programmes pour la radio. Parmi ceux-ci, Doorway to Life lui vaut le Peabody Award.


Producteur
À partir de 1952, William Alland travaille comme producteur chez Universal, principalement de films de science-fiction et des westerns bon marché. Son premier succès est Le météore de la nuit (1953), de Jack Arnold, une adaptation en 3D de The Meteor, de Ray Bradbury. À l'exception de The Incredible Shrinking Man, Alland produit tous les films importants de Jack Arnold : L'Étrange Créature du lac noir (1954), Les Survivants de l'infini (1955) et Tarantula ! (1955), maintenant ) considérés comme des classiques du genre. Il fait appel à Arnol dpour achever le tournage des scènes de Metaluna dans Les Survivants de l'infini, Joseph Newman, débutant alors, n'arrivant pas à assurer le travail.

En 1958, il quitte Universal pour la Paramount, avec laquelle il produit The Space Children, de Jack Arnold et The Colossus of New York, d'Eugene Lourie, ainsi que deux films pour adolescents, As Young as We Areet The Party Crashers. Au sujet de sa production dans le domaine de la science-fiction, il dira : « Ils ont inévitablement une idée thématique, une façon scientifique d'affirmer la dignité et la permanence de l'homme ».

En 1961, il réalise son unique film, Look in Any Window , destiné à la jeunesse. Le thème de la délinquance juvénile et la présence de la pop star Paul Anka ne suffiront pas pour en faire un succès.

William Alland a été marié deux fois. Il a trois enfants de sa première union. Après le décès de sa première épouse, il se marie avec Ruth, avec laquelle il a un quatrième enfant. Il meurt en 1997, à l'âge de 81 ans, des suites d'une maladie cardiaque.

Usually with

Bud Westmore
Bud Westmore
(19 films)
Orson Welles
Orson Welles
(6 films)
Russel Gausman
Russel Gausman
(18 films)
Jack Arnold
Jack Arnold
(8 films)
Source : Wikidata

Filmography of William Alland (33 films)

Display filmography as list

Actor

F for Fake
F for Fake (1973)
, 1h25
Directed by Orson Welles, François Reichenbach, Gary Graver
Origin France
Genres Documentary
Themes Peinture, Documentary films about the visual arts
Actors Joseph Cotten, François Reichenbach, Gary Graver, Orson Welles, Paul Stewart, Peter Bogdanovich
Roles Self
Rating76% 3.8470053.8470053.8470053.8470053.847005
Several narratives are woven together throughout the film, including those of de Hory, Irving, Welles, Howard Hughes and Kodar.
Macbeth
Macbeth (1948)
, 1h47
Directed by Orson Welles
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Théâtre, Political films, Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare, Films about royalty
Actors Jeanette Nolan, Dan O'Herlihy, Roddy McDowall, Edgar Barrier, Orson Welles, Alan Napier
Roles Second Murderer
Rating73% 3.6976853.6976853.6976853.6976853.697685
La prise du pouvoir par Macbeth, roi d'Écosse, et son destin fatal...
The Lady from Shanghai, 1h27
Directed by Orson Welles
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Thriller, Noir, Crime
Actors Rita Hayworth, Orson Welles, Everett Sloane, Errol Flynn, Glenn Anders, Ted de Corsia
Roles Reporter (uncredited)
Rating74% 3.748433.748433.748433.748433.74843
Irish sailor Michael O'Hara (Orson Welles) meets the beautiful blonde Elsa (Rita Hayworth) as she rides a horse-drawn coach in Central Park. Three hooligans waylay the coach. Michael rescues Elsa and escorts her home. Michael reveals he is a seaman and learns Elsa and her husband, disabled criminal defense attorney Arthur Bannister (Everett Sloane), are newly arrived in New York City from Shanghai. They are on their way to San Francisco via the Panama Canal. Michael, attracted to Elsa despite misgivings, agrees to sign on as an able seaman aboard Bannister's yacht.
The Falcon Takes Over, 1h5
Directed by Irving Reis
Origin USA
Genres Crime
Actors George Sanders, Lynn Bari, James Gleason, Allen Jenkins, Ward Bond, Edward Gargan
Roles Reporter (Uncredited)
Rating63% 3.1949653.1949653.1949653.1949653.194965
Brutish prison escapee Moose Malloy (Ward Bond) forces Goldie Locke (Allen Jenkins) to drive him to a posh nightclub, where Moose hopes to be reunited with his old girlfriend
Citizen Kane, 1h59
Directed by Orson Welles
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Films about journalists, Films about music and musicians, Hitler
Actors Joseph Cotten, Orson Welles, Dorothy Comingore, Everett Sloane, Ray Collins, George Coulouris
Roles Jerry Thompson/Narrator
Rating82% 4.1483154.1483154.1483154.1483154.148315
In a mansion in Xanadu, a vast palatial estate in Florida, the elderly Charles Foster Kane is on his deathbed. Holding a snow globe, he utters a word, "Rosebud", and dies; the globe slips from his hand and smashes on the floor. A newsreel obituary tells the life story of Kane, an enormously wealthy newspaper publisher. Kane's death becomes sensational news around the world, and the newsreel's producer tasks reporter Jerry Thompson with discovering the meaning of "rosebud".
Tom, Dick and Harry, 1h27
Directed by Garson Kanin, Fred Fleck
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Fantasy, Romance
Actors Ginger Rogers, George Murphy, Dino Morea, Alan Marshal, Burgess Meredith, Phil Silvers
Roles Newsreel Announcer (voice) (uncredited)
Rating63% 3.1933053.1933053.1933053.1933053.193305
Ginger Rogers plays telephone operator Janie, who has to choose between three men - Tom (Murphy), Dick (Marshal) and Harry (Meredith). The film was remade as The Girl Most Likely (1957), a musical which also proved to be the last film released by RKO.

