Did anyone noticed the joke at the end? Entire production conceived, produced, directed, written, staged, choreographed, built, designed, lit, managed, rehearsed, contracted for and criticized by Orson Welles? LOL

Oh my God, an actual literate, intelligent conversation taking place on network TV. How quaint. Thanks very much for the post. RIP, Orson.

Agree with him on "Grand Illusion". The "something else" should be his own "Citizen Kane".

Life-long Welles fan, I've never seen him like this. It's wonderful. Cavett is, as always, a master of understatement. He draws Welles out by making the Big Man come to him. He's seductive, and Welles loves playing to it. Welles' comments are adroit; he handles sub-referances w/a quickie story, then moves back to the topic. This is not the besotted wine huckster. This is the man still in his prime. Fantastic.

La Grande Illusion is one of my favourites too and Orson inspired me to be a Director. "Something Else" is a witty joke by Orson, listen to the end when he muses, "They'll look it up!" and the host mentions a hoax - as we all know Orson was good with those too.

At the credits Welles says "They'll look it up now", then Cavett says "You've pulled a hoax on the public." Welles - "Yes". Reportedly, when Welles made another appearance on the show the deception was revealed. Admittedly, I tried looking it up, and couldn't find any except people coming to a dead end.

What a conversationalist Mr. Welles was. He always elevated the caliber of discourse when he appeared on television. And Dick Cavett was a terrific host. I miss that feeling of being included in the conversation, instead of nowadays, when I feel like I'm watching a bunch of morons. Where can we find an Orson Welles today? Or a Dick Cavett, or a Peter Ustinov, a Richard Burton, or a Gore Vidal, an Oscar Levant, a Jack Paar, etc., etc.....? They (these last few generations) cannot tell me the overall I.Q. of this nation isn't plummeting. It most certainly is. We are a society/culture/country in decline.

Probably one of the best interviews to have ever taken place. RIP Orson Welles

It’s interesting that he mentions Grand Illusion as one of the two films he’d preserve. About 20 years prior to this interview he compiled a list of his 10 favorite films and he had seven films ranked above Grand Illusion but didn’t mention any of them here. Either his estimation of Grand Illusion grew over the years or his estimation of the other films lessened. Obviously any such list will change over the years anyway.

Brilliant answer on the subject of pornography.

Definitely, one of Cavett's best and most interesting interviews. Thank you for posting!

The grand illusion is Cavett trying to look smart with his precious manners while being unable to grasp a word of what Orson Welles was trying to tell him.

Love this man’s brilliance.

I am in awe of this great legend.. Orson Welles was a genius who knew his craft and a great interview.

I think that Dick Cavett was well- liked by his interviewees because of both his own tact in conducting an interview and also the format of the interview wherein the subjects could naturally explore a conversation instead of the present- day pressure to produce a sound bite.

This was a truly wonderful & engaging interview. both Dick and Orson are just about at their best. thanks for uploading this little masterpiece.

He looks so happy and healthy here... loved him so.

😢😢😢😢😢boy do i miss him especially this show he was a GENIUS AND HUMBLED RIP MR WELKES AND YES HURST BASTARD

Unfortunately, excerpts from an era no longer with us. Maybe Charlie Rose still does it...but this was more the norm than an exception during this time.

Brigadier General OMG! That's such an awesome story I don't even care if it's true!

Orson Welles, what a character. And incredibly down-to-earth and modest.

Great interview. Thanks for sharing these clips of it!

i love this guy, the world needs more people like him.

Orson Welles is the King of Movies.

god this awesome. try getting a 'star' of these days to talk like orson. they wouldn't get passed "duhhhh"

One thing I notice about him during these interviews is that he doesn't go out of his way to trash others as he could have easily done.

the best tv interview ive ever seen

Although the reference to the "Something Else" movie was a hoax/joke, this has appeared on IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt3739494/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

Ironically, I got an advert for the Clooney Catch 22 series before this clip

Man for all ages.

What a Legend

Those end titles lol...

"Grand Illusion" is a defensible choice. Not a lot of contenders with equal gravitas: maybe "Children of Paradise" and "Citizen Kane".

What he says about pornography is really relevant especially for today

Thank you for your service

I like Orson's joke credits at the end. Bet the unions wouldn't let you get away with that now.

Orson had more great stories that anyone, ever. Amazing life.

Woooooo, what an answer on the pornographic question ! I gotta listen to that answer a couple of more times to really grasp its full meaning.

God bless you mr welleses

wow - energetic orson clips seem kinda rare - thnx!

3.15 mark...wow...talk about thinking on your feet...orson is a legit legend

wow such a great articulate ,well read well rounded man.

Thanks for posting this, as a big fan of Welles -- and Cavett. I hadn't seen it before and really enjoyed watching.

bchfront: Very true. I only wish there were personalities like Hitchcock or Welles in Hollywood today.

Peter Greenaway has the theatre in him like orson...

I'm having a lot of difficulty identifying the other film he mentioned. Does know where there exists a listing for "Something Else"?

bch: Such as shame too. My favorite director is Hitchcock and I think I could say I really like Welles too. Both of them seemed to have great personalities. They were friendly and had a sense of humor. And I actually found out about that 'Something Else' gag after going through these comments.

Orson Welles is the coolest guy, I've yet to see an interview with him where he's not superb.

Haha the end credits "Contracted for and criticized by Orson Welles".

