Howard Hawks

The Profile

Howard Hawks (1896–1977) was an American film director celebrated for precision storytelling and mastery across genres, from screwball comedies and gangster films to westerns and film noir. He directed enduring classics including Bringing Up Baby, Scarface, The Big Sleep, Red River, and Rio Bravo.

Born May 30, 1896 in Goshen, Indiana; died December 26, 1977 in Palm Springs, California. Frequent collaborators included Cary Grant, John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, screenwriters Jules Furthman and Leigh Brackett. Received an Academy Honorary Award in 1975.

Four glowing DeBaser reviews salute Howard Hawks as a master of multiple genres. Bringing Up Baby is hailed as the quintessence of screwball precision, Scarface as a daring early gangster landmark, Rio Bravo as a witty, character-rich western, and Ball of Fire as sparkling champagne cinema. Performances by Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Gary Cooper, and Barbara Stanwyck are praised alongside Hawks’s immaculate craft.