Francis Ford

• Born: Aug 15, 1882 in Portland, Maine
• Died: Sep 05, 1953 in Hollywood, California
• Occupation: Actor, Director, Writer
• Active: teens-'40s
• Major Genres: Western, Drama
• Career Highlights: Charlie Chan at the Circus, The Last of the Duanes, Gentle Julia
• First Major Screen Credit: The Invaders (1912)

Biography

Mainly remembered for offering younger brother John Ford his first opportunities in the movie business, Francis Ford (born Feeney) was a touring company actor before entering films with Thomas Edison in 1907. In the early 1910s, he served a tumultuous apprenticeship as a director/star for producer Thomas Ince -- who in typical Ince fashion presented many of Ford's accomplishments as his own -- before moving over to Carl Laemmle's Universal in 1913. A true auteur, Ford would direct, write, and star in his own Westerns and serials, often opposite Grace Cunard, the studio's top action heroine. Contrary to popular belief they never married, but their onscreen partnership resulted in such popular action serials as Lucille Love -- Girl of Mystery (1914), The Broken Coin (1915), and The Adventures of Peg o' the Ring (1916). Both Ford's and Cunard's careers declined in the 1920s, with Ford directing mostly poverty row productions. He kept working in films as a supporting actor through the early '50s, mainly due to the influence of John, who often made Francis Ford and Victor McLaglen supply the corny Irish humor for which he exhibited a lifelong fondness. Francis Ford's son, Philip Ford, also became a director of Westerns, and also like his father, mainly of the poverty row variety. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The Sun Shines Bright Buy this Movie	The Quiet Man Buy this Movie	Wagon Master Buy this Movie	She Wore a Yellow Ribbon Buy this Movie
Eyes of Texas Buy this Movie	The Far Frontier Buy this Movie	Fort Apache Buy this Movie	The Three Godfathers Buy this Movie

Show More Movies Show Fewer Movies