1973: John Ford

1st AFI Life Achievement Award

JOHN FORD: LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 73 TRIBUTE ADDRESS

On February 26, 1973, the Board of Trustees of the American Film Institute voted to initiate an annual award to honor a single individual for his or her lifetime contribution to the enrichment of American culture through motion pictures and television.

The Trustees specified that the yearly recipient must be one whose talent has, in a fundamental way, advance the film art, and whose accomplishments have been acknowledged by scholars, critics, professional peers, and the general public. The Trustees specified that the recipient must be one whose work has stood the test of time.

The Trustees voted unanimously that the first award would go to a man who clearly stands preeminent in the history of motion pictures — John Ford.

Altogether, John Ford’s films are a creative tapestry representing over 50 years of work. No individual has more fully explored on film the American experience. What Ma Joad says of her life in The Grapes of Wrath is true of Ford’s work, "…it’s all one flow, like a stream, little eddies, little waterfalls, but the river, it goes right on."

The First Annual American Film Institute Award presented to John Ford on March 31, 1973.

Charlton Heston

Chairman

The American Film Institute 1973

FILMOGRAPHY (as of award year)

  • VIETNAM! VIETNAM (1971)
    Motion Picture Director
  • SEVEN WOMEN (1966)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • YOUNG CASSIDY (1965)
    Motion Picture Director
  • CHEYENNE AUTUMN (1964)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • DONOVAN'S REEF (1963)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • FLASHING SPIKES (1962)
    Television Director
  • HOW THE WEST WAS WON (1962)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE (1962)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • TWO RODE TOGETHER (1961)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • SERGEANT RUTLEDGE (1960)
    Motion Picture Director
  • KOREA (1959)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LAST HURRAH (1958)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • WAGON TRAIN (1957)
    Television Director
  • THE RISING OF THE MOON (1957)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE WINGS OF EAGLES (1957)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE SEARCHERS (1956)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE BAMBOO CROSS (1955)
    Television Director
  • ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (1955)
    Television Director
  • SCREEN DIRECTORS PLAYHOUSE (1955)
    Television Director
  • MISTER ROBERTS (1955)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LONG GRAY LINE (1955)
    Motion Picture Director
  • HONDO (1953)
    Motion Picture Second Unit Director
  • MOGAMBO (1953)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE SUN SHINES BRIGHT (1953)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • WHAT PRICE GLORY (1952)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE QUIET MAN (1952)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • THIS IS KOREA! (1951)
    Motion Picture Director
  • WHEN WILLIE COMES MARCHING HOME (1950)
    Motion Picture Director
  • RIO GRANDE (1950)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • WAGON MASTER (1950)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer/Producer
  • SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON (1949)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • PINKY (1949)
    Motion Picture Director
  • MIGHTY JOE YOUNG (1949)
    Motion Picture Producer
  • THREE GODFATHERS (1948)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • FORT APACHE (1948)
    Motion Picture Director, Producer
  • THE FUGITIVE (1947)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THEY WERE EXPENDABLE (1945)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • DECEMBER 7TH (1943)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • WE SAIL AT MIDNIGHT (1943)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • SEX HYGIENE (1942)
    Motion Picture Director
  • TOPEDO SQUADRON (1942)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY (1942)
    Motion Picture Director/Cinematographer/Writer/Editor/Producer
  • HOW GREEN WAS MY VALLEY (1941)
    Motion Picture Director
  • TOBACCO ROAD (1941)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LONG VOYAGE HOME (1940)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940)
    Motion Picture Director
  • DRUMS ALONG THE MOHAWK (1939)
    Motion Picture Director
  • YOUNG MR. LINCOLN (1939)
    Motion Picture Director
  • STAGECOACH (1939)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • FOUR MEN AND A PRAYER (1938)
    Motion Picture Director
  • STAGECOACH (1939)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO (1938)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE HURRICANE (1937)
    Motion Picture Director
  • WEE WILLIE WINKIE (1937)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE PLOUGH AND THE STARS (1936)
    Motion Picture Director
  • MARY OF SCOTLAND (1936)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LAST OUTLAW (1936)
    Motion Picture Writer
  • THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND (1936)
    Motion Picture Director
  • STEAMBOAT Ă”ROUND THE BEND (1935)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE INFORMER (1935)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • THE WHOLE TOWN'S TALKING (1935)
    Motion Picture Director, Producer
  • JUDGE PRIEST (1934)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE WORLD MOVES ON (1934)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LOST PATROL (1934)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • DOCTOR BULL (1933)
    Motion Picture Director
  • PILGRIMAGE (1933)
    Motion Picture Director
  • FLESH (1932)
    Motion Picture Director
  • AIRMAIL (1931)
    Motion Picture Director
