Orson Welles (1915-1985), film and stage director, actor, writer and producer, was a uniquely talented artist who nevertheless struggled for much of his life to realise his unique vision. His greatest triumphs came dazzlingly early. In his 20s he had a seminal influence on radio drama with the productions of his company the Mercury Players. Their 1938 radio adaptation of Wells's War of the Worlds caused a nationwide panic when listeners thought aliens really had landed in New Jersey. He was only 25 when, with the help of some very talented collaborators, he co-wrote, directed and starred in Citizen Kane (1941), generally reckoned to be one of the greatest films ever made. But when RKO studios released a mangled version of his next film, The Magnificent Ambersons, without his consent, it set the pattern of frustration and creative battles that would mark the rest of his life. Nevertheless he went on to produce several more great films - A Touch of Evil (1958) and his version of Othello notable amongst them - and iconic performances - most famously as Harry Lime in the classic The Third Man (1949).