William Alland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Alland
Born	(1916-03-04)March 4, 1916 Delmar, Delaware, U.S.
Died	November 11, 1997(1997-11-11) (aged 81)
Occupation	Producer, writer, actor
Notable work	Look in Any Window

William Alland (born March 4, 1916 – died November 11, 1997) was an American film producer, writer, and actor. He was well-known for making many exciting Western and science-fiction movies. These included monster films like This Island Earth, It Came From Outer Space, and the three Creature from the Black Lagoon movies. He often worked with director Jack Arnold. Many people also remember Alland for his acting role as reporter Thompson in Orson Welles's famous film Citizen Kane (1941).

Early Life and Career

William Alland was born in Delmar, Delaware. When he was in his early 20s, he moved to Manhattan. There, he took classes at the Henry Street Settlement House. This is where he met the famous director Orson Welles.

Alland lent his voice to Welles's well-known radio show, The War of the Worlds. This show made many people believe aliens were invading! Alland also won a special award called a Peabody Award. He received it for being the producer of a radio show called Doorway to Life.

Acting in Citizen Kane

Alland started his film career as an actor. He is perhaps best remembered for playing Jerry Thompson. This reporter investigates the life of a newspaper boss named Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane (1941).

William Alland (left) with Paul Stewart in a photo for Citizen Kane (1941). This picture shows Alland's face, which is rarely seen clearly in the movie itself.

In Citizen Kane, Alland's role as Jerry Thompson was quite unique. The camera never showed his face up close. Most of the time, his back was to the camera. When his face could be seen, it was usually from far away and in shadow. Alland once joked that people would recognize him if he just turned his back to them!

Besides acting as Thompson, Alland also narrated the "News on the March" newsreel part of the film. This was a funny imitation of the popular March of Time newsreels from that era. Later, he did voiceovers for similar newsreel spoofs. One was for the 1974 Orson Welles film F for Fake. Another was for a 1991 BBC documentary about Citizen Kane.

Producer of Science Fiction Films

William Alland became a successful film producer. He was especially known for his science fiction and monster movies. He produced many classic films that are still enjoyed today.

Some of his famous monster movies include This Island Earth (1955), It Came From Outer Space (1953), and Tarantula! (1955). He also produced The Deadly Mantis (1957) and The Mole People (1956). Alland was also behind the three Creature from the Black Lagoon films. These movies often featured amazing creatures and exciting stories. He also directed the film Look in Any Window.

Later Life

William Alland was a decorated combat pilot in the Air Force during World War II. He flew 56 missions in the Pacific. He passed away on November 11, 1997.

Filmography