John Wayne

John Wayne’s Wild Goose: What to Know About the Duke’s Yacht

Nearly 60 years after John Wayne purchased the Wild Goose, we’re taking a look at all the details about the Duke’s 136-foot Navy minesweeper converted yacht.

According to a Vanity Fair article about the Wild Goose in 2017, John Wayne would travel to sea with various celebrities on the yacht. This includes Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. While speaking to the media outlet about his adventures on the yacht, Ethan Wayne discussed his father’s interest in being on the water with some rare snapshots. “Where he really lived his life was on boats. Or on the beach.”

John Wayne’s son also observed that while his movie icon father was on the boat, he would take a break from the “unique pressures” he expected as a working actor. “When he got on the boat, he could let all that go.”

When asked who would be a guest on the Wild Goose, the son of John Wayne recalled “Frank Sinatra would come around. Sammy Davis Jr. would charter the boat. Tom Jones would charter the boat, America the band. Or Dennis Wilson [from The Beach Boys]. He was around everyone. He was a huge, huge star. My dad went to the beach with the father of surfing. It doesn’t get any more legitimate than that.”

John Wayne’s Son Shares More Details About His Family’s Adventures on the Wild Goose

As he continued to recall the adventures he and his other family members experienced on the Wild Goose, Wayne’s son Ethan said, He took me with him because he knew once I become a teenager, I’d kind of leave him for a while. He said, ‘Boys leave when they’re teenagers. They don’t come back until they’re in their 30s. And I won’t be there for Ethan when he comes back. So I’m gonna take him with me now.”

According to the Orange Country Register, Wayne purchased The Wild Goose in 1965 and sold the yacht before his death in 1979 to a Los Angeles attorney. Decades later, the boat, which anchored in Newport Beach, was placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 2011. The boat has had more than $3 million in renovations done to it since John Wayne’s ownership. Hornblower Cruises, an owner of the boat, purchased it in 1997. The company says it has since tried to maintain its “historic integrity.”

Chandler Bell, Director of Marine Operations at Hornblower said, “We wanted to preserve the history of the vessel. We felt the boat deserved it.”

Bert Minshall, who was a deckhand for the ship in 1963 and became the ship’s captain in the 70s, spoke about the ship’s changes and renovations. This includes the decor. “Mr. Wayne would never have had that stuff on board.”

John Wayne

The Legend Lives On: John Wayne is Still Alive!

In a world where legends never fade, we can’t help but wonder: what if John Wayne, the iconic figure of American cinema, is still with us in spirit? The Duke, known for his larger-than-life roles and undeniable charisma, continues to inspire generations.

From his unforgettable performances in classics like “True Grit” and “The Searchers” to his indomitable spirit, Wayne’s essence is woven into the fabric of Hollywood and American culture. His rugged persona, moral fortitude, and unwavering courage resonate deeply, reminding us of the values he embodied.

While we may not see him on the silver screen today, Wayne’s legacy lives on through the countless actors he inspired and the stories he helped tell. His films are timeless, bringing joy and adventure to audiences around the world.

So, as we celebrate the enduring impact of John Wayne, let’s keep his spirit alive in our hearts. Whether you’re watching one of his classics or sharing a favorite quote, remember that the legend of John Wayne will never truly die. Here’s to the Duke—forever a part of our cinematic history!

John Wayne

Why John Wayne Turned Down the Chance to Work With Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood and John Wayne are the two biggest legends in the history of Western movies, however, they never worked together. The duo did have the opportunity to work together once in the 1970s. Here’s why the film never came to fruition.

How John Wayne responded when Clint Eastwood tried to work with him

Firstly, a little background. According to the book John Wayne: The Life and Legend, it all starts with Larry Cohen. Though Cohen is not a widely known director like Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino, he’s a huge name to fans of B movies. He directed famous B movies like The Stuff, Q: The Winged Serpent, It’s Alive, and God Told Me To. He also wrote a script called The Hostiles shortly after Eastwood released his classic High Plains Drifter.

The Hostiles was about a gambler who wins half of an estate of an older man. The gambler and the older man have to work together despite the fact that they don’t like each other. Eastwood optioned the screenplay with the intent of playing the gambler alongside Wayne as the older man.

Eastwood sent a copy of the script of The Hostiles to Wayne. Although Eastwood felt the script was imperfect, he saw its potential. However, Wayne was not interested. Eastwood pitched the film to Wayne a second time and Wayne responded with a letter. Wayne’s letter complained about High Plains Drifter. Wayne was offended by the film and its portrayal of the Old West as a cruel, violent place.

John Wayne

Ann-Margret Refused to Call John Wayne ‘Duke’ While Introducing 1 of His Movies

Ann-Margret once starred in one of John Wayne’s lesser-known movies. However, she refused to call him by his popular moniker Duke. Here’s a look at the film they made together — and why she declined to call him by a nickname.

The one time Ann-Margret and John Wayne made a movie together

Ann-Margret is probably most known for her work in musicals, specifically Bye Bye Birdie, Viva Las Vegas, and The Who’s Tommy. However, she also dabbled in the Western genre. She starred alongside Wayne in the mostly forgotten movie The Train Robbers.

Wayne was also known as The Duke or just Duke. According to USA Today, the nickname was derived from his childhood dog. It stuck with him for many years. It continues to be used today — even on the box covers of the DVDs for his movies.

John Wayne | Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images

During an interview with Interview Magazine, Ann-Margret explained why she didn’t refer to the Rio Bravo star by this famous name. “When I came to this country, first of all, mother and I didn’t know English,” she said. “I would curtsey, then say, ‘Thank you,’ and then when I was leaving, curtsey. For example, we went to Dallas to introduce a film I did with John Wayne. And I never called him Duke. I just couldn’t. That’s the way I was raised. When you meet someone, you say either Mr. or Mrs. or Miss. You stand up.”

Ann-Margret revealed she treated other famous people in much the same way. For example, she worked with director George Sidney on Bye Bye Birdie and Viva Las Vegas. She always called him Mr. Sidney.

What Ann-Margret thought about John Wayne

Ann-Margret refused to use Wayne’s most famous moniker. However, she had a positive view of the actor. During an interview with Fox News, she was asked what she expected when she met Wayne. “Oh, I didn’t know what to expect,” she revealed. “But when he hugged me, it’s like the world was hugging me. He was so big and wide with that booming voice.

“We were shooting in Durango, Mexico and my parents came down to visit me,” she added. “He was so great with my parents. So absolutely welcoming and gentle with them. And anybody who was great to my parents was on a throne in my eyes.”

How the world reacted to ‘The Train Robbers’

Wayne starred in many classic Westerns, including The Searchers, Stagecoach, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. However, The Train Robbers is mostly forgotten. It didn’t gain a cult following like Once Upon a Time in the West or Dead Man. It wasn’t a critical success either, garnering a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, Ann-Margret had some fond memories of making the film — even if she refused to call Wayne by his famous nickname.