Kevin Costner won twin Oscars for producing and directing the 1990 blockbuster Dances With Wolves, a powerful tale of the tragic interaction of Native Americans and the expanding United States in the 19th century West. The film was a high point in the remarkable string of hits that made Kevin Costner the box office champion of an era. Born in Los Angeles, his family moved often when he was a child. Buy his own account, he was a shy, withdrawn youngster. He discovered acting while studying at Cal State Fullerton. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles, with no contacts in the entertainment industry, to pursue a career as an actor. He won a substantial role in the film The Big Chill, only to see his part disappear in the editing process. He made his first major impression in the western Silverado and followed it up with a starring role in the period crime drama The Untouchables. A former high school baseball player, he enjoyed major hits with starring roles in the baseball-themed films Bull Durham and Field of Dreams. He made his directorial debut with Dances With Wolves, in which he also starred. The film won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Subsequent successes include starring roles in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, JFK, The Bodyguard, Thirteen Days and Tin Cup. He received further critical acclaim for his direction of the western Open Range, in which he also starred. This podcast was recorded at historic Hoover Dam, during the evening ceremonies of the Academy of Achievement's 1992 Summit in Las Vegas, Nevada. In his address to the student delegates, Costner discusses his own family's history in the West, including his grandfather's participation in the building of Hoover Dam. He encourages the students to think for themselves and stand up for their beliefs.