Walter Huston shot while delivering the black bird to Sam Spade in "The Maltese Falcon". This was an uncredited performance. Walter's son, John Huston, directed the picture. John, as a practical joke, had his father enter the scene and die in more than 10 different takes. In 1948, he played Howard in "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre", which was also directed by his son, John Huston. The film was based on B. Traven's novel, which told the story of three gold diggers in 1920s post-revolution Mexico. Walter Huston won the Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
John Huston let Huston choose his first subject. Huston kept the screenplay close to the novel, keeping much of Hammett's dialogue, and directing it in an uncluttered style, much like the book's narrative. He did unusual preparation for his first directing job by sketching out each shot beforehand, including camera positions, lighting, and compositional scale, for such things as closeups. He especially benefited by selecting a superior cast, giving Humphrey Bogart the lead role. Bogart was happy to take the role, as he liked working with Huston. In addition, the supporting cast included other noted actors: Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Sydney Greenstreet