Orson Welles - Alessandro Tasca di Cutò Papers (1947-1995, bulk 1964)
Summary Information
Orson Welles - Alessandro Tasca di Cutò Papers
Welles, Orson, 1915-1985 Tasca di Cutò, Alessandro, 1906-2000
1947-1995
1964
7.0 Linear feet (2 record center boxes, 4 oversize boxes, and 1 portfolio)
The Orson-Welles and Alessandro Tasca di Cutò papers reflect the working and personal relationship between Orson Welles and Alessandro Tasca di Cutò. He was a producer for many of Orson Welles’s films, but two were especially significant for Orson Welles: The Chimes at Midnight (also known as Falstaff, 1965) and Don Quixote (1955-73, unfinished). In both cases, Welles shot the material over a period of years, and on a shoestring budget. The majority of the archive consists of an assortment of letters, handwritten notes, and telegrams that Welles sent to Tasca di Cutò concerning the day-to-day working needs of the filmmaker. wellestasca
The material is in English.
University of Michigan Library (Special Collections Research Center), Screen Arts Mavericks & Makers
Access and Use
The collection is open for research.
Copyright has not been transferred to the Regents of the University of Michigan. Permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s).
Orson Welles - Alessandro Tasca di Cutò Papers, University of Michigan Library (Special Collections Research Center)
Collection History
Purchased from Bonhams Auction, 2011
Finding aid prepared by Rosemary Pal and Special Collections Library staff.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into four series: Correspondence, Projects, Photographs, and Miscellaneous.
Biography
Alessandro Tasca di Cutò was born in 1906 to a titled Sicilian family and cousin of Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, author of "The Leopard". Tasca’s father, Alessandro Tasca Filangeri di Cutò, was known in Italy as ‘The Red Prince’ due to his socialist ideals. Alessandro Tasca Filangeri di Cutò lost most of the family inheritance, and as a result, his son Alessandro emigrated to the United States and worked a variety of menial jobs while living in New York.
During World War II, Alessandro Tasca di Cutò returned to Rome and was assigned to the Ministry of Propaganda and later interned in an English-run POW camp in Padula in Southern Italy. After the war, due to his language ability he was hired to work in the film industry to ease Anglo-American productions through the complexity of the Italian bureaucracy.
In 1946, he met Orson Welles while they were both working on the film "Black Magic" (also known as "Cagliostro", 1949) directed by Gregory Ratoff. Over the next forty years, he worked on several of Welles’s films both in Europe and later on in America. During the last few years of Welles’s life, Tasca di Cutò worked with him again on projects including "The Dreamers", "The Big Brass Ring", and "The Cradle Will Rock". In 1984-85 they worked together on a film version of "King Lear", in which Welles would act and direct, with Tasca di Cutò as executive producer.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The majority of the archive lies in its assortment of letters, handwritten notes, and telegrams that Welles sent to Tasca di Cutò concerning the day-to-day working needs of the filmmaker. The collection is divided into four series: Correspondence, Projects, Photographs, and Miscellaneous.
In the Correspondence series, the bulk of the letters are written from 1960-1964. Alessandro is usually referred to as Sandro by Orson Welles. The majority of letters are from Welles to Tasca di Cutò mainly discussing film production details. Welles signs many of his letters with just “O”. There is also a letter from Welles to Joseph Marks head of MAfilm in Hungary from 1985. The correspondence contains several references related to Orson Welles’s death in 1985, including a photocopy of a telegram of condolence from France’s President Francois Mitterand to Tasca di Cutò, and from Ann Rogers, Welles’s one-time secretary in London. In the Various to Tasca section letters include correspondence from Paola Mori and Rebecca Welles Manning along with business contacts. The letters are a combination of typed and handwritten letters and some letters are photocopies of originals.
The Projects series includes information on films Orson Welles acted and directed. Included in this series are scripts, production documents such as budgets and filming schedules, and photographs. The films include: "Black Magic", "Nella terra di Don Chisciotte" (In the Land of Don Quixote) a documentary, "Chimes at Midnight", "The Other Side of the Wind", "The Big Brass Ring", "The Dreamers", "King Lear", "The Cradle Will Rock", "Mercedes", "It’s All True", "The Unseen", "Don Quixote", and "Saladino". The "Chimes at Midnight" documents include 22 costume sketches that are attributed to Orson Welles, but are left unsigned. In "Don Quixote" there are eleven drawings and paintings by several different artists depicting scenes from "Don Quixote" based on stills from some early footage. The drawings are from different artists but all are in the style of Gustave Dore. The drawings were to show Don Quixote “reading his book and getting his Big Idea.” The unfinished projects include: "It’s All True", "The Other Side of the Wind", "The Big Brass Ring", "King Lear", "The Cradle Will Rock", "Saladino" and "Don Quixote".
