Hawks, Howard (Winchester) (1896-1977)

US director, screenwriter, and producer. He made a wide range of classic films in virtually every American genre. Swift-moving and immensely accomplished, his films include the gangster movie Scarface (1932), the screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby (1938), the film noir The Big Sleep (1946), the musical comedy Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953), and the Western Rio Bravo (1959).

Despite the generic diversity of his work, his films are united by their common themes, their prioritization of story over all else, their celebration of community and friendship, and their restrained visual style (with the camera invariably placed at eye level). He regularly worked with the actors Cary Grant, Humphrey Bogart, and John Wayne. His films include Twentieth Century (1934), Only Angels Have Wings (1939), His Girl Friday (1940), Sergeant York (1941), Ball of Fire (1942), To Have and Have Not (1945), Red River (1948), and Monkey Business (1952).

He was presented with an honorary Academy Award in 1974.