IN the history of American films, no name shines more brightly than that of John Ford. A consummate master of his craft, he was one of the pioneers in transforming an infant industry into an art form that developed in America and swept the world. He was also a man who deeply loved his country, and who helped at least three generations of Americans to a fuller understanding of their Nation and its heritage. He represented the best in American films, and the best in America.
Note: John Ford, 78, died in Palm Desert, Calif.
Mr. Ford directed 133 films in a period of over 50 years. He won Academy Awards for his direction of "The Informer," "The Grapes of Wrath," "How Green Was My Valley," and "The Quiet Man."
See also Item 101.
Richard Nixon, Statement on the Death of John Ford. Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/255878