Howard Hawks Overview:

Legendary director, Howard Hawks, was born Howard Winchester Hawks on May 30, 1896 in Goshen, IN. Hawks died at the age of 81 on Dec 26, 1977 in Palm Springs, CA and was cremated and his ashes scattered in desert near Calimesa CA.

MINI BIO:

Howard Hawks was a rugged, outdoorsy type. He made John Wayne westerns (effectively celebrating the Wayne persona) and strongly characterized action dramas boiling with atmosphere and featuring gutsy women and virile male camaraderie. Hawks 'featured' the nitty gritty of life: his characters are always letting their hair down to tremendous effect. Hawks also made screwball comedies that are riotous masterpieces. Women pursue and men steer clear of marriage, but Hawks gives his ladies the last laugh with almost all of the sharpest lines in the man-woman crossfire in his films.

A very tall, rangy man, Hawks served as an officer in the US Army Air Corps in his younger days, before becoming a designer in an aircraft factory. But he soon longed to return to the film business where he had briefly worked as a prop boy five years earlier. After using his own money to back an epic western (Custer's Last Stand/Bob Hampton of Placer), Hawks made contacts that enabled him to join the script department of Famous Payers-Lasky. He wrote his first screen story, Quicksands, in 1923. He started directing in 1926, but the Hawks classics really begin with the sound era.

(Source: available at Amazon Quinlan's Film Directors).

HONORS and AWARDS:

.

Although Hawks was nominated for one Oscar, he never won a competitive Academy Award. However he won one Honorary Oscar Award in 1974 , a master American filmmaker whose creative efforts hold a distinguished place in world cinema.

Academy Awards

YearAwardFilm nameRoleResult
1941Best DirectorSergeant York (1941)N/ANominated

Academy Awards (Honorary Oscars)

YearAwardDescription
1974Honorary Award, a master American filmmaker whose creative efforts hold a distinguished place in world cinema

.

He was honored with one star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the category of Motion Pictures.

BlogHub Articles:

The Criminal Code (1931): in The Big House

By 4 Star Film Fan on Jan 25, 2022 From 4 Star Films

Although this is still a very early talkie, you can already see developing a more intricate sense of dialogue which he would be known for in his pictures — most notably His Girl Friday. In the opening scene at the police station, we have dialogue piled on top of each other between... Read full article


Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck are an unlikely pair in ’s “Ball of Fire”

By Stephen Reginald on Aug 26, 2021 From Classic Movie Man

Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck are an unlikely pair in ’s “Ball of Fire” Ball of Fire (1941) is an American romantic comedy directed by and starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. The screenplay was by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder. The cinema... Read full article


Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan in ’ “I Was a Male War Bride”

By Stephen Reginald on Mar 12, 2021 From Classic Movie Man

Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan in ’ “I Was a Male War Bride” I Was a Male War Bride (1949) is a comedy directed by and starring Cary Grant and Ann Sheridan. It was based on I Was an Alien Spouse of Female Military Personnel En route to the United States ... Read full article


Air Force (1943): Takes on WWII

By 4 Star Film Fan on Nov 4, 2020 From 4 Star Films

At times, Air Force functions like a staged documentary. It feels both instructive and informed by ’ own passion for aviation. It has the simple task of making sure the folks at home can empathize with their boys up in the air. In fact, it falls short of being a mere instructional ... Read full article


To Have and Have Not (1944, )

By Andrew Wickliffe on Nov 20, 2019 From The Stop Button

Whatever To Have and Have Not?s original intent?not just novel versus film but film in pre-production to film completed?what it ends up doing and doing better than maybe anything else ever is star-make. To Have and Have Not showcases Lauren Bacall in constantly imaginative ways, including how much y... Read full article


See all articles

Howard Hawks Quotes:

No Quote for this person.



Share this page:
Visit the Classic Movie Hub Blog CMH
Also a Gemini






See All Geminis >>
Honorary Award Oscar 1974


See more Academy Awards>>
Howard Hawks on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame



See All Walk of Fame Stars >>
Howard Hawks Facts
Many aspects of Lauren Bacall's screen persona in To Have and Have Not (1944), her film debut, were based on Hawks' wife at that time, Slim, including her glamorous dresses, long blonde hair, smoky voice and demure, mysterious demeanor. Humphrey Bogart's character also refer to Bacall by the nickname "Slim" in the movie.

Frequently worked with William Faulkner. Faulkner wrote or co-wrote many of Hawks' films.

Brother-in-law of producer Ned Tanen.

See All Related Facts >>
Related Lists
Create a list


See All Related Lists >>