John Wayne

John Wayne Named These Three Roles As His Favorite To Play

The end was in sight for John Wayne when he took the part of aging gunfighter J.B. Books in Don Siegel’s 1976 Western “The Shootist.” He was only 69, but the quintessential American movie star hadn’t been nice to his body. Decades of drinking and smoking had taken their toll. He’d lost a lung and a couple of ribs to cancer in the 1960s, but had evidently been in remission since. Still, his energy was flagging. He’d struggled throughout the filming of “Rooster Coburn,” and was being asked to literally hop back on a horse in the elevated altitude of Carson City, Nevada. He had not been diagnosed with a return of the cancer that would kill him three years later, but The Duke looked a deathly shadow of his former, swaggering self.

Culturally, there was a sense that people should celebrate Wayne while he was still around (for those willing to venerate a relic of a man who dodged service in World War II and expressed support for “white supremacy” in an infamous 1971 Playboy interview). So when “The Shootist” ambled into theaters on August 20, 1976, Wayne hit the publicity trail one last time and communed with his audience. One such meeting was captured on “The Phil Donahue Show,” where an audience packed with elderly Midwestern women peppered their wheezing big-screen crush with the most innocuous of questions. One, however, was quite revealing.
A stagecoach, a safari, and a load of blarneyParamountAt the 20-minute mark of Donahue’s show, a shy, gray-haired lady rises to ask The Duke, whom she addresses as “sir,” to name his three favorite movies. Wayne responds with his trademark brevity:
“Well you like different pictures for different reasons. I loved ‘Stagecoach,’ naturally, because I stepped on that stagecoach and it’s carried me a long ways. I liked ‘Hatari!,’ which is a picture we made in Africa because I had a three month safari free. I mean, rich men don’t get that you know? And ‘The Quiet Man’ because I got to work with all of the Abbey Players and some forebears of my own family.”
“Stagecoach” is a no-brainer. Wayne rocketed to stardom as Winchester-wielding The Ringo Kid in John Ford’s groundbreaking Western. But it’s curious that he singles out “Hatari!,” one of his most frivolous efforts with director Howard Hawks over “Red River” and “Rio Bravo.” His portrayal of Ahab-esque rancher Thomas Dunson in “Red River” ranks among his very best. Hawks uses Wayne’s my-way-or-the-highway certitude against Wayne. Montgomery Clift usurps his management of the cattle drive, and is proven right in the end. But I’ve seen “Hatari!,” and while I’m not a fan, it looks like it was a blast to shoot. If that’s what mattered to the Duke, so be it.
A tarnished man of a tarnished peopleRepublic PicturesAt the time of the Donahue interview, Ford’s “The Quiet Man” was one of the most beloved movies ever made. It’s an Irish romantic-comedy stuffed to bursting with all that entails: there’s drinking and brawling and smooching and loads of verdant, windswept scenery. Wayne and Maureen O’Hara strike up a wonderfully quarrelsome chemistry that leaves you laughing and swooning. Just listen to that applause from the Donahue audience the minute he says the title: Wayne’s people love “The Quiet Man.”
But what did they think of “The Searchers” or “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance?” Did they appreciate their revisionist, anti-heroic qualities? Did they even register them? They’re all quite dead now, and, given that America is caught in the throes of a nativist rebirth, it’s likely the racism of Ethan Edwards in “The Searchers” was either lost on them, or, worse, palatable. But Wayne, because he trusted Ford and Hawks, allowed his patriotic image to be tarnished for the sake of telling a good story — and, perhaps, telling an ugly story he understood, but couldn’t bring himself to publicly acknowledge.

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.