Philip Ford (film director)

Philip Ford (1900-1976) was an American film director specializing primarily in Westerns and action serials. He was born Philip Feeney in Portland, Maine.

Ford directed over 60 feature films between 1934 and 1966, with the majority being low-budget Westerns. He was a prolific director, sometimes helming multiple films in a single year.

He is particularly known for his work at Republic Pictures, directing a wide variety of Westerns featuring stars such as Wild Bill Elliott, Allan Lane, Sunset Carson, and Monte Hale. Some of his notable Westerns include Lawless Empire (1945), Oregon Trail Scouts (1947), and Desperadoes of Dodge City (1948).

In addition to Westerns, Ford also directed serials for Republic, including The Phantom Rider (1946), King of the Rocket Men (1949), and Radar Men from the Moon (1952). These serials were popular with audiences for their action-packed plots and cliffhanger endings.

While not considered an auteur, Ford was a reliable and efficient director who contributed significantly to the Western genre and the popularity of serial films. His films provided consistent entertainment for audiences and helped shape the landscape of low-budget filmmaking during the mid-20th century. His final directorial credit was for the television series Laredo in 1966.