Welles for the "Dark Tower" board game

[Jay]

I'd never seen this ad that Welles made until today. It's even funnier/sadder than the wine outtakes and the frozen peas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3HVCwPp7j0

[Roger Ryan]

While the wine and frozen pea outtakes could be considered funny/sad for reasons not related to commerce, I've never been troubled by Welles as a pitchman. He did this same thing all through his heyday of the late 30s into the 40s heartily endorsing soup and soap. There are plenty of A-list celebrities doing commercial pitches these days; it's just part of the business. The tragedy is only that there wasn't more of Welles' own work coming out at the time in additional to his latter day commercial endorsements.

[Glenn Anders]

Just to cheer everyone up, a connection of sorts for this strange little commercial to an actual Orson Welles production does exist. On May 4, 1944, Welles created for Radio's SUSPENSE an ironic minor tale entitled "The Dark Tower." The piece is the last of a legendary quartette of radio plays for which CBS's SUSPENSE turned the show over to the Master for a month. The script by Welles favorite Alexander Wolcott, adapted from a play by another favorite, George S. Kaufman, is a theatrical one, casting Welles as a figure similar to John Barrymore (another favorite!). Welles plays two parts. Between the lines, one might speculate on possible interpolations referring to his own life and situation in 1944. It's all there, past, present, and future -- down to the show's sponsor: California's Roma Wines. You may listen to it or download "The Dark Tower" here:

http://free-classic-radio-shows.com/Sus ... ark-Tower/

Merry Christmas!

Glenn Anders

[Jay]

Glenn, those are some incredible connections, and the fact that you even know about them is amazing. Do you have links to any of the other "Suspense" programs? I'd love to download them--Welles' radio programs make for great listening during car rides.

[mteal]

I like many of Welles' commercials too, Roger. I have to admit though, that cheap plastic board games is stretching it (he also did commercials for another short-lived Milton Bradley board game called "Laser Attack"). Still, some people are obviously nostalgic about them. Here's 3 Ebay bids at $152 for an increasingly rare working copy of Dark Tower:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1981-Milton-Bra ... 281wt_1386

It's got nothing to do with the game besides the name, but I'm glad you mentioned the DARK TOWER radio program, Glenn. It is a fine show, well worth listening to. You're right Jay, the old radio programs do sound great in the car, and also on an iPod.

[Glenn Anders]

Well, Mike, my take on Welles' mind is that he constantly delved into his past works and life experiences to find projects which appealed to him. If I'm right, the Dark Tower game commercial would have stood out among pocket change opportunities because he had done this little Suspense show earlier. We might note, too, that he constantly came back to the theatrical theme of "The Dark Tower," poking fun at himself, from childhood on.

* * * * * * *

And Jay, here is a listing of the Suspense shows credited to Welles:

"Orson Welles guest stars on the long-running thriller. [Suspense ran hundreds of shows over many years.] Included is Welles' parody of Donovan's Brain.

" Suspense (CBS)
directors: William N. Robeson, William Spier
music: Bernard Herrmann

"Episodes:

"The Hitchhiker by Lucille Fletcher
The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell
The Lost Special by Arthur Conan Doyle
Philomel Cottage by Agatha Christie
Lazarus Walks by Robert Richards
The Marvelous Barastro by Ben Hecht
The Dark Tower by Alexander Woollcott and George S. Kaufman
Donovan's Brain by Curt Siodmak"

It's not so amazing that I know about these shows because I heard most of them when they were first presented on Radio, and so, I know what to look for now. You may download them, Jay, for free at this same site:

http://www.archive.org/details/OrsonWellesOnSuspense

Glenn

[mteal]

Thanks for the link, Glenn. Those are all enjoyable programs, especially the 2-part DONOVAN'S BRAIN. Nice to see them all grouped together online.

Here's a curiosity I found while websurfing; Welles's contract with Milton Bradley about Laser Attack:

[Jay]

Glenn, thanks so much for posting those. I plan on listening to all of them.

[RayKelly]

Great site. Thanks Glenn.

[Glenn Anders]

Glad to have been of help, gang. Further to "board games" and Orson Welles, I had intended on adding a comment to the discussion of the late Ken Russell on another thread, but I may as well do it here:

Director Russell, as noted on that thread, admired Welles, considered him an influence. He listed CITIZEN KANE #2 on his Ten Best Films list. Like Welles, the latter part of Russell's career was considered by many critics one of decline. His two last pictures of note were LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM and SALOME.

I like both of these films, too, but LAIR OF THE WHITE WORM, a campy, suggestive work, full of in-jokes, has a special interest for Wellesians. The plot, based on Brom Stoker's last novel, concerns a legendary Scottish serpent, thought to have been slaughtered by a Crusading knight, but though cleaved in two, actually living on in a dungeon under The Temple, the local dominant castle. The castle is commanded by Lady Sylvia Marsh (Amanda Donohoe), secretly the high priestess of a cult worshiping "The White Worm." She lures virginal victims to The Temple, for sacrifice to the monster. Not to go more into the plot, but Lady Sylvia has a favorite game, "Snakes and Ladders," which she occasionally uses to lull the victims. She has a pet name for the game, and at a climactic moment in the film, as the "Snakes and Ladders" board is being consumed by fire in the baronial fireplace, she utters its name: "Rosebud!"

I do not know a direct Welles' connection to the "Snakes and Ladders" board game, however.

You could look it up.

Glenn