William Alland (March 4, 1916 - November 11, 1997) was an actor, producer, writer and director of science fiction and western films. He is perhaps best known for his role as reporter Jerry Thompson, who investigates the life of newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane in Orson Welle's Citizen Kane. In his early 20's, he arrived in Manhattan and took courses at the Henry Street Settlement House, where he met Orson Welles. He also lent his voice to Welles' The War of the Worlds. Alland won a Peabody Award as producer of Doorway to Life.
Alland's role as reporter Thompson in Citizen Kane is noted most importantly because the camera never closes up on his face; in fact, for the majority of his scenes in the film, his shows his back to the camera, and whenever his face can be seen, it is always in long-shot and almost always clouded in shadow. As noted by film critic Roger Ebert on the DVD commentary of Citizen Kane, Alland once reportedly told an entire audience of people that they would probably recognize him if he were to show his back to them.
Filmography
Macbeth (1948) - Second Murderer
The Lady from Shanghai (1947, uncredited) Reporter
Riffraff (1947, uncredited) Trumpy, Man in Cell
The Falcon Takes Over (1942, uncredited) Reporter
The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941, uncredited) Guide (scenes deleted)
Tom Dick and Harry (1941, uncredited) voice of Newsreel Announcer
Citizen Kane (1941) Jerry Thompson
References
^ Variety, November 13, 1997
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Alland"
Categories: 1916 births | 1997 deaths | People from Sussex County, Delaware | Film biography stubs
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