John Farrow Biography

Fast Facts

• Pope Pius XI appointed him a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre in 1937
• Had a four-year career in the Merchant Service, during which he wrote short stories, and then got his ticket to Hollywood in the form of an invite to be a technical advisor for a film about the Marines
• Before World War II, he was relegated to directing B movies, but won so much acclaim for his innovations in these small-budget films that after he returned from service, he was promoted to A-list material
• Worked primarily as a screenwriter during his early career, but began directing in the 1930s, earning his first feature-length directorial credit for "Men in Exile" in 1937
• The Tahitian to English to French dictionary that he wrote as a Marine researcher in Tahiti served as a standard for years
• Converted to Catholicism and was so enthusiastic about his new religion that he wrote several articles and books about it