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John Ford

The dynamics and versatility of John Ford's musical talent run the gamut from the London Folk clubs to large scale international rock venues of the British Invasion of The 60s-70's-80s and now into the 21st Century touring and playing with music legends as Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Ritchie Blackmore, The Eagles, Frank Zappa, Marc Bolan/T. Rex, Blue Oyster Cult, ZZ Top, RUSH, REO Speedwagon, King Crimson, Lynyrd Skynrd, Billy Preston, Cat Stevens, Roy Harper, Dave Mason and more.

Early music projects include The Five Proud Walkers, where John got his start. Jaymes Fender & the Vulcans landed John Ford his first Major Label signing with EMI with pop hit "Mistletoe Love", also becoming known as a teenage heartthrob! Then onto Elmer Gantry’s Velvet Opera signing to Repertoire.

After playing in various bands of some notoriety, John's unusual percussive style of bass playing caught Strawbs leader Dave Cousin's eye during a performance at Dave’s folk club in Hounslow. He joined the Strawbs in May 1970. John Ford's influence with The Strawbs, primarily known as a Folk Rock group, shifted into a new direction in the Prog-Art Rock. Scene. John penned perennial favorites, "Heavy Disguise" and "Part of the Union," The Strawbs biggest Chart Hit, included on the Album, released as a Single and spent 59 weeks on the album charts, rising to Top of the Pops fame, working with Bowie/T-Rex Producer, Tony Visconti on A&M. John Ford received three Gold Records and Platinum, to boot. A few years later, John Ford and Richard Hudson, formed Hudson-Ford, with Top 10 Pop Chart Hits, ‘Pick Up The Pieces,’ along with "Burn Baby Burn" and "Floating In The Wind" also on A&M.

In 1979, found John Ford hitting the Charts again. This time with The Monks, a punk project of sorts picked up by EMI and along came surprise hits, "Nice Legs Shame About The Face" and “Suspended Animation.” In contrast, JF also developed an alter ego in High Society with classic ‘30s style melodies, releasing a self-titled album in 1984. In 1986, John Ford relocated to the US and started working on his solo project and shows.

John teamed up again with The Strawbs 30 Year Reunion Tour in 1998, performing as bass guitarist and vocalist, after a hiatus since the late 80s with the Strawbs, following John’s move to the US, then again for the 2001 Strawbs UK Spring Tour. In between, in 1999, John played on Ritchie Blackmore's band Blackmore's Night release “Under A Violet Moon,” their second international release, featured John in the beautiful "Wind in the Willows" and played some shows.

January 2004, John Ford opened to a packed house for Dave Mason at a Long Island concert venue.

July 2004, the STRAWBS SUMMER UK ELECTRIC TOUR in England, featured John on bass and vocals with the original UK electric lineup from the 70s, Highpoints of the tour included The 30th Trowbridge Pump Festival with The Strawbs, doing both the Electric and Acoustic line-ups, headlining for two nights to over 6,000 fans. THE STRAWBS UK ELECTRIC TOUR performed to sold-out shows at venues ranging from richly, restored performing arts theatres to trendy hot spots, such as The Under World in London and others throughout the UK, with much success. Aside from the dozens of recordings John’s been on, some of his live performances can be viewed on DVD with “Strawbs Live In Tokyo ‘75 & GRAVE NEW WORLD - The Movie” and “The Complete Strawbs - Live at Chiswick House” and other Top of the Pops videos.

March 2006, John Ford was featured on the Strawbs UK Electric March 2006 Tour which included a DVD filming that will be released later in the year.

In addition to his numerous discography of album credits with band projects and session player throughout the years, John has six released solo albums of his own work:, “Love Is A Highway“ in 1998, “Heading For A High” in 2000, “Natural High” in 2002, ‘Backtracking’ in 2005, all John Ford originals, with him performing virtually all the vocals, instrumentation, as well as, producing the albums. “New World” Maxi-Single EP release. Both, “Backtracking” and “New World,” feature redux of his classic hits, “What Ever Happened to Christmas” – a collection of holiday songs, this album features an array of Christmas Classics with some original future classics penned by John Ford. All released on Indie Label, Whole Shot Records.

John Ford releases for 2005 - “What Ever Happened to Christmas” – a collection of holiday songs, unreleased JF originals. John Ford also appears on ROCK 4 XMAS ALL STARS Complilation - which includes John Ford’s rockin’ version of “White Christmas,": along tracks from Cheap Trick,, Larry Hoppen (Orleans), Eddie Money and Ronnie Spector & more! New Releases for 2006 include “JOHN FORD: LIVE AT THE BOTTOM LINE.”

