You have to be kidding. He never played the same character over and over. He could play a nice guy or the villain equally well. He was definitely not wooden. He could act with his eyes even. Most actors can't do that. He could just be completely still and his eyes could convey so much. Have you not seen "Shadow of A Doubt"? If anyone overacted it was hammy flammy Orson Wells.
"Life is like a box of Krispy Kreme donuts".

Not really. He was wooden, played the same character over and over, and had no range. He wasn't a top draw.

He was an amazing actor. One of the most underrated.
"Life is like a box of Krispy Kreme donuts".

Cotten was a terrible actor.

To the OP: think before you post and Orson Welles was an actor with a wider range than you think

If Welles thought Cotten was terrible, why did he cast him in so many of his films? It would be like hearing Martin Scorsese say that Robert De Niro is a terrible actor. Seems to me this story is BS.

Read the words closer. I think Orson was just criticizing Jimmy's performance strictly in Rear Window, which is not shocking considering he didn't seem to have much praise for Hitchcock as a fellow director. Contrarily, I've heard Orson say some glowing things about Stewart:
Mind you, I'm sure he was under no obligation to do that particular program, and the roasters were arranged to leave Orson (the best) for last. Can't see him bothering if he didn't really mean 5b4any of it.

Oh I see. Even though I prefer Cotton to Stewart, I really disagree with that statement.

Welles said Jimmy Stewart was a terrible actor, NOT Joseph Cotton. See here:
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/jun/29/orson-welles-criticism-hollywood-stars-ta1354pes

Well, he sure did like working with him.