Photographs are included in each project, but the Photographs series contains photographs of Alessandro Tasca di Cutò on set and in some of his acting roles.
Miscellaneous contains material such as stationary, and programs from many Orson Welles tributes. Included is a photocopy of a legal document that is a confirmation of ownership rights to Oja Kodar for some of Orson Welles’s material. The Clippings and Articles contains general clippings from several publications from 1943-1985 documenting Orson Welles’s career with some in French and Spanish.
Subject Terms
- Tasca di Cutò, Alessandro
- Actors--United States--20th century.
- Motion picture actors and actresses.
- Motion picture producers and directors.
- Motion pictures--Production and direction.
- Motion pictures--United States--20th century.
Contents List
| Container / Location |
Title
|
| |
Correspondence [series]:
|
| |
Welles, Orson to Alessandro Tasca di Cutò
|
| Box 1 |
|
Undated (8 folders)
|
| Box 1 |
|
1960-1961 (2 folders)
|
| Box 1 |
|
1964
|
| Box 1 |
|
Various Correspondents to Alessandro Tasca di Cutò (including photocopy of 11/10/1985 telegram from President Francois Mitterand expressing condolences on Welles's death) 1964-1990
|
| Box 1 |
|
Tasca di Cutò, Alessandro to Various Correspondents (including letter to Gary [Graver?] written after Welles's death) 1982-1985
|
| |
Tasca di Cutò, Alessandro to Orson Welles
|
| Box 1 |
|
Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
1961, 1964
|
| Box 1 |
|
1983
|
| Box 1 |
|
Various Correspondents to Orson Welles 1964-1982
|
| Box 1 |
|
Welles, Orson to Joseph Marks October 01, 1985
|
| |
Projects [series]:
|
| |
Black Magic (Cagliostro) 1947 [subseries]:
|
| |
Photographs
|
| Box 1 |
|
Negative of six photographs of Welles on set 1947
|
| |
Nella terra di Don Chisciotte (In the Land of Don Quixote) Documentary 1961 [subseries]:
|
| Box 1 |
|
Production notes June 1961
|
| |
Chimes at Midnight 1965 [subseries]:
|
| Box 1 |
|
Script (2 folders)
|
| |
Production Documents
|
| Box 1 |
|
Production notes handwritten by Welles Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Undated
|
| |
Articles and Clippings 1980
|
| Box 1 |
|
Shakespeare Quarterly, Autumn 1980 Volume 31, No. 3 1980
|
| Box 1 |
|
Clippings (2 folders)
|
| |
Photographs
|
| Box 1 |
|
Two negatives Undated
|
| |
The Other Side of the Wind 1974 [subseries]:
|
| Box 1 |
|
Script, first cutting draft with notes (3 folders) September 09, 1974
|
| |
The Big Brass Ring [subseries]:
|
| |
Scripts
|
| Box 1 |
|
Tasca copy (2 folders) June 08, 1982
|
| Box 1 |
|
Copies with notes in the margins, 2 copies (4 folders) Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Complete script (2 folders) Undated
|
| |
Production Documents
|
| Box 1 |
|
Budget 1981
|
| Box 1 |
|
Continuity breakdowns (2 folders) Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Exteriors and interiors list Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
General schedule Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Filming schedule May 23, 1982
|
| Box 1 |
|
Yacht information 1981
|
| |
The Dreamers 1982-1985 [subseries]:
|
| |
Scripts
|
| Box 1 |
|
Tasca copy (2 folders) Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Welles copy (pages missing) Undated
|
| |
Production documents 1982-1985
|
| Box 1 |
|
Budget - 1985
|
| Box 1 |
|
Budget - July 08, 1982 with notes
|
| Box 1 |
|
Budget - July 08, 1982
|
| Box 1 |
|
Budget - Notes Undated
|
| Box 1 |
|
Production Notes (includes notes by Tasca) (2 folders) Undated
|
| |
King Lear [subseries]:
|
| |
Scripts Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
September 20, 1985
|
| |
Production Documents
|
| Box 2 |
|
Notes Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Budget - May 1984
|
| Box 2 |
|
Budget - July 21, 1985 (2 copies)(2 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
Budget - August 1985
|
| Box 2 |
|
Philippe Dussart cinematography estimate Undated
|
| |
The Cradle Will Rock [subseries]:
|
| |
Scripts
|
| Box 2 |
|
Tasca copy (2 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
"Rocking the Cradle" first draft screenplay by Ring Lardner, Jr. Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Script by Marc Blitzstein, revised by John Houseman 1983
|
| |
Production Documents
|
| Box 2 |
|
Filming schedule October 28, 1984
|
| Box 2 |
|
Filming schedule Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Continuity breakdowns (2 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
List of pre-recorded material
