A Man for All Media: Orson Welles as Media Ecologist/Medium Theorist

This article contends that Orson Welles’ (1915–1985) success in a variety of media results in part from his astute understanding of the audio and visual potential of these media. Parallels are drawn between his intuitive grasp of media as an artistic practitioner and the academic tradition of media ecology and medium theory. Welles’ “media sense” is seen as complemented by his skill at adaptation—the ability to alter source material in ways that innovatively utilize the full sensory possibilities of theater, radio, and cinema. Examples discussed include theatrical productions, such as Marlowe’s Faustus, the Les Misérables radio broadcast, his first feature film, Citizen Kane, and his last completed film, F For Fake.