George Takei isn’t just a living legend, he is a link back to the heady days of Hollywood when stars like John Wayne bestrode Westerns and war films like titans. The Duke wasn’t just larger than life on the screen, his behaviour on set and behind the scenes was equally overpowering. The Star Trek icon, who turned 86 this week, continues to live long and prosper, and shared with Express online his memories of working on The Green Beret – the movie that was responsible for him missing much of Season 2 of the sci-fi show.Wayne was a leading member of the right-wing pro-war faction in Hollywood, while Takei was vehemently opposed. Yet, he was shocked from the very start by his first encounter with the Silver Screen legend.
The Green Berets was completely Wayne’s pet project, conceived to combat what he saw as falling support for the military in the US. The actor had bought the rights to author Robin Moore’s 1965 book. Furthermore, he sought and obtained extraordinary cooperation along with supplies, equipment, and weapons from President Lyndon B. Johnson and the United States Department of Defense.The army provided uniforms as well as attack helicopters and the United States Air Force supplied two C-130 Hercules transports and two A-1 Skyraider attack aircraft. Some film extras were actually air force trainees.So how would Wayne deal with a co-star who stood loudly and passionately against the war?
