Orson Welles

TO UNDERSTAND THE MAN BEHIND THE ARTISTIC VISION AND THE COLUMINIST'S CURIOSITY;BARBARA LEAMING HAS ENJOYED A PRIVILEGED RELATIONSHIP WITH ORSON AND,OVER THE COURSE OF TWO YEARS OF ENDLESS CONVERSATIONS,FOUND THAT THE MAN IS QUITE IDFFERENT FROM THE LEGEND: HE IS,AS SHE HAS WRITTEN, "INTENSELY VULNERABLE,SHY,SUPREMELY GENEROUS,AND AT TIMES QUITE SCHOLARLY. HE IS ALSO VERY,VERY FUNNY - OFTEN OUTRAGEOUS. HE IS CONSTANTLY CURIOUS ABOUT ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. NOR DOES BARBARA LEAMING TRY TOPUT AN ARTIFICIAL FRAME ON A MAN FAR TOO COMPLEX TO WEAR ONE;SHE HAS,AST HIS SUGGESTION,INCLUDED HERSELF (ALONG WITH OLIVIER,GIELGUD,DIETRICH,GARBO,KORDA,CHAPLIN,HAYWORTH,BEATTY, ROOSEVELT,ETC.) IN HIS BIOGRAPHY. "I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL WAY TO DO A BIOGRAPHY," ADVISED ORSON. "I CANBE FRANK WITH YOU WITHOUG SOUNDING FAKE MODEST,BUT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT - ALAS - SOME KIND OF LEGEND."