Director

The Space Children, 1h9
Directed by William Alland, Jack Arnold, Bernard C. Schoenfeld
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors Adam Williams, Jackie Coogan, John "Johnny" Washbrook, Peggy Webber, Raymond Bailey, Sandy Descher
Rating43% 2.156812.156812.156812.156812.15681
A brain from space visits earth and communicates telepathically with the children of scientists that are planning a nuclear war. The alien brain helps the children to sabotage the rockets and prevent the war.

Scriptwriter

The Lively Set, 1h35
Directed by Jack Arnold
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Action
Themes Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Auto racing films, Road movies
Actors James Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Doug McClure, Ross Elliott, Charles Drake, Marilyn Maxwell
Rating58% 2.904812.904812.904812.904812.90481
Casey Owens (James Darren), a young mechanic, has developed a design for a turbine car engine, paving the way for a jet-powered auto certain to set a new land speed record. Wealthy playboy Stanford Rogers (Peter Mann) hires Casey to build the car for him to race in the Tri-State Endurance Run. Chuck Manning (Doug McClure), an engineering student Casey met in a drag race, discovers potential flaws in the car's design. After an unsuccessful test run, Rogers abandons the turbine-powered car for a traditional racing model, but Casey and Chuck rework the turbine vehicle to compete with Rogers in the endurance run. Pamela Tiffin plays Eadie, Chuck's sister who becomes Casey's love interest.
The Deadly Mantis, 1h19
Directed by Nathan Juran
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Horror, Romance
Themes Films about animals, Films about music and musicians, Natural horror films, Films about insects, Giant monster films, Musical films, Disaster films, American disaster films
Actors Craig Stevens, William Hopper, Patrick Douglas "Pat" Conway, Donald Randolph, Florenz Ames, Paul Smith
Roles Story
Rating51% 2.5508552.5508552.5508552.5508552.550855
Figée dans les glaces de l'Antarctique depuis la préhistoire, une mante religieuse géante est libérée à la suite de la brisure d'un iceberg. Le monstre attaque alors New York, puis Washington. L'armée va devoir stopper l'insecte.
Revenge of the Creature, 1h22
Directed by Jack Arnold
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Adventure, Horror
Themes Films about music and musicians, Musical films
Actors John Agar, Lori Nelson, John Bromfield, Clint Eastwood, Nestor Paiva, Ricou Browning
Roles Story
Rating56% 2.8011552.8011552.8011552.8011552.801155
Having previously survived being riddled with bullets, the Gill-man is captured and sent to the Ocean Harbor Oceanarium in Florida, where he is studied by animal psychologist Professor Clete Ferguson (John Agar) and ichthyology student Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson).
Creature from the Black Lagoon, 1h19
Directed by Jack Arnold
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Fantastic, Adventure, Horror
Actors Richard Carlson, Julie Adams, Richard Denning, Ben Chapman, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva
Roles Idea
Rating68% 3.449013.449013.449013.449013.44901
A geology expedition in the Amazon uncovers fossilized evidence from the Devonian period of a link between land and sea animals in the form of a skeletal hand with webbed fingers. Expedition leader Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno) visits his friend and former student, Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson), an ichthyologist who works at an aquarium in California and has been a guest at Maia's marine biology institute in Brazil for over a month. Reed persuades his boss, the financially-minded Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning), to fund a return expedition to the Amazon to look for the remainder of the skeleton.
The Lawless Breed, 1h23
Directed by Raoul Walsh
Origin USA
Genres Biography, Action, Romance, Western
Actors Rock Hudson, Julie Adams, John McIntire, Mary Castle, Hugh O'Brian, Dennis Weaver
Roles Story
Rating63% 3.1501253.1501253.1501253.1501253.150125
1896. Le bandit John Wesley Hardin sort de prison après avoir purgé une longue peine, et remet au journal local le manuscrit de son autobiographie. Jeune homme, John rêvait de s'installer dans un ranch avec son amie d'enfance, Jane Brown. Mais, après une partie de poker ayant mal tourné, John a abattu un homme. Dès lors, la vie de John n'a été que fuites, duels au revolver, et affrontements avec les représentants de l'ordre…
Flesh and Fury
Directed by Joseph Pevney
Origin USA
Genres Drama
Themes Sports films, Martial arts films, Boxing films
Actors Tony Curtis, Jan Sterling, Mona Freeman, Wallace Ford, Connie Gilchrist, Katherine Locke
Roles Story
Rating64% 3.243863.243863.243863.243863.24386
Boxing fan Sonya Bartow and manager Pop Richardson are both impressed the first time they see amateur Paul Callan win a fight. They are more amazed, and Sonya somewhat appalled, when they discover later that Paul is deaf.