Welles had previously produced a Broadway stage adaptation of nine Shakespeare plays called "Five Kings" in 1939. In 1960, he revived this project in Ireland as "Chimes at Midnight", which was his final on-stage performance. Neither of these plays was successful, but Welles considered portraying Falstaff to be his life's ambition and turned the project into a film. In order to get initial financing, Welles lied to producer Emiliano Piedra about intending to make a version of "Treasure Island", and keeping the film funded during its production was a constant struggle. Welles shot "Chimes at Midnight" throughout Spain between 1964 and 1965; it premiered at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival, winning two awards there.