Howard Hawks
Known for
Howard Hawks was an American director born in Goshen, Indiana, celebrated for effortlessly moving between nearly every major genre of classical Hollywood cinema while maintaining a consistent, unmistakable style built on fast, overlapping dialogue. His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby defined the rapid-fire rhythms of screwball comedy, while The Big Sleep and Scarface showed equal mastery of hard-boiled noir and gangster melodrama. Rio Bravo, a leisurely, character-driven Western made partly in response to High Noon, became one of the most influential and beloved films in the genre, admired by directors including Quentin Tarantino and John Carpenter. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes demonstrated his equally confident command of the movie musical. Hawks's recurring focus on competent professionals bound by loyalty and code, rendered through crackling dialogue, made him one of the most versatile and influential directors of Hollywood's studio era.
Howard Hawks
47 Directed
Howard Hawks was an American director born in Goshen, Indiana, celebrated for effortlessly moving between nearly every major genre of classical Hollywood cinema while maintaining a consistent, unmistakable style built on fast, overlapping dialogue. His Girl Friday and Bringing Up Baby defined the rapid-fire rhythms of screwball comedy, while The Big Sleep and Scarface showed equal mastery of hard-boiled noir and gangster melodrama. Rio Bravo, a leisurely, character-driven Western made partly in response to High Noon, became one of the most influential and beloved films in the genre, admired by directors including Quentin Tarantino and John Carpenter. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes demonstrated his equally confident command of the movie musical. Hawks's recurring focus on competent professionals bound by loyalty and code, rendered through crackling dialogue, made him one of the most versatile and influential directors of Hollywood's studio era.
Movies
Director
Rio Bravo
1959
Director
The Big Sleep
1946
Director
El Dorado
1966
Director
Scarface
1932
Director
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
1953
Director
His Girl Friday
1940
Director
Red River
1948
Director
Bringing Up Baby
1938
Director
Rio Lobo
1970
Director
Sergeant York
1941
Director
Hatari!
1962
Director
Monkey Business
1952
Director
The Big Sky
1952
Director
To Have and Have Not
1945
Director
Land of the Pharaohs
1955
Director
Only Angels Have Wings
1939
Director
Ball of Fire
1941
Director
I Was a Male War Bride
1949
Director
O. Henry's Full House
1952
Director
Air Force
1943
Director
Twentieth Century
1934
Director
A Song Is Born
1948
Director
Barbary Coast
1935
Director
Man's Favorite Sport?
1964
Director
Fazil
1928
Director
Red Line 7000
1965
Director
The Road to Glory
1936
Director
Today We Live
1933
Director
The Criminal Code
1931
Director
The Dawn Patrol
1930
Director
Tiger Shark
1932
Director
Come and Get It
1936
Director
Cradle Snatchers
1927
Director
Fig Leaves
1926
Director
A Girl in Every Port
1928
Director
Ceiling Zero
1936
Director
The Crowd Roars
1932
Director
Paid to Love
1927
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The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks
Full Filmography
Rio Lobo
Director
1970
Film
El Dorado
Director
1966
Film
Red Line 7000
Director
1965
Film
Man's Favorite Sport?
Director
1964
Film
Hatari!
Director
1962
Film
Rio Bravo
Director
1959
Film
Land of the Pharaohs
Director
1955
Film
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Director
1953
Film
O. Henry's Full House
Director
1952
Film
Photos
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Howard Hawks still alive?
Howard Hawks passed away on December 26, 1977 at age 81.
What are the most famous roles of Howard Hawks?
Howard Hawks is best known for directing Rio Bravo, The Big Sleep, Bringing Up Baby.
How many movies has Howard Hawks directed?
Over a 54-year career (since 1923), Howard Hawks has directed or written 47 films and worked on 0 TV shows.
What was Howard Hawks's first movie?
The career of Howard Hawks began with Quicksands (1923).
What is Howard Hawks's most recent movie or series?
Howard Hawks's most recent release is Rio Lobo, which premiered on April 1, 1970.
Howard Hawks
1896-05-30 · Goshen, Indiana, USA
Howard Winchester Hawks (May 30, 1896 – December 26, 1977) was an American film director, producer and screenwriter of the classic Hollywood era. He is popular for his films from a wide range of genres, including screwball comedies [Bringing Up Baby (1938), His Girl Friday (1940), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)], westerns [Red River (1948), Rio Bravo (1959), El Dorado (1967)], adventure films [Only Angels Have Wings (1939), To Have and Have Not (1944)], films noirs [The Big Sleep (1946)] and gangster films [Scarface (1932)]. Notable characteristics of his films are independent and tough-talking female protagonists ("Hawksian woman") and witty and fast-paced dialogues.
In 1975, Hawks was awarded the Honorary Academy Award as "a master American filmmaker whose creative efforts hold a distinguished place in world cinema," and in 1942 he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for Sergeant York.
Hawks has been considered by film critics to be an auteur because of his recognizable style and frequent use of certain thematic elements. Andrew Sarris in his influential book of film criticism The American Cinema: Directors and Directions 1929–1968 included him in the "pantheon" of the 14 greatest film directors who had worked in the United States. Hawks influenced numerous filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese.