Francis Joseph Feeney (1881-1953) was a Hollywood pioneer, producer and director of scores of pictures, who is now remembered only for the bit parts he played in the films of his younger brother, John Ford. Ironically, it was Francis who gave his brother his introduction to film making.
Francis left the Feeney home as a teenager and was for years unheard of by his family. After drifting around in a variety of jobs, he began working in the New York film industry, and eventually moved to Texas, and, finally, Hollywood, where he directed and appeared in westerns for Thomas Ince.
In 1913 he signed with Universal, and began making serials starring Grace Cunard. After regaining contact with his family, he invited his brother John to Hollywood and gave him a job. Later, John Ford would claim his brother was the only director he ever learned from.
Francis Ford’s career declined as John’s ascended, and by the late 1920s he was working as a character actor. He appeared , usually without credit, in many films of note, as well as those of his brother, including Frankenstein (1931), The Plainsman (1936), They Died with Their Boots On (1941), The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) and Hangover Square (1945). For John Ford, he usually played old men and/or drunkards.
Ford was in two MGM musicals: The Devil’s Brother and The Girl of the Golden West.
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