OVERLAY REPORT

At the time of its release in **April 1958**, the most famous actor in *Touch of Evil* was **Charlton Heston**. While Orson Welles was a towering figure in cinema history due to *Citizen Kane*, his career was in a period of decline with major Hollywood studios at the time, and he was considered "persona non grata" by many executives. In contrast, Charlton Heston was one of the most bankable leading men in the world, having just starred in one of the biggest box-office hits in history. ### **Charlton Heston (Mike Vargas)** Heston was the primary "box office draw" for the film. His star power was so significant that Universal-International only agreed to let Orson Welles direct the project because Heston requested it; the studio had originally hired Welles only to act, but Heston told them that if Welles was in the cast, he should also be directing. **Other Notable Films:** * **The Ten Commandments (1956):** Just two years before *Touch of Evil*, Heston played the career-defining role of **Moses**. The film was a massive commercial success and solidified his status as Hollywood’s premier epic hero. * **The Greatest Show on Earth (1952):** He starred as the circus manager Brad Braden in this Cecil B. DeMille blockbuster, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture and was the highest-grossing film of its year. * **Ben-Hur (1959):** Released just a year after *Touch of Evil*, this film earned Heston the Academy Award for Best Actor and remains one of the most celebrated epics of all time. --- ### **Other Famous Cast Members** While Heston was the top-billed star, the film featured other performers who were extremely famous for different reasons: **1. Orson Welles (Hank Quinlan)** Welles was the "famous" creative force. Though his status as a "bankable" actor was lower than Heston's in 1958, he was internationally renowned for: * **Citizen Kane (1941):** His directorial debut, widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. * **The Third Man (1949):** His performance as the elusive Harry Lime is one of the most iconic "villain" turns in noir history. * **The Lady from Shanghai (1947):** A classic noir he directed and starred in alongside his then-wife, Rita Hayworth. **2. Janet Leigh (Susan Vargas)** Leigh was a high-profile leading lady known for playing "wholesome" ingénues, making her casting in the gritty *Touch of Evil* a notable departure. * **Little Women (1949):** She played Meg March in this successful adaptation. * **The Naked Spur (1953):** An acclaimed psychological Western starring James Stewart. * **Psycho (1960):** While she was already famous in 1958, her most enduring role as Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock’s *Psycho* would come two years later. **3. Marlene Dietrich (Tana - Cameo)** Dietrich was a legendary screen icon of the 1930s and 40s (*The Blue Angel*, *Morocco*). In *Touch of Evil*, she appears in a brief but pivotal role as a personal favor to Welles. Her presence added significant "old Hollywood" prestige to the film.