American film director John Ford was born John Martin Feeney in Cape Elizabeth, Maine on February 1, 1894. He made 145 films and won more Academy Awards than any other director. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000406/bio He frequently used war and the wild west as backdrops to his stories. John Wayne collaborated with him for over 50 years. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/05/10/DI2006051001080.html Many consider him America's greatest director.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2006/05/10/DI2006051001080.html
Ford is still the subject of documentaries, retrospectives, and much of film history. Most of his work is readily available, including all of his films with John Wayne. Nine of Ford's films are listed in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000406/bio
Career Overview
Quotes
Filmography
Excerpt from Peter Bogdanovich's documentary ''Directed by John Ford''
This clip of the documentary titled Directed by John Ford details an anecdote of Peter Bogdanovich, the director of the movie. In it, Orson Welles, having paid Ford a great compliment, though mentioning one of Ford's "lesser" films, Mother Machree, receives a note from Ford himself, thanking him for the remark, but signing it as "Mother Machree."
References
Fast Facts
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Born
February 1, 1895
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Birth place
Cape Elizabeth, Maine, United States
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Academy Awards
Four Best Director Oscars
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Number of films
145
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Notable films
Searchers (1956), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), Stagecoach (1939)
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Typically works with
John Wayne, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Ward Bond
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Years active
1917 - 1966
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Spouse
Mary Ford
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Debut
The Tornado (short) (1917)
