1915 6th May
Birth of George Orson Welles
Birth of George Orson Welles
Cinema history · permanent subject timeline
Orson Welles
Actor-director whose film work became central to debates about authorship and visual style. This page combines historical context with 18 matching records drawn directly from the World History Database cinema archive.
Historical context
Orson Welles: overview and significance
What happened?
Orson Welles entered cinema after major theatre and radio work and combined acting, directing and writing across a varied international career.
Why was it important?
Welles's approach to cinematography, sound and narrative structure became highly influential in later film criticism and directing.
World History Database records
Orson Welles timeline
The records below are selected from the 2,036-record Cinema History archive and rendered as static HTML in chronological order.
1915
1941
1941
Citizen Kane
Citizen Kane, Orson Welles first film with RKO, in which he starred in the role of Charles Foster Kane, is often considered the greatest film ever made
1942
1942
The Magnificent Ambersons
Directs, "The Magnificent Ambersons"
1943
1943
Marriage
Oron Welles marries Rita Hayworth
1944
1944
Jane Eyre
Stars in, "Jane Eyre"
1946
1946
The Stranger
International Pictures released Welless film, The Stranger, starring Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and Welles. Directs, "The Stranger"
1947
1947
The Lady from Shanghai
Directs, "The Lady from Shanghai"
1948
1948
Black Magic
Stars in, "Black Magic"
1949
1949
The 3rd Man
Orson Welles stars as Harry Lime in Carol Reeds The 3rd Man, alongside Joseph Cotten, his good friend and co-star from Citizen Kane, with a script by Graham Greene and a memorable zither score by Anton Karas
1955
1955
Mr. Arkadin
Directs, "Mr. Arkadin"
1955
Palme dOr
Orson Welles film Othello wins the Palme dOr
1957
1957
Man in the Shadow
Directs, "Man in the Shadow"
1958
1958
Touch of Evil
Touch of Evil is a 1958 American crime thriller film, written, directed by, and co-starring Orson Welles
1962
1962
The Trial
Directs, "The Trial"
1963
1963
La Ricotta
Plays a film director in La Ricotta
1965
1965
Chimes at Midnight
Directs, "Chimes at Midnight"
1974
1974
F for Fake
Directs, "F for Fake"
1985
1985 10th October
Death of George Orson Welles
Death of George Orson Welles
Editorial provenance
Sources and editorial review
Compiled and edited by World History Database.
Historical context is editorial material; the chronology is generated from World History Database cinema records.
Last reviewed: September 2026.
British Film Institute · Library of Congress · Academy Awards
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