One of the most powerful film directors of the 1970’s, Academy Award-winning director William Friedkin was representative of Hollywood’s first wave of hip, hot, young super-directors. Famed for his boisterous talent and booming ego, Friedkin earned a reputation for drawing out brilliant performances from his actors – by whatever means necessary. While a few of the director’s notoriously manipulative tactics seemed questionable, no one could argue their effectiveness. Just five years after making his feature film debut, Friedkin snagged the Best Director Oscar for “The French Connection”