CONTRADICTIONARY MAN - JOHN FORD

Perhaps the director most associated with westerns, John Ford was called by John Carradine - a sadist who loved to terrify actors. John Wayne, big old tough Duke, was more than once brought to tears by Ford and Henry Fonda found him, ego maniacal. Katherine Hepburn, on the other hand found him a charming man and the pair were great friends but Walter Brennan couldn't tolerate him and Jimmy Stewart said he made acting competitive and would set actors against each other.

Whatever the truth - here are some facts about the western genius.

Ford apparently got his first break when working at Universal as a prop man and studio boss, Carl Laemmle made him a director because he yelled louder than anyone else.

Ford was drinking buddies with former cowboy Hoot Gibson. During the days of silent cinema the pair would go on hell raising binges which resulted in the both being arrested several times.

Ford constantly bad mouthed his own films and claimed not to have seen them. Of his documentary, Sex Hygiene he said he watched it once and threw up.

Ford believed in economy with his actors and once told director, Robert Parrish to count how many lines he had given John Wayne in Stagecoach.

An area of Monument Valley (pictured) is named John Ford Point after the great director.

Ford fell out and didn't talk to actor Harey Carey ever again. However at the actor's funeral, Ford wept openly and hired his son Harey Carey Jnr and continued to give him work for the next sixteen years.

Ford made 137 films and won a record four Oscars for best director.


A man of contradictions then - but most true artists are. Maybe Ford wasn't a particularly likable man, on times he could be obnoxious but the fact remains he was a master at his craft.
And western fans have much to be grateful to the great man for.

Below Lee Marvin talks about John Ford: