Genius, by Patrick Dennis

[Colmena]

I just read _Genius_ by Patrick Dennis (best known for Auntie Mame) which is a satire on Orson Welles (AKA Leander Starr), with the Dennis character (he uses his own name) serving as a scriptwriter for Starr's latest, The Valley of the Vultures, being shot in Mexico City in the early 60's. It's a light fun read.

I don't know whether Dennis ever met Welles face to face, or whether his notion of OW was totally second hand. I suspect the latter.

What's surprising here is not the attributes being satirized, which are as we would expect-- Starr as full of himself, overly-theatrical, rhetorical, manipulative, financially irresponsible, given to champagne tastes etc.-- but the extent to which the satire also recognizes Starr's essential genius: his virtuosic multitasking, his ability inspire his actors, his ability to deal with challenges and setbacks quickly and creatively, etc.

The last words: "... but always unabashedly and unaffectedly a genius."
Too true.

Also, and even more surprising, we have the sudden arrival of a lost daughter... who is looking for her father, wants a father... and Starr's dealing with her, and his eventual taking parental responsibility, which is part of the happy ending. This reminded me of Christopher's poignant memoir, which I had just finished reading before picking up this item.

[Colmena]

I've now heard tell (from Dennis's biographer) that the "hero" of _Genius_ is also based on Otto Preminger, as well as OW.
He also confirmed that Dennis did not meet Welles.

[Wellesnet]

Part 6 of "The RKO Story" has a great anecdote about Howard Hughes hiring Preminger to mistreat actress Jean Simmons (who had rebuffed Hughes's advances), starting at about the 29:00 mark:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IauZbsY ... 4n5HzMQx7D