The son of vaudevillian Billy K. Wells, a renowned entertainer, grew up to follow in his father's footsteps by pursuing a career in the entertainment industry. After graduating from New York University, Wells began his journey as a writer for radio, penning scripts for popular shows such as "The Jack Pearl Show" and "Lux Radio Theater".
As his skills and reputation grew, Wells joined MGM under contract in 1943, quickly establishing himself as a talented screenwriter with a knack for crafting light comedies and musicals. His innovative approach to storytelling and ability to breathe life into his characters earned him a reputation as a go-to writer for the studio.
Wells's most notable achievement was winning the Academy Award for Best Original Story and Screenplay for "Designing Woman" (1957),a sophisticated marital comedy starring the iconic duo Lauren Bacall and Gregory Peck. He also co-wrote "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" (1949) with Harry Tugend, a musical starring Gene Kelly that was nominated for an award by the Writer's Guild of America as Best Written American Musical.
Throughout his career, Wells worked closely with the talented Esther Williams, producing several of her films, including "Jupiter's Darling" (1955). After leaving MGM in 1970, Wells continued to write for television and, in 1982, penned "Taurus", a novel described as a "'novel of erotic horror".