Wow. Just plain wow. Hard to imagine this on American Television, or anywhere else. We get trailer trash in soundbites now.

great clip, thanks for posting!

Really great story..i would have done the same sir but sadly i hadnt been born yet..Orsons spirit will live forever in the cinema history..no orson welles will exist again ever..ok enough said

I can't for the life of my cinephilia figure what Orson's "SOMETHING ELSE" is: Director: James Cruze; Stars: Corinne Griffith & Rod La Rocque ... I have no idea what that movie could be. Anyone?

Orson was a monumental talent. A storyteller of the highest order. I strongly doubt everything he told us was true (meeting Hitler???) but thats besides the point.. his personality is magnetic and his wit razor sharp, i guess this is the reason his work in Movies and Theatre were so great and original, he really understood how to make any audience (even an indifferent one) pay attention. You could say this is ' Welles unplugged'??!!

The most interesting gent ever....

God, I love Orson Welles. :D

I wonder if there are any tapes of any other Cavett interviews with Orson Welles. Just a thought. ... if so: I hope someone can upload them. ... :^)

...funny credit at the end too...

Ofcourse there isn't "something else". You can twinkle in his eye as he says it.

What a racanteur. It's a wonder he never had a talk show of his own, since he's one of the few great people who seems as interested in others as they are in him. I wish Dick had allowed Welles to go more into Welles' love of solitude; instead he quickly moved to another topic.

@FungusMossGnosis It's amazing to think that after all these years, Orson still manages to pull off a hoax by misleading people into thinking something (no pun intended) is true.

That theme music from Dick Cavett's show was from Leonard Bernstein's opera/musical Candide

thanks for this. great stuff.

I couldn't have put it any better myself, friend!

He obviously hadn't seen Oshima's "In the Realm of the Senses", if it had come out by the time of this interview.

Extraordinary man.

That was Cavett's original theme song, the one I liked so much but was replaced!

Alright, I see your point. I suppose I was a little harsh when I called you mindlessly hopeless; I retract what I said. Yeah there are definately good directors out there now, but I guess I do a lot of catching up on the older ones (I'm 24). Godard is actually one of my favourite of the older ones. It's good to have video databases like this so we can retain the memories of such great cultural figures such as Welles, eh?

TopDog: Also 'Conceived, Produced, Directed, Written, Staged, Choreographed, Built, Designed, Lit, Managed, Rehearsed, . . . ' ;)

Dick Cavett knew how to interview.

Does anyone know where I can find the film Something Else?

How is it that Larry King has a show in 2010 and Dick Cavett doesn't?

Somebody else pointed this out on here, but Orson made it up. There is no movie called Something Else with Corinne Griffith. Cavett references this hoax in his Woody Allen interview, since Woody mentions Le Grande Illusion.

3:13 Welles is rite about "you cant make a pornographic masterpiece", and to many filmmakers today keep trying to break that bar and eventually they fail and make a bad pornographic film like blue velvet.

"Has anyone ever made a pornographic masterpiece?" Caligula...

that same back problem made it impossible for him to see films over 2 hours in length

Much more of a entertaining interview than interviewing the likes of one Alfred (snooze) Hitchcock. At least Orson doesn't talk like he is in a straight jacket.

something else...obviously he's trolling film nerds.

He's drunk as a skunk and completely unhealthy but he's engaged in the conversation like a genius.

Orson Welles was correct!

Dang, so he does.

Of course i dont know it.There are already some great directors out there nowdays.What i tried to say is that no one can direct a movie with this unique way orson welles could.or hitchcock or kubrik.you see my point?some people in the movie industry managed to set some standards which exist till today.Remeber that even the french jean luc godart said for orson everyone owes him everything.he is a cult icon in the history of cinema.one of a kind.like some others are and will be in other ways

Thx. In this case definitely a speed typing error,since "contes" (as in Les Contes des Hoffman) means story. Some words, esp. names I admit having problems with! For the life of me I always have to check whether Dustin Hoffmann has one or two terminal n's (I think 1). BTW, I wish Cavett had asked if Welles thought Lewis a good filmmaker, instead he passed over that.

"What a racanteur" "raconteur", french word for "storyteller".

@bchfront - So tell us, who was your late father? Have you seen "Orson Welles and Me?"

aaahhhhh the french...

No dont regret it.I made a comment full of passion the first time so its logical it would be misunderstood.I also admit that im indeed mindlessly hopeless sometimes..you see the times of The Great Depression are coming back..ok im joking..Anyway i agree with your statement about the database..

I have to agree.

I can't find anything about a movie called "Something Else" directed by a Jame Cruz. Pretty sure Orson just trolled this entire audience

can someone give me information about ''something else''?

yes, the internet

Can’t find “Something Else” anywhere?

I looked it up.

"sadly no longer exists: A genuine "raconteur". could you elaborate what you mean by this for me?

LULZ 5:34

@ptboat67 hes charismatic.. but i dunno if i cant trust him... oh well.

@betterthansex123 his interviews were always relaxed, respectful, educated and very interesting. unfortunately most talk-shows today don't have those features.

Was Orson Welles just wonderful or not?

Seriously.

@iFedericoFellini I hope you're not suggesting, e.g., that the alien invasion of 1938 was a hoax? Because I can assure you that my grandparents looked out there kitchen window in West Windsor Township as it was happening, and it was all real.