As a director and an actor, Welles was more often than not very difficult to work with. Welles biographer Simon Callow explains: “He was deeply insecure about his own acting. He wanted to send the actors away and then he would shoot his own scenes. No one would be there except the camera crew” (via Variety). In short, he was stubborn and particular. Some might equate it with being a “tortured artist,” but it wasn’t uncharacteristic of Welles to extend those torturous tendencies to others.
While shooting a commercial for frozen peas on behalf of the Swedish food brand Fidus, Welles was hired as the narrator. The audio engineer requested that he do a second take on one of the lines, which apparently was enough to send the actor into an unpleasant tizzy. He shot back with, “Look, I’m not used to having more than one person in there. One more word out of you and you go! Is that clear? I take directions from one person, under protest. Who the hell are you, anyway?” (per Mashed). Despite a predisposition for short-temperedness and unforecastable outbursts, Welles remains one of the most celebrated individuals in Hollywood history.
