John Ford: Movies, Awards & Box Office
- films
- 115
- as director
- 92
- on screen
- 1915–2023
- box office
- $292K
- award wins
- 5
- average score
- 38
- Born
- February 1, 1894
- Birthplace
- Cape Elizabeth, Maine, U.S.
- Full name
- John Martin Feeney
- Citizenship
- American
- Occupations
- Film Director, Producer
- Years active
- 1913-1966
- Spouses
- Mary McBride Smith
- Children
- 2
The Best John Ford Movies
The films of John Ford that made the most at the worldwide box office, biggest first: The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) leads with $141K. The full ranking adds the most awarded films and the newest releases.
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Worldwide box office: $141K The Tales of Hoffmann 1951 · Music -
Worldwide box office: $76.7K How the West Was Won 1963 · Western -
Worldwide box office: $16.4K My Darling Clementine 1946 · Romance -
Worldwide box office: $11.9K Fort Apache 1948 · Western -
Worldwide box office: $11K Cheyenne Autumn 1964 · Western -
Worldwide box office: $10.4K Drums Along the Mohawk 1939 · Drama
John Ford's Career in Numbers
John Ford's films in numbers — as an actor and a director, not counting appearances as themselves: when they were made, the genres John Ford works in most and the milestones along the way. The filmography runs from The Birth of a Nation (1915) to Jett Jackson: The Movie (2001), and the 1930s were the busiest decade.
John Ford Movies by Decade
- 1910s 13
- 1920s 19
- 1930s 23
- 1940s 15
- 1950s 18
- 1960s 9
- 1980s 1
- 2000s 1
The 1930s were John Ford's busiest decade, with 23 films.
John Ford Movies by Genre
- Drama 35
- Western 18
- Comedy 11
- Romance 10
- Adventure 5
- Crime 4
- Documentary 4
- War 4
- Action 2
- Sci-Fi 1
Drama is the genre John Ford has worked in most, with 35 films, ahead of western (18).
John Ford Career Milestones
- First film
- The Birth of a Nation 1915
- Biggest box office hit
- The Tales of Hoffmann $141K worldwide
- Newest film
- Jett Jackson: The Movie 2001
John Ford Filmography: Every Movie
Every film John Ford is credited on, newest first, with the role, the box office and the Movie Echo Score. 92 as director and 7 as actor. Rated films average a score of 38. Re-order the list to see the best-rated films or the biggest hits first.
Movies Directed by John Ford
92- 1965
7 Women Drama - 1964 Cheyenne Autumn Western Worldwide box office: $11K
- 1963
Donovan's Reef Adventure - 1963 How the West Was Won Western Worldwide box office: $76.7K
- 1962
Flashing Spikes Drama - 1962
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Drama - 1961
Two Rode Together Western Worldwide box office: $5.89K - 1960
The Colter Craven Story - 1960
Sergeant Rutledge Crime Worldwide box office: $3.05K - 1958
The Last Hurrah Drama - 1958
Gideon’s Day Crime - 1957
The Rising of the Moon Comedy - 1957
The Wings of Eagles Drama - 1956
The Searchers Adventure Worldwide box office: $1.07K - 1955
Rookie of the Year Drama - 1955
Mister Roberts Drama - 1955
The Red, White and Blue Line Documentary - 1955
The Long Gray Line Drama - 1953
Mogambo Romance - 1953
The Sun Shines Bright Drama - 1952
The Quiet Man Drama - 1952
What Price Glory Comedy - 1951
This Is Korea! Documentary - 1950
Rio Grande Western - 1950
Wagon Master Western - 1950
When Willie Comes Marching Home Comedy - 1949
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon Western Worldwide box office: $5.92K - 1949
3 Godfathers Drama - 1948 Fort Apache Western Worldwide box office: $11.9K
- 1947
The Fugitive Drama - 1946 My Darling Clementine Romance Worldwide box office: $16.4K
- 1946
It’s Your America Drama - 1945
They Were Expendable Drama - 1943
December 7th Action - 1942
The Battle of Midway War - 1941
Women in Defense Documentary - 1941
