HOMES OF THE WESTERN STARS – JOHN FORD
HOMES OF WESTERN MOVIE FILM MAKERS IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE CAMERAS BY BOB SILER JOHN FORD (plus FRANCIS FORD & JOHN PHILIP FORD) JOHN FORD (John Martin Feeney) 1880 - 1973 FROM PORTLAND TO PALM DESERT PART ONE 1880 - 1914 PORTLAND, MAINE 1880 53 CENTER STREET FEENEY FAMILY HOME Ford's father, John Feeney,…
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Charles Starrett - One Fan's Journey
HOMES OF WESTERN MOVIE FILM MAKERS

IN FRONT AND BEHIND THE CAMERAS

BY BOB SILER

JOHN FORD

(plus FRANCIS FORD & JOHN PHILIP FORD)

JOHN FORD

(John Martin Feeney)

1880 – 1973

FROM PORTLAND TO PALM DESERT

PART ONE

1880 – 1914

PORTLAND, MAINE

1880

53 CENTER STREET

FEENEY FAMILY HOME

Ford’s father, John Feeney, and his family lived here. He worked for the gas company.

1894

Future film director John Ford, was born on February 1, and named John Martin Feeney.

His father was running a barroom that was near Five Corners Meeting Place called ‘The Garham’s Corner’, which was, until World War II, the heart of Munjay Hill.

Today, Feeney’s Saloon, no longer excists.

John Feeney never owned a house in Portland Proper. Instead, he preffered to rent homes for around $15 to $20 a month.

These houses were all alike – three or four story tenement flats on narrow, but deep, lots. Many had yards big enough for large vegetable gardens, although the homes where Ford grew up had no yards.

FIRST STREET – PEAKS ISLAND

Feeney bought a simple house as a real estate investment for close to $800. It was

the family home until World War II.

1897 – 1902

48 DANFORTH STREET

1902 – 1906

65 MONUMENT STREET

1906 – 1907

21 SHERMAN STREET

1907

SHERIDAN STREET

1920

91 ATLANTIC STREET – PORTLAND

Ford’s parents were living here.

SCHOOLS HE ATTENDED

KINDERGARTEN – 8th GRADE

EMERSON SCHOOL

MUNJAY HILL, MAINE

1910 – 1914

PORTLAND HIGH SCHOOL

1914

Ford left for Hollywood.

PART TWO

1914 – 1973

THE HOLLYWOOD YEARS

1914

Arrived in Hollywood

1916

JUNE

1712 WHITLEY STREET – WEST HOLLYWOOD

Paid $50.00 a month

JULY

6629 1/2 HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD

THE VIRGINIA APARTMENTS

Ford was making $35.00 a week as an assistent director. He moved into this pink stucco, two – story apartment building east of Highland and roomed with Hoot Gibson.

1920

JUNE

2233 BEACHWOOD DRIVE – HOLLYWOOD

Ford rented a two – story stucco home.

OCTOBER 1920 – 1953

6860 ODIN STREET – HOLLYWOOD

Ford paid $14,000 for this stone built house with leaded windows, that sat on a hill in back of the Hollywood Bowl. He lived here for thirty – four years. In 1953 the house was claimed by the city, under eminent domain because the property was needed for parking for the Hollywood Bowl.

1953 – DECEMBER 1972

125 COPA DE ORO ROAD – BEL AIR

He then bought this house, whose former owners were fellow directors William Wyler and Frank Lloyd.

DECEMBER 1972 – AUGUST 31, 1973

74 – 605 OLD PROSPECT TRAIL – PALM DESERT

BOUGHT THIS FIVE BEDROOM, RANCH – STYLE HOUSE.

IT WAS HIS LAST HOME. HE DIED HERE.

HOLY CROSS CEMETERY – CULVER CITY

FRANCIS FORD

(John’s older brother)

741 WEST TEMPLE STREET – LA – 1920

1403 MORNINGSIDE COURT – LA – 1920

JOHN FORD ALSO LIVED HERE

1210 WEST 28th STREET – LA

HOLY CROSS

JOHN PHILLIP FORD

Motion Picture Director. He was the son of actor Francis Ford and nephew of Director John Ford. He directed mostly Western films from 1945 to 1952.

10859 LANDALE STREET – NORTH HOLLYWOOD 1930

FOREST LAWN – CYPRESS