Wings, in 1927, won the first Academy Award for Outstanding Picture, which was changed to Best Picture in 1962. Wings is a silent romantic-action war film set in World War I. The film starred Clara Bow, Charles Rogers, Richard Arlen, and Gary Cooper. The film shot Cooper to prominence in the industry. Wings was directed by William A. Wellman, who personally had combat experience as a pilot, and was written to feature Clara Bow, as she was Paramount’s biggest star at the time. The film was shot on location at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, at a $2 million cost. The film was acclaimed for realistic air-combat sequences and was an immediate success.