Frank Beacham worked as a producer on a planned video program to be called Orson Welles Solo in 1985. But Welles’ death on October 10 of that year left that project unfinished.
Beacham recalls his time spent with Welles in Maverick, a new stage play, which runs through March 2 at the Connelly Theater in New York’s East Village.
Shortly after Welles’ death, Beacham was asked to produce a video of the November 2 memorial tribute at the Director’s Guild. It was organized by Joseph McBride and the late Richard Wilson with assistance by Chuck Warn of the DGA. Peter Bogdanovich served as host.
The two-hour video, entitled Remembering Orson, was given to friends and attendees at the memorial. Until now, it has never been seen by the public.
“It feels like an appropriate time to release the video,” Beacham said. “I would like to offer it exclusively to Wellesnet.”
Participating in the memorial are actors or directors Bogdanovich, Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Norman Lloyd, Dan O’Herlihy and Robert Wise. Also honoring Welles were Roger Hill, who taught the young Welles at the Todd School for Boys in Woodstock, Illinois; producer Greg Garrison, biographer Barbara Leaming, andPatrick Terrail, proprietor of Ma Maison, Welles’ favorite restaurant. Others speaking at the memorial are Richard Wilson, Gary Graver and Oja Kodar.
Beacham has written about his memories of Welles before in a revealing article on his website entitled Orson Welles and his Brief, Passionate Love Affair with the Betacam.
Beacham produced, with the late Richard Wilson, the six-hour audio retrospective, Theatre of the Imagination: Radio Stories by Orson Welles & the Mercury Theatre.
He also wrote, directed and produced the documentary, The Mercury Company Remembers with Leonard Maltin.
The Cliplight Theater production of Maverick is written by Beacham and George Demas.
Tickets for Maverick are priced between $30 and $50. Tickets are available online at https://www.artful.ly/store/events/16663
Learn more about the play at http://mavericktheplay.com