John Wayne

Why John Wayne Was So Embarrassed From Making These 3 Western Movies

John Wayne was a towering figure of Hollywood’s Golden Age in the ’40s and ’50s, so it’s hard to imagine The Duke being embarrassed by making these three Western movies. In the ’20s, Wayne started out making pre-Code movies that capitalized on his college football days such as The Brown of Harvard but wanted to act in Westerns, and in the ’30s, he made the sort that only took a couple of days to shoot. Wayne made dozens and dozens of low-budget Westerns prior to getting his big break in John Ford’s Stagecoach, where he played an outlaw traveling through Comanche territory along with a coach full of colorful strangers.
The Duke had to find his footing in those early days, and before John Wayne’s best movies established the image of him most fans have today, he played a lot of different types of characters. During his infamous interview with Playboy in 1971, Wayne talked about the first several years of his career and noted the films he hoped would never resurface in the public eye. It’s hard to imagine The Duke embarrassed by any part of his long career, which included at least one film released from 1926 until he retired in 1976, but these films didn’t help his reputation.
John Wayne Was Once A Singing Cowboy

John Wayne singing in Riders of Destiny

As it turns out, some studios in the early ’30s wanted to make John Wayne a singing cowboy, predating Gene Autry’s Tumbling Tumbleweeds in 1935. In total, Wayne made three singing cowboy movies including Riders of Destiny, The New Frontier, and Lawless Range in which he rode a horse strumming a guitar and singing “The Desert Song” and similar melodies. One of his most famous characters was Singin’ Sandy Saunders, a government agent fond of stopping bank robbers and serenading young ladies.
Wayne was only in his early ’20s when he accepted these sorts of roles, hoping that they were building blocks to a better career. Wayne jump-started the singing cowboy archetype, which was inspired by real cowboys singing around campfires about life on the American frontier. After Wayne, Gene Autry, Jimmy Wakely, Rex Allen, and Roy Rogers were able to make entire careers out of fitting into this specific type of Western hero.

John Wayne Was Embarrassed Because He Couldn’t Sing

john wayne in the big trail

The chief reason behind John Wayne’s embarrassment of being known as a singing cowboy was the fact that he could neither sing nor play the guitar. His voice had been dubbed in each instance by either Bill Bradbury or Glenn Strange from pre-recorded songs. When he made public appearances, young fans, in particular, would request that he sang some of his most famous ballads, and he was forced to disappoint them every time.
RELATED:John Wayne’s First Lead Role Set His Career Back A Decade“The fact that I couldn’t sing—or play the guitar—became terribly embarrassing to me,” Wayne told Playboy. “Every time I made a public appearance, the kids insisted that I sing The Desert Song. But I couldn’t take along the fella who played the guitar…and the fella who sang on the other side of the camera. So finally I went to the head of the studio and said. “Screw this, I can’t handle it.” John Wayne might have represented a romantic image of the Old West, but he craved authenticity in this regard, and not being able to handle the embarrassment freed him up to be a different Western icon.

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.