In which year did John Ford die?

John Ford died in 1973, on August 31, at the age of 79. The acclaimed American director died in Palm Desert, California, after a career that had lasted more than five decades and extended from the silent-film era into the early 1970s.

Born John Martin Feeney in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Ford began working in films in the 1910s and became one of the most honored directors in Hollywood history. He won a record four Academy Awards for directing, including awards for The Informer, The Grapes of Wrath, How Green Was My Valley, and The Quiet Man.

Ford’s death came only months after an especially notable period of recognition. In March 1973, President Richard Nixon presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and the American Film Institute gave him its first Life Achievement Award. These honors can sometimes cause confusion about the timeline, but both occurred in the same year as his death. His final completed feature was 7 Women, released in 1966; later projects and archival material appeared after his career had effectively ended.