Widely acknowledged as one of the greatest American filmmakers, Hawks pursued a career virtually spanning the Hollywood studio era. In the summers of 1916 and 1917 he had his first experiences with the movies, working in the props department of Famous Players-Lasky during his college vacations. After serving in the armed forces during WWI, Hawks worked as a racecar driver, aviator, and a designer in an aircraft factory--experiences that would later inform both his choice of subjects and his style as a director. He independently produced several films for director Allan Dwan and took a job with