|
| Box 2 |
|
Budget 1984-1985
|
| Box 2 |
|
Invoices 1983-1984
|
| Box 2 |
|
Completion bond agreement November 09, 1984
|
| Box 2 |
|
Costumes prices and list of pre-recorded material
|
| Box 2 |
|
Insurance 1984
|
| Box 2 |
|
Notes; includes handwritten notes by Tasca
|
| Box 2 |
|
Film sets list
|
| |
Post-Production
|
| Box 2 |
|
Editing
|
| |
Photographs: Location Scouting for Theaters in Italy
|
| Box 2 |
|
Brancaccio Theater (4 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
Espero Theater (2 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
Olimpico Theater (2 folders)
|
| Box 2 |
|
Various Locations
|
| |
Mercedes [subseries]:
|
| |
Scripts
|
| Box 2 |
|
Script (2 copies) (4 folders) Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Script with notes in margin (3 folders) Undated
|
| |
It's All True [subseries]:
|
| |
Articles
|
| Box 2 |
|
"Letter from Hollywood: "It's All True"-Lost and Found" by Bill Krohn (with notes) Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
"A La Recherche Du Film Fantôme" by Bill Krohn September, 1985
|
| |
The Unseen 1980 [subseries]:
|
| Box 2 |
|
Crew list
|
| |
Don Quixote [subseries]:
|
| |
Production Documents
|
| Box 2 |
|
Location notes
|
| |
Photographs
|
| Box 2 |
|
Patricia McCormack Photographs Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Synopsis for a Feature Film of Orson Welles "Don Quixote" by Suzanne Cloutier Undated
|
| |
Saladino (The Three Crusaders) [subseries]:
|
| Box 2 |
|
Film synopsis booklet December 1963
|
| |
Photographs [series]:
|
| Box 2 |
|
Photographs of Alessandro Tasca di Cutò
|
| |
Miscellaneous [series]:
|
| Box 2 |
|
General clippings and articles (5 folders) 1943-1985
|
| Box 2 |
|
British Film Institute 50th Anniversary Banquet Program October 05, 1983
|
| Box 2 |
|
Confirmation of ownership rights to Oja Kodar June 19, 1985
|
| Box 2 |
|
Foquet's Paris, Citizen Welles restaurant menu February 27, 1982
|
| Box 2 |
|
Orson Welles Los Angeles Public Libary card Expiry Date February 04,1987
|
| Box 2 |
|
Orson Welles stationery Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
University of Southern California Delta Kappa Alpha Tribute to Orson Welles program Undated
|
| Box 2 |
|
Gary Graver Productions and Culver City Studio, Inc. - estimates circa 1979
|
| Box 2 |
|
Miscellaneous documents
()
|
| |
Oversize material [series]:
|
| |
Chimes at Midnight - Production Documents 1965
|
| Box 3 |
|
14 Costume designs attributed to Orson Welles
|
| Box 4 |
|
8 Costume designs attributed to Orson Welles
|
| |
Don Quixote - Production Documents; Photographs
|
| Box 5 |
|
11 Sketches and drawings by different artists in the style of Gustave Dore
|
| Box 6 |
|
21 Photographs from film frames
|
| |
Black Magic - Photographs
|
| Portfolio 1 |
|
Photographs of Welles on set (6 photographs) 1947
|
| |
The Big Brass Ring - Production Documents
|
| Portfolio 1 |
|
Filming schedule
|
| Portfolio 1 |
|
Filming schedule Undated
|
| |
The Dreamers - Production Documents
|
| Portfolio 1 |
|
Filming schedule Undated
|
| Portfolio 1 |
|
Cast filming schedule
|
Additional Descriptive Data
There are three other collections at the University of Michigan that complement the Orson Welles-Alessandra Tasca di Cutò Papers. The first, the Richard Wilson-Orson Welles Papers, contains 1930s-1950s Mercury Theater material and other papers kept by Welles's friend and long-time associate, Richard Wilson. The second is the Orson Welles-Oja Kodar Papers, documenting the creative activities of Orson Welles during the last two decades of his life. The papers also contain a smaller amount of materials from the 1930s through the early 1960s. The materials in this collection were obtained from Oja Kodar, his companion and creative collaborator from the 1960s until his death in 1985. The Orson Welles-Chris Welles Feder Collection is an assortment of material on Orson Welles collected by his eldest daughter, Chris Welles Feder. The collection includes letters written by Orson Welles to his first wife, Virginia Nicolson, from 1937-1952, and documents Welles's professional transition from New York to Hollywood in 1939, describing his first month on the West Coast and his introduction to the world of movie-making. Also included are family photographs, clippings and articles, audiovisual materials such as movies or TV shows dedicated to Orson Welles, and some ephemera such as postcards, exhibition programs, and catalogs.
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