The John Ford Stock Company is the name given to the large collection of actors used repeatedly in the films of American director John Ford. Most famous among these was John Wayne, who appeared in twenty-four films and three television episodes for the director. Other members of the "stock company" include:
Jack Pennick – 41 films, 1 TV episode
Francis Ford (the director's brother) – 32 films
Harry Carey, Sr. – 27 films
John Wayne – 24 films, 3 TV episodes
Ward Bond – 24 films, 2 TV episodes
Harry Tenbrook – 26 films
J. Farrell MacDonald – 25 films
Vester Pegg – 23 films
Mae Marsh – 17 films, 1 TV episode
Frank Baker – 17 films
Duke Lee – 16 films
Joe Harris – 14 films
Danny Borzage – 13 films
Hoot Gibson – 13 films
Willis Bouchey – 9 films, 3 TV episodes
John Carradine – 11 films, 1 TV episode
Ken Curtis – 11 films, 1 TV episode
William Henry – 11 films, 1 TV episode
Victor McLaglen – 12 films
George O'Brien – 12 films
Molly Malone – 11 films
Harry Carey Jr. – 9 films, 1 TV episode
Sam Harris – 10 films
Robert Homans – 10 films
Cliff Lyons – 9 films, 1 TV episode
Robert Parrish – 10 films
Chuck Roberson – 9 films, 1 TV episode
Russell Simpson – 10 films
William Steele – 10 films
Patrick Wayne – 8 films, 2 TV episodes
Henry Fonda – 9 films
Ed Jones – 9 films
John Qualen – 9 films
Mickey Simpson – 9 films
Pat Somerset – 9 films
Hank Worden – 8 films, 1 TV episode
Anna Lee – 8 films, 1 TV episode
Ruth Clifford – 8 films
Mary Gordon – 8 films
James Flavin – 8 films
Ben Hall – 8 films
Chuck Hayward (as actor) – 7 films, 1 TV episode
Harry Strang – 8 films
Carleton Young – 6 films, 2 TV episodes
Brandon Hurst – 7 films
Fred Libby – 7 films
Jane Darwell – 7 films
Steve Pendleton – 7 films
Charles Seel – 5 films, 2 TV episodes
Charles Trowbridge – 7 films
Jack Woods – 7 films
Frank Albertson – 6 films
Mimi Doyle – 6 films
Earle Foxe – 6 films
Si Jenks – 6 films
Robert Lowery – 6 films
James A. Marcus – 6 films
Cyril McLaglen – 6 films
Paul McVey – 6 films
Jack Mower – 6 films
Lionel Pape – 6 films
Arthur Shields – 6 films
Charles Tannen – 6 films
Harry Tyler – 5 films, 1 TV episode
Tom Tyler – 6 films
Jack Walters – 6 films
Scores of actors appeared repeatedly for Ford up to five times. Among the best known of these are:
Five appearances
Chief John Big Tree
Berton Churchill
Donald Crisp
Andy Devine
Stepin Fetchit
Shug Fisher
Barry Fitzgerald
Wallace Ford
Maureen O'Hara
Ben Johnson
Joe Sawyer
James Stewart
O.Z. Whitehead
Grant Withers
Four appearances
Edward Brophy
Charley Grapewin
Donald Meek
Vera Miles
Mildred Natwick
Woody Strode
Slim Summerville
Blue Washington
Three appearances
Pedro Armendáriz
Olive Carey
Dan Dailey
Paul Fix
Preston Foster
Jeffrey Hunter
George Irving
Mike Mazurki
Thomas Mitchell
Denver Pyle
Will Rogers
C. Aubrey Smith
Spencer Tracy
Richard Widmark
Membership in the John Ford Stock Company did not necessitate membership in Ford's social circle, and indeed many of the actors in the Stock Company never encountered Ford outside of work situations.
Crew
Ford had many long-standing relationships with members of his crew, and would often maintain longer and more prolific relationships with crew members than cast.
Screenwriters
Frank S. Nugent
George Hively
Eugene B. Lewis
H. Tipton Steck
Charles J. Wilson Jr. Jules Furthman George C. Hull Dorothy Yost Charles Kenyon Frances Marion James Kevin McGuiness John Stone Dudley Nichols Spig Wead Lamar Trotti Nunnally Johnson Laurence Stallings James Warner Bellah Philip Dunne