John Ford (February 1, 1894 – August 31, 1973), an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of classic 20th-century American novels such as The Grapes of Wrath. He set a record earning four Academy Award for Best Director (1935, 1940, 1941, 1952). In particular, Ford was a pioneer of location shooting and the long shot which frames his characters against a vast, harsh and rugged natural terrain. In a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ford directed more than 140 films (although nearly all of his silent films are now lost) and he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers of his generation.