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John Ford

Known for: Directing

Biography: 1894-02-01

Deathday: 1973-08-31 (79 years old)

Biography

John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach (1939), The Searchers (1956), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath (1940). His four Academy Awards for Best Director (1935, 1940, 1941, 1952) is a record, and one of those films, How Green Was My Valley (1941), also won Best Picture.

In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ford directed more than 140 films (although nearly all of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation. Ford's films and personality were held in high regard by his colleagues, with Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles among those who have named him as one of the greatest directors of all time.

In particular, Ford was a pioneer of location shooting and the long shot which frames his characters against a vast, harsh and rugged natural terrain.

Filmography

all 199

Movies 193

Director 138

self 39

Producer 9

TV Shows 6

Self (archive footage)

John Ford

Biography

Filmography

all 199

Movies 193

Director 138

self 39

Producer 9

TV Shows 6

AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special (2023)

Filmmakers for the Prosecution (2023)

Ford at Pearl (2021)

John Wayne - America at All Costs (2019)

John Ford: The Man Who Invented America (2019)

Five Came Back (2017)

This Is Orson Welles (2015)

Spanish Western (2015)

What Is Cinema? (2013)

John Ford & Monument Valley (2013)

1939: Hollywood's Greatest Year (2009)

The Size of Legends, The Soul of Myth (2009)

Never Apologize (2008)

Serenity at Sea: John Ford and the Araner (2006)

Monument Valley: John Ford Country (2006)

John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend (2006)

Budd Boetticher: An American Original (2005)

Battleground (2004)

John Ford Goes to War (2002)

Shooting War (2000)

Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley' (2000)

National Geographic Explorer: The Battle For Midway (1999)

A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995)

Katharine Hepburn: All About Me (1993)

Omnibus: John Ford, Part One (1992)

Unforgiven (1992)

John Wayne's 'The Alamo' (1992)

Fonda on Fonda (1992)

Hollywood Mavericks (1990)

Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend (1976)

The American Film Institute Salute to ... (1973)

The American West of John Ford (1971)

Directed by John Ford (1971)

Vietnam! Vietnam! (1971)

My Name Is John Ford, I Make Westerns (1970)

Entre chien et loup, John Ford (1966)

7 Women (1966)

Young Cassidy (1965)

Cheyenne Autumn (1964)

Donovan's Reef (1963)

How the West Was Won (1962)

Flashing Spikes (1962)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)

Alcoa Premiere (1961)

Two Rode Together (1961)

The Colter Craven Story: (1960)

Sergeant Rutledge (1960)

The Horse Soldiers (1959)

Korea (1959)

The Last Hurrah (1958)

Gideon's Day (1958)

Wagon Train (1957)

The Rising of the Moon (1957)

The Wings of Eagles (1957)

The Growler Story (1957)

The Searchers (1956)

Rookie of the Year (1955)

Screen Director's Playhouse (1955)

The Jane Wyman Show (1955)

Mister Roberts (1955)

The Red, White and Blue Line (1955)

The Long Gray Line (1955)

Mogambo (1953)

The Sun Shines Bright (1953)

Ton Diagonismon Dia Thn Anadixin Tis Star Ellas (1952)

What Price Glory (1952)

The Quiet Man (1952)

This Is Korea! (1951)

The Screen Director (1951)

Rio Grande (1950)

Wagon Master (1950)