How Green Was My Valley Drama Worldwide box office: $865 - 1941
Tobacco Road Drama Worldwide box office: $534 - 1940
The Long Voyage Home Drama - 1940
The Grapes of Wrath Drama Worldwide box office: $7.3K - 1939 Drums Along the Mohawk Drama Worldwide box office: $10.4K
- 1939
Young Mr. Lincoln Biography - 1939
Stagecoach Adventure - 1938
Submarine Patrol Drama - 1937
The Hurricane Romance - 1937
Wee Willie Winkie Adventure - 1936
The Plough and the Stars Drama - 1936
Mary of Scotland Drama - 1935
Steamboat Round the Bend Drama - 1935
The Informer Drama - 1935
The Whole Town’s Talking Crime - 1934
Judge Priest Drama - 1934
The World Moves On Romance - 1934
The Lost Patrol War - 1933
Doctor Bull Comedy - 1932
Flesh Romance - 1932
Air Mail Adventure - 1931
Arrowsmith Drama - 1931
The Brat Comedy - 1931
Seas Beneath Drama - 1930
Up the River Crime - 1930
Born Reckless Comedy - 1930
Men Without Women Drama - 1929
Salute Romance - 1929
The Black Watch Drama - 1929
Strong Boy Comedy - 1928
Riley the Cop Comedy - 1928
Hangman’s House Romance - 1928
Four Sons War - 1927
Mother Machree Drama - 1927
Upstream Comedy - 1926
The Blue Eagle Drama - 1926
3 Bad Men Western - 1926
The Shamrock Handicap Drama - 1925
Kentucky Pride Drama - 1925
Lightnin’ Comedy - 1924
The Iron Horse Romance - 1923
North of Hudson Bay Western - 1923
Cameo Kirby Drama - 1922
The Village Blacksmith Romance - 1920
Just Pals Western - 1920
Hitchin’ Posts Western - 1919
Marked Men Western - 1919
A Gun Fightin’ Gentleman Western - 1919
By Indian Post Comedy - 1918
The Craving Horror - 1918
Hell Bent Western - 1918
The Scarlet Drop Western - 1917
Bucking Broadway Romance - 1917
A Marked Man Western - 1917
Straight Shooting Western - 1917
Cheyenne’s Pal War
John Ford Movies as an Actor
7- 2001
Jett Jackson: The Movie as Dr. Robert Deloria · Sci-Fi - 1985
The Oracle as Mental Patient · Mystery - 1951 The Tales of Hoffmann as Nathanaël (uncredited) · Music Worldwide box office: $141K
- 1943
Undercover: How to Operate Behind Enemy Lines as J.P. Baldwin · Documentary - 1916
The Purple Mask as (unconfirmed) · Action - 1916
The Bandit’s Wager Western - 1915
The Birth of a Nation as Klansman (uncredited) · Drama
John Ford in Documentaries & Specials
16- 2023
AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2019
John Ford: The Man Who Invented America as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage) · Documentary Movie Echo Score: 38 - 2015
Spanish Western as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2013
John Ford & Monument Valley as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2009
1939: Hollywood’s Greatest Year as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 2000
Shooting War as himself · War - 1999
National Geographic Explorer: The Battle For Midway as Himself - Filmmaker (archive footage) (unaccredited) · Documentary - 1992
Omnibus: John Ford, Part One as Self (archive footage) · Documentary - 1992
John Wayne’s ‘The Alamo’ as Self · Documentary - 1992
Fonda on Fonda as Self (archive footage) · Tv movie - 1976
Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend as Himself/Interviewer · Documentary - 1971
The American West of John Ford as Self · Documentary - 1971
Directed by John Ford as Self (uncredited) · Documentary - 1970
My Name Is John Ford, I Make Westerns as Self · Documentary - 1951
The Screen Director as Self (staged 'archive' footage) (uncredited) · Documentary - 1943
Show-Business at War as Self · Documentary
John Ford: Awards & Nominations
5 wins from 8 nominations across 3 award bodies, from 1936 to 1956. That includes 4 Oscars: Best Director for The Quiet Man, Best Director for How Green Was My Valley, Best Director for The Grapes of Wrath and Best Director for The Informer. Every ceremony is listed newest first, with the category and the film.
