Home

John Ford

Known for directing · Born 1 February 1894 · Died 31 August 1973 · aged 79 · Cape Elizabeth, Maine, USA

202 credits

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.

Sign in to add favoritesIMDb profile ↗

Known for

The Searchers

1956

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

1962

Stagecoach

1939

The Grapes of Wrath

1940

The Quiet Man

1952

How the West Was Won

1962

My Darling Clementine

1946

How Green Was My Valley

1941

Fort Apache

1948

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

1949

The Alamo

1960

Rio Grande

1950

Acting (43)

2023Filmmakers for the ProsecutionSelf - Filmmaker (archive footage)Film
2019John Ford: The Man Who Invented AmericaSelf - Filmmaker (archive footage)Film
2017Five Came BackSelf (archive footage) · 3 episodesSeries
2017Five Came BackSelf (archive footage)Film
2015Spanish WesternSelf (archive footage)Film
2013John Ford & Monument ValleySelf (archive footage)Film
20091939: Hollywood's Greatest YearSelf (archive footage)Film
2009The Size of Legends, The Soul of MythSelf (archive footage)Film
2006Monument Valley: John Ford CountrySelf (voice) (archive footage)Film
2006Serenity at Sea: John Ford and the AranerHimself (archive footage)Film
2000Shooting WarhimselfFilm
2000Backstory: 'How Green Was My Valley'Self (archive footage)Film
2000John Wayne-A Life on FilmSelf (archive footage)Film
1999National Geographic Explorer: The Battle For MidwayHimself - Filmmaker (archive footage) (unaccredited)Film
1995The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American MoviesSelf (archive footage)Film
1992John Wayne's 'The Alamo'SelfFilm
1992Fonda on FondaSelf (archive footage)Film
1992Omnibus: John Ford, Part OneSelf (archive footage)Film
1989John Ford's AmericaHimself (Archive Footage)Film
1976Chesty: A Tribute to a LegendHimself/InterviewerFilm
1973The American Film Institute Salute to ...SelfSeries
1971Directed by John FordSelf (uncredited)Film
1971The American West of John FordSelfFilm
1970My Name Is John Ford, I Make WesternsSelfFilm
1965Sean O'Casey: The Spirit of IrelandselfFilm
1959The Horse SoldiersNed (uncredited)Film
1958The Western: A Lost TV SpecialSelfFilm
1957John Ford at the NFTFilm
1955Screen Director's PlayhouseSelf - IntroductionSeries
1952Ton Diagonismon Dia Thn Anadixin Tis Star EllasHimself (Grand Ball Attendee)Film
1951The Screen DirectorSelf (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited)Film
1943Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy LinesJ.P. BaldwinFilm
1943Show-Business at WarSelfFilm
1929Big TimeJohn Ford (uncredited)Film
1917The TornadoJack Dayton (as Jack Ford)Film
1917The Trail of HateLt. Jack BrewerFilm
1917The ScrapperBuck, the scrapperFilm
1916The Bandit's WagerNan's BrotherFilm
1916The Purple Mask(unconfirmed)Film
1915The Birth of a NationKlansman (uncredited)Film
1915The Broken CoinSacchio's Accomplice (as Jack Ford)Film
1914A Study in ScarletJohn H. Watson, M.D.Film
1914Lucille Love: The Girl of MysteryFilm

Art (1)

1914Lucille Love: The Girl of MysteryProps, StuntsFilm

Crew (1)

1992UnforgivenThanksFilm

Directing (136)

