He directed nearly 80 films, including "Wings," which won the very first Academy Award for Best Picture; "The Ox-Bow Incident," starring Henry Fonda; and "The Public Enemy," which launched Jimmy Cagney's career. He also co-wrote and directed the original, 1937 version of "A Star is Born." Yet no-one outside of film circles remembers William Wellman's name. That's why his son has produced a documentary that's screening theatrically (at AFI on 7/31) and will air on TNT in August (8/13). Ken Bader, of member station WBUR reports.
Copyright 1996 NPR