John Wayne
John Wayne’s blunt advice to Michael Caine after friendship: ‘P**s all over you!’
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Hollywood superstar John Wayne remains one of Tinsel Town’s most enduring figures, featuring in more than 150 films and TV productions throughout a celebrated career. He collected a number of revered awards, including in 1970, when he finally claimed the Academy Award for Best Actor for True Grit he had been chasing his entire life. The actor, who died at the age of 72 in 1979, was often incredibly outspoken, criticising fellow actors he did not believe were talented enough for the silver screen.
His famous targets included the likes of Gone with the Wind star Clark Gable, and double Oscar winner Gene Hackman.
But iconic British actor Michael Caine once detailed how Wayne, known for his performances in western flicks, issued him with some blunt advice that would stay with him for the rest of his life.
Caine, himself a winner of two Academy Awards, spoke about his encounter with Wayne in the aftermath of his 1966 film Alfie, in which he played the lead role.
Speaking on The Graham Norton Show in 2018, Caine described how he was “in this luxurious suite in the Beverly Hills Hotel” while he was waiting to do some filming on Gambit.
John Wayne’s blunt advice to Michael Caine after friendship: ‘P**s all over you!’ (Image: GETTY)
Michael Caine attending John Wayne’s birthday party (Image: GETTY)
However, he “didn’t know anybody” and so ended up “just in this luxury hotel, ordering caviar and champagne, all on my own for a week”.
He continued: “In the daytime I used to go down to the lobby and sit in the corner, and see if I could see any stars.
“And one day a helicopter landed, and all the flowers went up in the beds outside, up in the air and in walks John Wayne in a complete cowboy hat just like that.”
Wayne spotted Caine and immediately told the star that Alfie, which earned the star a Best Actor Oscar nomination, was among his favourite films, saying “it’s very good son”.
Michael Caine in Get Carter (Image: GETTY)
Wayne said: “You’re gonna be a star, kid. But if you wanna stay one, remember this: Talk low, talk slow and don’t say too much.”
Caine recalled, a moment later, Wayne issuing a final piece of advice that stayed with The Italian Job legend for the rest of his career: “He said, ‘Never wear suede shoes.’ I asked why and he said, ‘Because you’ll be taking a p**s in a men’s room and there’ll be a guy next to you, and all of a sudden the guy will recognize you and he’ll turn and go, ‘Michael Caine!’
“And he’ll p**s all over your shoes!’ I never wore suede shoes again.”
Another star of the screen who enjoyed a close relationship with Wayne was acting titan Kirk Douglas, who once revealed how he was left red-faced when the actor criticised one of his films.
John Wayne (Image: GETTY)
The pair, Douglas noted, watched through his turn as Vincent van Gogh in the 1956 film Lust for Life.
While critics were impressed with Douglas’ performance as the Dutch painter, Wayne was not, and made his disappointment with his friend’s film clear.
During a discussion with James Bawden and Ron Miller, on their Conversations with Classic Film Stars, Douglas described the “famous story” of Wayne giving his own review of the film.
He said: “When I played Van Gogh in Lust for Life, we had a private showing of it, and John Wayne was there.
“We had a little supper party, and Wayne had a few drinks.”
“Afterwards, he motioned to me to go out on the veranda with him, and he berated me! He said, ‘How the hell could you play a goddamn character like that?’
“And I said, ‘What do you mean? I’m an actor. He’s a fascinating character.’
“And Wayne said, ‘No, no. We should never play those kinds of weak, snivelling characters. I don’t ever want to see you in a part like that again! They have no dignity!’”
John Wayne
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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.
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