John Ford websites: http://www.johnfordmusic.net http://myspace.com/johnfordofthestrawbs

CONTACT: FAZZ MUSIC LTD. / Whole Shot Records and Mgt. email: FAZZMUSICLTD@aol.com

SPECIAL THANKS to Dick Greener, The Strawbs Webmaster & Archivist

More details & history on The Strawbs & John Ford info at http://www.strawbsweb.co.uk

John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973) was one of the most accomplished American film directors of the 1930s to 1960s, known particularly as a director of the Westerns, although his tributes to the veterans of World War II and Americana are also equally effective. Though condemned by some modern critics as a conservative, Ford was in fact an activist liberal member of the Democratic Party, which was in stark contrast to his friends John Wayne, James Stewart, Ward Bond and Victor McLaglan. The actor Ford was closest to was fellow liberal Henry Fonda.

Ford won four Academy Awards in the category of Best Director, more than any other director. Ford's style of film-making has been tremendously influential leading many a director to call him one of the greatest directors of all time and by few, notably Ingmar Bergman and Orson Welles, even the greatest. His films and style of film-making has influenced film-makers as diverse as Akira Kurosawa, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone and countless others.

From Feeney to Ford

He was born John Martin Feeney in Cape Elizabeth, Maine to John Augustine Feeney and Barbara (Abbey) Curren, both of whom were born in Spiddal Template:Fn, County Galway, Ireland in 1856. John A. Feeney's grandmother, Barbara Morris, was said to be a member of a local (impoverished) gentry family, the Morrises of Spiddal, presently headed by the decidedly well-off Redmond Morris, 3rd Lord Killanin.

John Augustine and Barbara Feeney arrived in Boston and Portland within a few days of each other in May and June 1872, were married in 1875, and became American citizens three years later. They had eleven children: Mamie (Mary Agnes), born 1876; Delia (Edith), 1878-1881; Patrick; Francis; Bridget, 1883-84; Barbara, born and died 1888; Edward, born 1889; Josephine, born 1891; Hannah (Johanna), born and died 1892; John Martin, 1894-1973; and Daniel, born/died 1896.

Many of his films contain direct and indirect references to his very Irish and Gaelic heritage. His family referred to him as Sean.

He began acting in 1914, adopting the name "Ford" as a more acceptable stage name. He married Mary McBryde Smith, a Protestant who refused to convert (but also refused to divorce him over his affair with Katharine Hepburn) on July 3, 1920. They were married until his death in 1973.

Director

In 1921, he turned to directing, beginning as an assistant to Lois Weber. During the 1920s, he served as president of the Motion Picture Directors Association, a forerunner to today's Directors Guild of America. His many awards are listed below.

With the making of the 1939 classic Stagecoach Ford would take a "B" star, John Wayne, and mentor Wayne to become an "American icon". He would use Wayne to make a statement of the American frontier spirit, and Wayne would become one of the biggest box office stars of the 20th century in the process. Ford's friendship with John Wayne led them to work together on films that featured some of Wayne's most iconic roles. Over the next 35 years Wayne would appear in over twenty of Ford's films, including Stagecoach (1939), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), The Quiet Man (1952), The Searchers (1956), The Wings of Eagles (1957), and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962). John Wayne would call Ford "Coach" and "Pappy".

Probably the setting that Ford most loved to work with would be Utah's Monument Valley. He made numerous films there (including some that are out of character/setting). Ford would define images of the American West with some of the most beautiful and powerful cinematography ever shot, including those in Stagecoach, The Searchers, Fort Apache, and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

Ford was good friends and a frequent collaborator with Merian C. Cooper (best known as the director of King Kong), who produced several of Ford's most beloved films.

Navy career and subsequent work

During World War II Commander John Ford, USNR, served in the United States Navy and made documentaries for the Navy Department. He would win two more Academy Awards during this time, one for The Battle of Midway (1942), and a second for acclaimed documentary December 7th (1943) (see[1]). For more information on his military contributions check the Naval Historical Center link below.

In 1955, Ford was tapped to direct the classic Navy comedy Mister Roberts, starring Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, William Powell, and James Cagney. But, Ford was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy during filming when he suffered a ruptured gallbladder.

Ford cast Ward Bond as himself, under the character of John Dodge, in the 1957 movie The Wings of Eagles again starring his good friends, John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara.

John Ford Stock Company

Some other actors whom Ford repeatedly used throughout his directorial career include: Ward Bond, Ken Curtis, Jane Darwell, Francis Ford (brother), Ben Johnson, Victor McLaglen, Harry Carey, Jr., and others. They would be known as The John Ford Stock Company.

