THE PRODUCER
BERNARD SMITH
unknowingly
devoted most of his life preparing to produce HOW THE WEST WAS WON. Born in New York and
educated at Columbia University, he was an editor at Alfred A. Knopf Inc. from 1929 until
1944. During that period, he rose to editor in chief and frequently edited books on
American history and the American West. In 1946 he became story editor for Samuel Goldwyn,
and later served in various executive positions with Paramount, Edward Small Productions,
and Hecht-Hill-Lancaster. He produced his first film, "Elmer Gantry," in 1960.
HOW THE WEST WAS WON is the first he has produced since joining MGM in 1960.
HENRY
HATHAWAY, born in Sacramento, California, is acknowledged as one of the
industry's foremost directors of fast moving, action films. He began his remarkable career
at the age of eight as a child actor. Hathaway first commanded critical attention for his
work on "Lives of the Bengal Lancers." Since that time has delivered an imposing
list of outstanding productions, among them "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine,"
which was the first outdoor film photographed in color. Among his other hits are such
motion pictures as "Peter Ibbetson," "Go West, Young Man," "Souls
at Sea," "Spawn of the North," "Brigham Young" and "North to
Alaska." For HOW THE WEST WAS WON he directed the sequences on the Rivers, the Plains
and the Outlaws.
JOHN FORD
is Hollywood's Only four time Academy
Award-winning director. He received Oscars for "The Informer" (1935),
"Grapes of Wrath" (1940), "How Green Was My Valley" ('94') and
"The Quiet Man" (1952). Ford, born in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, was given his first
directorial assignment in 1917, the film being a two reel Western. Since that time he has
directed such all time greats as "The Iron Horse," "Arrowsmith,"
"Stagecoach," "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" and "Mr. Roberts,"
to mention only a few. During World War II he served as Lieutenant Commander with the U.S.
Navy in the Pacific and European theatres. He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral. For HOW
THE WEST WAS WON he directed The Civil War sequence.
GEORGE MARSHALL,
born
and educated in Chicago, Illinois, has directed more than four hundred feature motion
pictures during a career spanning a half century. He literally was trained in every phase
of movie making. He joined the old Universal Studios in 1912 and
was successively an extra, bit player, prop boy, makeup man, film
editor, cameraman, casting director and assist-ant director. He directed his first film, a
three reel Western, in 1913. During his early career Marshall directed such stars as Ruth
Roland. Lloyd Hamilton and Tom Mix. He saw service in World War I, and his films have
included "Destry Rides Again," "Houdini" and "Money from
Home." For HOW THE WEST WAS WON he directed The Railroad sequence.
JAMES
R. WEBB has earned an outstanding reputation as a writer. Born in Denver and educated
at Stanford University, he began writing fiction in 1936 and screenplays in 1938, and his
work has appeared in almost every American magazine of importance. During World War II he
served with distinction in North Africa and Europe. Since 1951 he has written screenplays
exclusively, and among his successful credits are "The Big Country,"
"Trapeze" and "Pork Chop Hill."