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John Wayne

John Wayne’s wife ‘fell in love all over again’ as star ‘reached peak of career’

Throughout his career, which saw him star in more than 170 films and TV productions, the man nicknamed Duke would achieve huge success, but none more than in 1970 when he finally clinched the Oscar he so desperately craved for Best Actor in True Grit.
Among his other most cherished films is The Alamo, the 1960 historical war film about the 1836 Battle of the Alamo, which saw Wayne earn an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
During the filming process Wayne’s third wife, Pilar, noted how nervous she was for the acting legend, particularly as a result of him taking on the roles of actor, producer and director.
Writing in her and Alex Thorleifson’s 1987 book John Wayne: My Life With the Duke, Pilar noted how Hollywood studios were not as keen on The Alamo’s potential, resulting in the star taking on much of the responsibilities for it alone.
She wrote that during the process she “fell in love with Duke all over again during the filming of The Alamo”.

Pilar added: “I’d been concerned how he’d react to the stress of his triple responsibilities as a producer, director, and star.
“But I worried needlessly. Duke clearly felt at the peak of his career.”
As a result of his then-already long career in front of the camera, Wayne developed a unique and strong bond with a number of highly acclaimed directors, including his favourite John Ford.
Astonishingly over both men’s career, the pair teamed up on some 14 feature films, including the likes of Stagecoach, The Searchers and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon.

Pilar, who married Wayne in 1954, detailed how he exuded the patience other directors had with him, with his own actors, and she picked up just how much he enjoyed leading a cast on set.
She added: “Although there were days when he used as many as 26 or 27 different camera setups, nothing escaped his watchful eye.
“He seemed to be everywhere at once, correcting the way an extra sat his horse or carried his gun, rearranging props, working with the actors, praising his crew.
“Despite the pressure and workload, Duke’s love for directing showed.”

Ford, born in 1894, was the force behind the 1962 film The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, which starred Wayne as the movie’s hero Tom Doniphon, and is the only man to win four Best Director gongs at the Oscars.
In a report in Closer News Weekly in 2022, Scott Eyman, who was a biographer of both Wayne and Ford, described how filming for The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance left the director poorly, mainly due to his ever-aging health.
After the production was finished, Wayne was set to be handed an award, and he wanted to the director to be the man to hand his prize over to him.
He said: “Ford was announced to go introduce Wayne and he came up a couple steps to the dais and stumbled over one of the steps and slid right back down the dais. He recovered. He didn’t actually fall down, he got ahold of himself and went back up the steps and introduced Wayne.”
Eyman, who released his Wayne biography in 2015, explained that Wayne then “came up the steps to the dais” and “also stumbled over the same step on purpose, slide all the way back down”.
He continued: “The audience laughed thinking it was a setup between the two men. Then he came right back up and accepted the award. Actually, it hadn’t been a setup.
“Wayne had done it to make it look like a setup so it wouldn’t look like John, his mentor, his father figure, the man he loved more than anybody on Earth, he didn’t want him to look bad in front of an audience.”

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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!

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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.

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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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