Awards

He won four Academy Awards as best director for The Informer (1935), The Grapes of Wrath (1940), How Green Was My Valley (1941), and The Quiet Man (1952) - none of them Westerns (also starring in the last two was Maureen O'Hara, 'his favorite actress'). He was also nominated as Best Director for Stagecoach. As producer he received nominations for Best Picture for The Quiet Man and The Long Voyage Home. On an interesting side note, three out of the four films for which Ford was awarded the Best Director Oscar were not awarded Best Picture oscars.

He was the first recipient of the American Film Institute Life Achievement Award in 1973.

There is a statue of him in Portland, Maine. He is depicted sitting on a directors chair and there are quotes and information about him and his movies displayed.

Ford passed away from stomach cancer, at age 79, in Palm Desert, California. He was interred in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City, California.

Note

Template:Fnb Probably better known at the time by its Irish name An Spidéal.

Filmography

Silent films

As Jack Ford: All movies were made at the Universal unless mentioned otherwise

The Tornado (1917)
The Scrapper (1917)
The Soul Herder (1917)
Cheyenne's Pal (1917)
Straight Shooting (1917)
The Secret Man (1917)
A Marked Man (1917)
Bucking Broadway (1917)
The Phantom Riders (1918)
Wild Women (1918)
Thieves' Gold (1918)
The Scarlet Drop (1918)
Hell Bent (1918)
A Woman's Fool (1918)
Three Mounted Men (1918)
Roped (1919)
The Fighting Brothers (1919)
A fight for love (1919)
By Indian Post (1919)
The Rustlers (1919)
Bare Fists (1919)
Gun Law (1919)
The Gun Packer (1919)
Riders of Vengeance (1919)
The Last Outlaw (1919)
The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1919)
The Ace of the Saddle (1919)
The Rider of the Law (1919)
A Gun Fightin' Gentleman(1919)
Marked Men (1919)
The Prince of Avenue(1920)
The Girl in No. 29 (1920)
Hitchin' Posts (1920)
Just Pals (1920), Fox-20th Century
The Big Punch (1920), Fox-20th Century
The Freeze Out (1921)
The wallop (1921)
Desperate Trails (1921)
Action (1921)
Sure Fire (1921)

At this point he moves to Fox

Jackie (1921)

As John Ford:

Hoodman Blind (1923)
The Iron Horse(1924)
Kentucky Pride(1925)
3 Bad Men (1926)
Upstream (1927)

Sound films

Mother Machree (1928), part sound
Four Sons (1928), part sound
Riley the Cop (1928)
Strong Boy (1929)
Men Without Women (1930)
The Brat (1931)
Airmail (1932)
Doctor Bull (1933)
The Lost Patrol (1934)
The Informer (1935)
The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936)
Wee Willie Winkie (1937)
Submarine Patrol (1938)
Stagecoach (1939)
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939)
Drums Along the Mohawk (1939)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
The Long Voyage Home (1940)
How Green Was My Valley (1941)
They Were Expendable (1945)
My Darling Clementine (1946)
The Fugitive (1947)
Fort Apache (1948)
3 Godfathers (1948)
Pinky (1949, uncredited)
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949)
Wagonmaster (1950)
Rio Grande (1950)
When Willie Comes Marching Home (1950)
The Quiet Man (1952)
What Price Glory? (1952)
The Sun Shines Bright (1953)
Mogambo (1953)
The Long Gray Line (1955)
Mister Roberts (1955, replaced Mervyn LeRoy)
The Bamboo Cross (1955), made for TV
The Searchers (1956)
The Wings of Eagles (1957)
The Rising of the Moon (1957)
The Last Hurrah (1958)
Gideon of Scotland Yard (1958)
The Horse Soldiers (1959)
Sergeant Rutledge (1960)
Two Rode Together (1961)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
How the West Was Won (1962), The Civil War segment
Donovan's Reef (1963)
Cheyenne Autumn (1964)
7 Women (1966)

Documentaries and shorts

Napoleon's Barber (1928, short sound film)
Sex Hygiene (1942, documentary)
We Sail at Midnight (1943, documentary)
December 7th (1943, documentary)
This is Korea! (1951, documentary)
Korea(1959, documentary)
Vietnam! Vietnam! (1971, documentary)
Chesty: A Tribute to a Legend (1976, documentary)

Biographies

"John Ford" by Peter Bogdanovich, revised edition, Unviversty of California Press, 1978
"John Ford" by Andrew Sinclair, 1979.
"The Unquiet Man: The Life of John Ford" by Dan Ford, 1982.
"Print the Legend" by Scott Eyman, 1999.
"Searching for John Ford: A Life" by Joseph McBride, 2001.