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Oscars 4 wins from 5 nominations -
DGA Awards 1 win from 2 nominations -
Golden Globes 1 nomination
- 9th Directors Guild of America Awards
- John Ford: Nominated Outstanding Directing – Feature Film The Searchers
- The 25th Academy Awards
- John Ford: Win Best Director The Quiet Man
- 10th Golden Globe Awards
- John Ford: Nominated Best Director The Quiet Man
- 5th Directors Guild of America Awards
- John Ford: Win Outstanding Directing – Feature Film The Quiet Man
- The 14th Academy Awards
- John Ford: Win Best Director How Green Was My Valley
- The 13th Academy Awards
- John Ford: Win Best Director The Grapes of Wrath
- The 12th Academy Awards
- John Ford: Nominated Best Director Stagecoach
- 8th Academy Awards
- John Ford: Win Best Director The Informer
Who Is John Ford?
John Ford was born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, U.S. in 1894. Credited on films since 1915, as both an actor and a director. The background, training and the roles that shaped the career.
John Ford (born John Martin Feeney; February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was an American film director and producer, famous for both his westerns such as 'Stagecoach', 'The Searchers', and 'The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance', and adaptations of classic 20th-century American novels such as 'The Grapes of Wrath'. He is renowned for his long association with actor John Wayne, having directed him in multiple films. Ford also held the record for the most Best Director wins at the Academy Awards, with a total of four. He joined the United States Navy for World War II, where he served as head of the Photographic Unit of the OSS, and later the Korean War, earning a reputation as a patriotic director of wartime propaganda films like 'The Battle of Midway' and documentary films. After the war, his prominence continued, making one of his most personal films 'The Quiet Man' among others, with Wayne and Maureen O'Hara. He won public praise for the war efforts, and President Richard Nixon awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, proclaiming him as a national treasure.
Who John Ford Makes Movies With
The actors and directors John Ford shares the most films with. John Wayne comes first, with 31 films together, followed by Ward Bond (26).
John Ford: Questions & Answers
How many movies John Ford has made, the biggest hit, the best-rated film, the award record and more, answered from the filmography above.
How many movies has John Ford been in?
John Ford is credited on 115 films, from 1915 to 2023. 7 of them as an actor and 92 as a director. The filmography on this page lists every one of them, newest first, with the role and the Movie Echo Score.
What is John Ford's highest-grossing movie?
The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) is John Ford's biggest box office hit, with $141K worldwide, ahead of How the West Was Won (1963) ($76.7K). Across every film with box office figures, John Ford's movies have made $292K.
John Ford's biggest hits What is the best John Ford movie?
By the Movie Echo Score, which blends critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact, John Ford's best-rated film is John Ford: The Man Who Invented America (2019) with a score of 38.
Best John Ford movies, ranked Has John Ford won an Oscar?
John Ford has won 4 Oscars: Best Director for The Quiet Man at the 1953 ceremony, Best Director for How Green Was My Valley at the 1942 ceremony, Best Director for The Grapes of Wrath at the 1941 ceremony and Best Director for The Informer at the 1936 ceremony. Across every ceremony in the awards database, John Ford has 5 wins from 8 nominations.
What is John Ford's newest movie?
The most recent film on John Ford's filmography is AFI Life Achievement Award: 50th Anniversary Special (2023), in the role of Self (archive footage).
Who does John Ford work with most often?
John Ford shares the most films with John Wayne (31 films), Ward Bond (26 films) and Henry Fonda (16 films).
The Best John Ford Movies, Ranked
Top rated, most awarded and biggest box office hits from 115 credits.
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