John Ford received the AFI Life Achievement Award in 1973.
He was the first recipient of the honor, which the American Film Institute created to recognize an individual’s lifetime contribution to American film and television. Ford was chosen unanimously by the AFI’s board of trustees because of his enormous influence as a director.
The ceremony took place on March 31, 1973, and was hosted by Danny Kaye. President Richard Nixon attended and also presented Ford with the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the same event. Ford was 79 years old.
A common mix-up comes from the award’s early sequence: James Cagney received the second AFI Life Achievement Award in 1974, while Orson Welles followed in 1975. Ford’s 1973 honor therefore marks both the beginning of the award’s history and his position as its inaugural recipient.