Orson Welles and HG Wells are two of the most influential figures in the history of science fiction and cinema. Their works have inspired generations of writers, filmmakers, and fans. But are they related by blood or by coincidence? The answer is not as simple as it may seem.
The War of the Worlds Connection
The most obvious link between Orson Welles and HG Wells is their adaptation of The War of the Worlds, the 1898 novel by HG Wells that depicts a Martian invasion of Earth. In 1938, Orson Welles directed and narrated a radio broadcast of The War of the Worlds, which caused some listeners to panic, thinking that the alien attack was real. According to Mental Floss, this infamous incident brought Orson Welles to international fame and also caught the attention of HG Wells, who was visiting the United States at the time.
Two years later, in 1940, the two men met for the first time in San Antonio, Texas, where they were both invited for separate speaking engagements. They had a friendly conversation on the air, in which HG Wells expressed his delight at meeting “my little namesake, Orson”, and joked that he should drop the extra “e” in his name. They also discussed their views on Adolf Hitler, Citizen Kane, and the future of humanity. You can listen to their chat here.
The Family Tree Mystery
Despite their shared interest in science fiction and their similar names, Orson Welles and HG Wells were not related by blood. Orson Welles was born George Orson Welles in 1915 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to Richard Head Welles and Beatrice Ives Welles. His paternal grandfather was Orson S. Head, a prominent lawyer in Kenosha. His maternal grandfather was George Henry Ives, a manufacturer of agricultural implements. According to Wikipedia, there is no evidence that either of these families had any connection to HG Wells or his ancestors.
HG Wells was born Herbert George Wells in 1866 in Bromley, Kent, England, to Joseph Wells and Sarah Neal Wells. His father was a shopkeeper and a professional cricketer. His mother was a domestic servant. According to Britannica, his family was of “the impoverished lower middle class”. He had no known relatives with the surname Welles or Wells in America.
However, there is a possibility that Orson Welles and HG Wells were distantly related through a common ancestor in England. According to Profound-Advice, some genealogists have traced both men’s ancestry back to a John Welles or Wells who lived in Essex in the 15th century. He was the father of Lionel Welles or Wells, who became the 6th Baron Welles and married Margaret Beauchamp, the grandmother of Henry VII. If this is true, then Orson Welles and HG Wells would be very distant cousins, sharing a 15th great-grandfather.
The Legacy of Two Giants
Whether they were related or not, Orson Welles and HG Wells left a lasting impact on the world of science fiction and cinema. Their works have been adapted, remade, referenced, and parodied countless times. They have influenced many other artists and thinkers, such as Steven Spielberg, George Orwell, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Stanley Kubrick, Ridley Scott, Jules Verne, and Stephen King. They have also inspired many scientific and technological innovations, such as space travel, nuclear weapons, satellite television, and the World Wide Web.
Orson Welles and HG Wells were two visionary men who shared more than just a name. They shared a passion for storytelling, a curiosity for the unknown, and a hope for humanity’s future. They were not related by blood, but they were related by spirit.