2004BattlegroundDirectorSeries
1976Chesty: A Tribute to a LegendDirectorFilm
19657 WomenDirector, ProducerFilm
1964Cheyenne AutumnDirector, ProducerFilm
1963Donovan's ReefDirector, ProducerFilm
1962The Man Who Shot Liberty ValanceDirector, ProducerFilm
1962How the West Was WonDirectorFilm
1962Flashing SpikesDirectorFilm
1961Two Rode TogetherDirector, ProducerFilm
1961Alcoa PremiereDirectorSeries
1960The AlamoSecond Unit DirectorFilm
1960Sergeant RutledgeDirectorFilm
1960The Colter Craven StoryDirectorFilm
1959The Horse SoldiersDirectorFilm
1959KoreaDirectorFilm
1958The Last HurrahDirector, ProducerFilm
1958Gideon's DayDirectorFilm
1957The Wings of EaglesDirectorFilm
1957Wagon TrainDirectorSeries
1957The Rising of the MoonDirectorFilm
1957The Growler StoryDirectorFilm
1956The SearchersDirectorFilm
1955Mister RobertsDirectorFilm
1955The Long Gray LineDirectorFilm
1955The Jane Wyman ShowDirectorSeries
1955Screen Director's PlayhouseDirectorSeries
1955The Red, White and Blue LineDirectorFilm
1955Rookie of the YearDirectorFilm
1953MogamboDirectorFilm
1952What Price GloryDirectorFilm
1951This Is Korea!DirectorFilm
1950Rio GrandeDirector, ProducerFilm
1950Wagon MasterDirector, Executive Producer, Presenter, StoryFilm
1950When Willie Comes Marching HomeDirectorFilm
1949She Wore a Yellow RibbonDirector, Executive Producer, PresenterFilm
1948Fort ApacheDirector, Executive ProducerFilm
1947The FugitiveDirector, Producer, PresenterFilm
1946My Darling ClementineDirectorFilm
1946It's Your AmericaDirectorFilm
1945They Were ExpendableDirector, ProducerFilm
1944In Memoriam Manuel QuezonDirectorFilm
1943December 7thDirector, ProducerFilm
1943Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy LinesDirectorFilm
1943At the Front in North Africa with the U.S. ArmyDirectorFilm
1943We Sail at MidnightDirectorFilm
1943German Industrial ManpowerDirectorFilm
1942Sex HygieneDirectorFilm
1942Torpedo Squadron 8DirectorFilm
1941How Green Was My ValleyDirectorFilm
1941Tobacco RoadDirectorFilm
1940The Grapes of WrathDirectorFilm
1940The Long Voyage HomeDirector, ProducerFilm
1939Young Mr. LincolnDirectorFilm
1939Drums Along the MohawkDirectorFilm
1938Four Men and a PrayerDirectorFilm
1938Submarine PatrolDirectorFilm
1937The HurricaneDirectorFilm
1937Wee Willie WinkieDirectorFilm
1936The Prisoner of Shark IslandDirectorFilm
1936Mary of ScotlandDirectorFilm
1936The Plough and the StarsDirectorFilm
1935The InformerDirector, ProducerFilm
1935The Whole Town's TalkingDirector, ProducerFilm
1935Steamboat Round the BendDirectorFilm
1934The Lost PatrolDirector, ProducerFilm
1934Judge PriestDirectorFilm
1934The World Moves OnDirectorFilm
1933PilgrimageDirectorFilm
1933Doctor BullDirectorFilm
1932FleshDirector, ProducerFilm
1932Air MailDirectorFilm
1931ArrowsmithDirectorFilm
1931The BratDirectorFilm
1931Seas BeneathDirector, ProducerFilm
1930Up the RiverDirectorFilm
1930Born RecklessDirectorFilm
1930Men Without WomenDirector, Story, ProducerFilm
1929The Black WatchDirectorFilm
1929SaluteDirector, ProducerFilm
1929Strong BoyDirectorFilm
1928Four SonsDirector, ProducerFilm
1928Riley the CopDirector, ProducerFilm
1928Napoleon's BarberDirectorFilm
1927Mother MachreeDirector, ProducerFilm
1927UpstreamDirectorFilm
19263 Bad MenDirector, ProducerFilm
1926The Blue EagleDirector, ProducerFilm
1926The Shamrock HandicapDirector, ProducerFilm
1925Kentucky PrideDirectorFilm
1925Lightnin'DirectorFilm
1925Thank YouDirectorFilm
1925The Fighting HeartDirectorFilm
1924Hearts of OakDirectorFilm
1923Cameo KirbyDirectorFilm
1923North of Hudson BayDirectorFilm
1923Hoodman BlindDirectorFilm
1923The Face on the Barroom FloorDirectorFilm
1922The Village BlacksmithDirectorFilm
1922Silver WingsDirectorFilm
1922Little Miss SmilesDirectorFilm
1921ActionDirectorFilm
1921Desperate TrailsDirectorFilm
1921The Freeze-OutDirectorFilm
1921Sure FireDirectorFilm
1921JackieDirectorFilm
1921The WallopDirectorFilm
1920Just PalsDirectorFilm
1920Hitchin' PostsDirectorFilm
1920The Prince of Avenue ADirectorFilm
1920The Girl in Number 29DirectorFilm
1919By Indian PostDirectorFilm
1919The Last OutlawDirector, StoryFilm
1919A Gun Fightin' GentlemanDirector, StoryFilm
1919RopedDirectorFilm
1919The Fighting BrothersDirectorFilm
1919Gun LawDirectorFilm
1919A Fight For LoveDirectorFilm
1919The RustlersDirectorFilm
1919Marked MenDirectorFilm
1919Rider of the LawDirectorFilm
1919The Outcasts of Poker FlatDirectorFilm
1919Bare FistsDirectorFilm
1919The Ace of the SaddleDirectorFilm
1918The Phantom RidersDirectorFilm
1918Thieves' GoldDirectorFilm
1918Wild WomenDirectorFilm
1918Three Mounted MenDirectorFilm
1918A Woman's FoolDirectorFilm
1917Bucking BroadwayDirectorFilm
1917Straight ShootingDirectorFilm
1917The TornadoDirector, WriterFilm
1917Cheyenne's PalDirector, StoryFilm
1917The Soul HerderDirectorFilm
1917A Marked ManDirectorFilm
1917The Secret ManDirector, Scenario WriterFilm
1915The Broken CoinAssistant DirectorFilm

Production (10)

1971Vietnam! Vietnam!Executive ProducerFilm
1953The Sun Shines BrightProducer, DirectorFilm
1949Mighty Joe YoungExecutive ProducerFilm
19483 GodfathersProducer, Director, PresenterFilm
1945Nazi Concentration CampsProducerFilm
1942The Battle of MidwayProducer, Director, Director of Photography, Writer, EditorFilm
1941Women in DefenseProducer, DirectorFilm
1939StagecoachProducer, DirectorFilm
1928Hangman's HouseProducer, DirectorFilm
1925The Iron HorseProducer, DirectorFilm

Writing (11)

1952The Quiet ManWriter, Producer, DirectorFilm
1936The Last OutlawStoryFilm
1923Three Jumps AheadWriter, DirectorFilm
1921The Big PunchWriter, DirectorFilm
1919The Gun PackerStory, DirectorFilm
1919Riders of VengeanceScreenplay, DirectorFilm
1918Hell BentStory, Director, WriterFilm
1918The Scarlet DropStory, DirectorFilm
1918The CravingWriter, DirectorFilm
1917The ScrapperWriter, DirectorFilm
1917The Trail of HateScenario Writer, DirectorFilm