 The film featured Cotten prominently in the role of Kane's best friend Jedediah Leland, eventually a drama critic for one of Kane's papers.When released on May 1, 1941, "Citizen Kane" — based in part on the life of William Randolph Hearst — did not do much business at theaters; Hearst owned numerous major newspapers, and forbade them to carry advertisements for the film.Nominated for nine Academy Awards in 1942, the film won only for Best Screenplay, for Mankiewicz and Welles.