Orson Welles was an American actor, director, and writer, known for his remarkable contributions to theater, radio, and film. He had a troubled childhood; his father was an alcoholic, and his mother passed away when he was young. At the age of 11, he enrolled at Todd Seminary for Boys, where his teacher, Roger Hill, introduced him to drama. Soon after graduating, he traveled to the United Kingdom and auditioned for a role. He made his stage debut at 16, in Dublin, performing at the Gate Theatre. At 18, he returned to the United States and joined a repertory theatre group to pursue a career in acting. He supplemented his income with radio work and gradually became a popular figure in both radio and theater. However, radio remained his favorite medium throughout his life. His 1938. radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds brought him widespread fame and led to his entry into Hollywood. Although he directed masterpieces like Citizen Kane (1941), early in his film career, it took him years to gain lasting recognition in Hollywood.