John Wayne

How Many Westerns John Wayne Actually Appeared In

While John Wayne fronted many types of movies from comedies to dramas, he’s an icon of the Western genre; here’s how many he actually starred in.

He’s an icon of the genre, but how many Westerns did John Wayne actually appear in? John Wayne made his screen debut with an uncredited appearance in 1926 silent movie Brown Of Harvard, but it wasn’t until the success of 1939’s Stagecoach that he truly broke through. He would go on to become one of the biggest movie stars of his era, working with any number of legendary actors and filmmakers, including John Ford, Howard Hawks and John Huston – who Wayne had an actual fistfight with. Wayne also appeared in a variety of genres, from war movies to dramas like The Quiet Man.

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However, his screen persona is forever identified with the Western. In the early years of cinema, Westerns were one of the most consistently popular genres with moviegoers. Wayne – who was nicknamed “The Duke” – became one of cinema’s most iconic cowboys, thanks to movies like The Searchers, Rio Bravo and his Oscar-winning turn as Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. Even when Clint Eastwood helped usher in a darker, more cynic era of Western in the ’60s and ’70s with his Dollars trilogy or High Plains Drifter, Wayne still stuck with his more traditional take on the genre. His final movie The Shootist, released in 1976, was also a Western.

That was something about Wayne’s – who passed on Dirty Harry – screen persona that just looked best in a Western setting. Audience interest in the genre itself waned towards the end of Wayne’s career, leading the star to attempt branching out to more contemporary roles like cop thriller McQ, though these efforts met with mixed fortunes. Wayne’s first outing in a Western – and first leading role – came with 1930’s The Big Trail, and in the years that follows, the actor appeared in 80 Westerns, ending with The Shootist.

What’s impressive about that tally is the fact it’s not even half of his overall credits. Wayne racked up over 180 acting roles throughout his career, with the majority being leading parts. Wayne himself only stepped behind the camera twice. The first was for the 1960 epic The Alamo, where he was forced by investors to play a lead character to help its box-office chances. Wayne – who nearly worked with Elvis- also helmed the 1968 war movie The Green Berets, which was poorly received upon release.

Even after filming The Shootist, Wayne had plans to return to the genre. John Carpenter (Halloween) was hired to pen Blood River, where a young drifter is befriended by a U.S. Marshal. Wayne wanted to play the latter and pictured his Shootist co-star Ron Howard as the young lead, but ill health saw it to that the movie didn’t happen. It was eventually turned into a 1991 TV movie instead, with Wilford Brimley playing the role intended for John Wayne.

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About The AuthorPadraig Cotter (3705 Articles Published)

It’s pronounced Paw-rick, not Pad-raig. Now that’s out of the way, a brief introduction. Padraig has been writing about film online since 2012, when a friend asked if he’d like to contribute the occasional review or feature to their site. A part-time hobby soon blossomed into a career when he discovered he really loved writing about movies, TV and video games – he even (arguably) had a little bit of talent for it. He has written words for Den of Geek, Collider, The Irish Times and Screen Rant over the years, and can discuss anything from the MCU – where Hawkeye is clearly the best character – to the most obscure cult b-movie gem, and his hot takes often require heat resistant gloves to handle. He’s super modern too, so his favorite movies include Jaws, Die Hard, The Thing, Ghostbusters and Batman. He can be found as i_Padds on Twitter making bad puns.

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.