  • ARROWSMITH (1931)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE BRAT (1931)
    Motion Picture Director
  • SEAS BENEATH (1931)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • UP THE RIVER (1930)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer/Producer
  • BORN RECKLESS (1930)
    Motion Picture Director
  • MEN WITHOUT WOMEN (1930)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer/Producer
  • SALUTE (1929)
    Motion Picture Director, Producer
  • THE BLACK WATCH (1929)
    Motion Picture Director
  • STRONG BOY (1929)
    Motion Picture Director
  • RILEY THE COP (1928)
    Motion Picture Director
  • NAPOLEON'S BARBER (1928)
    Motion Picture Director
  • HANGMAN'S HOUSE (1928)
    Motion Picture Director, Producer
  • FOUR SONS (1928)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • MOTHER MACHREE (1928)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • UPSTREAM (1927)
    Motion Picture Director
  • WHAT PRICE GLORY (1926)
    Motion Picture Second Unit Director
  • THE BLUE EAGLE (1926)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • THREE BAD MEN (1926)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE SHAMROCK HANDICAP (1925)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • THANK YOU (1925)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE FIGHTING HEART (1925)
    Motion Picture Director
  • KENTUCKY PRIDE (1925)
    Motion Picture Director
  • LIGHTNIN' (1925)
    Motion Picture Director
  • HEARTS OF OAK (1924)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE IRON HORSE (1924)
    Motion Picture Director/Producer
  • HOODMAN BLIND (1923)
    Motion Picture Director
  • NORTH OF HUDSON BAY (1923)
    Motion Picture Director
  • CAMEO KIRBY (1923)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THREE JUMPS AHEAD (1923)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE FACE ON THE BAR-ROOM FLOOR (1923)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH (1922)
    Motion Picture Director
  • SILVER WINGS (1922)
    Motion Picture Director
  • LITTLE MISS SMILES (1922)
    Motion Picture Director
  • DESPERATE TRAILS (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • JACKIE (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • SURE FIRE (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • ACTION (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE WALLOP (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE FREEZE-OUT (1921)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE BIG PUNCH (1921)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • JUST PALS (1920)
    Motion Picture Director
  • HITCHIN' POSTS (1920)
    Motion Picture Director
  • UNDER SENTENCE (1920)
    Motion Picture Writer
  • THE GIRL IN NUMBER 29 (1920)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE PRINCE OF AVENUE A (1920)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE LAST OUTLAW (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • RUSTLERS (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • MARKED MEN (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • A GUN FIGHTIN' GENTLEMAN (1919)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • RIDER OF THE LAW (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • ACE OF THE SADDLE (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE OUTCASTS OF POKER FLAT (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • RIDERS OF VENGEANCE (1919)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • BARE FISTS (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE GUN PACKER (1919)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • GUN LAW (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • BY INDIAN POST (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • A FIGHT FOR LOVE (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE FIGHTING BROTHERS (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • ROPED (1919)
    Motion Picture Director
  • DELIRIUM (1918)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THREE MOUNTED MEN (1918)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE CRAVING (1918)
    Motion Picture Second Unit Director
  • A WOMAN'S FOOL (1918)
    Motion Picture Director
  • HELL BENT (1918)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THE SCARLET DROP (1918)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THIEVES' GOLD (1918)
    Motion Picture Director
  • WILD WOMEN (1918)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THE PHANTOM RIDERS (1918)
    Motion Picture Director
  • RED SAUNDERS PLAYS CUPID (1917)
    Motion Picture Director
  • BUCKING BROADWAY (1917)
    Motion Picture Director
  • A MARKED MAN (1917)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THE SECRET MAN (1917)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • STRAIGHT SHOOTING (1917)
    Motion Picture Director
  • THE SOUL HERDER (1917)
    Motion Picture Director
  • CHEYENNE'S PAL (1917)
    Motion Picture Director/Writer
  • THE SCRAPPER (1917) ....Buck
    Motion Picture Actor/Writer
  • TRAIL OF HATE (1917) ....The Lieutenant
    Motion Picture Actor/Director
  • THE TORNADO (1917) ....Jack Dayton
    Motion Picture Director/Writer/Actor
  • THE LUMBER YARD GANG (1916) ....Cecil's Brother
    Motion Picture Actor
  • PEG O' THE RING (1916) ....Dr. Lund Sr.'s accomplice
    Motion Picture Actor
  • CHICKEN-HEARTED JIM (1916) ....Roughneck Crewmen
    Motion Picture Actor
  • THE BROKEN COIN (1915) ....Sacchio's Accomplice
    Motion Picture Second Unit Director/Actor
  • THE DOORWAY OF DESTRUCTION (1915) ....Edward Feeney
    Motion Picture Second Unit Director/Actor
  • THE HIDDEN CITY (1915) ....Lt. John's Brother
    Motion Picture Actor
  • THREE BAD MEN AND A GIRL (1915) ....Jim
    Motion Picture Actor
  • THE BIRTH OF A NATION (1915) ....Klansman
    Motion Picture Actor
  • SMUGGLER'S ISLAND (1915) ....Smuggler
    Motion Picture Actor
  • THE MYSTERIOUS ROSE (1915) ....Dopey
    Motion Picture Actor

     

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