John Wayne

 

John Wayne + Joanne Dru in Red riverJohn Wayne in The searchersJohn Wayne in Stagecoach

Biography

John Wayne

John Wayne
I never trust a man that doesn't drink

Remarkable:

Wayne told a group of friends after a private screening of Midnight cowboy that he thought that actors Hoffman and Voight were great. A few days later he wondered: “Whoever thought I’d say good things about a movie featuring a gigolo, a homeless Italian dwarf, and gang rape”.

Born:

May 26, 1907

Born as:

Marion Robert Morrison

Died:

June 11, 1979

Raised in California, Marion went to USC on a football scholarship. During summer vacations he was employed as a third-string prop man in the Fox-studio's and on the set he became close friends with director John Ford for whom he began doing bit parts.

Wayne got his break winning the the lead in Fox's upcoming Western epic The big trail. He changed his name in John Wayne and became in 1939 a star in the role of The Ringo kid in Stagecoach.

In 1948 for the first time, critics sat up and took notice when the duke starred in Howard Hawks' Red River (1948). The 50s gave Wayne an opportunity to depth and poignancy in films like She wore a yellow ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Searchers (1956) and Rio Bravo (1959).

In real life he was a patriot, an ultra-American who reflected his right-wing political stance in The Alamo (1960) and in The green berets (1968). John won his only Academy Award with True Grit (1969).

Academy awards

1970 Won Best actor for: True grit (1969)
1961 Nominated Best picture for: The Alamo(1960)
1950 Nominated Best actor for: Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

Selected Movies:

Books:

S. Zmijewsky and B. Zmijewsky and M. Ricci -> The Complete Films of John Wayne (1983/1995)
Randy Roberts and James S. Olson -> John Wayne, American (1995)
Ronald L. Davis -> Duke: The Life and Image of John Wayne (1998)
Emanuel Levy -> John Wayne: Prophet of the American Way of Life (1988/1998)

 

John Wayne + James Stewart in The man who shot Liberty Valance

News

Poster of Red river

This week 60 years ago Red river premiered (September 1, 1948)

This week 55 years ago Island in the sky premiered (September 5, 1953)

Trivia

Wayne after winning an Oscar for True Grit (1969): “If I’d known this was all it would take, I’d have put on that eye patch on forty years ago”. Source / More (Book)

John has his handprints set in cement on Hollywood Boulevard (Hollywood, USA, in the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theater). Source / More (Web)

In 1947 the McCarthyite witch hunts of the House Un-American Activities Committee were in full swing. John supported the House by testifying about the Red Menace in Hollywood. He was not only a so called friendly witness, but also founded the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals. Source / More (Book)

The airport in Orange County, California was renamed shortly after his death to John Wayne Airport.

John has a star on Hollywood Boulevard (Vine street).
It’s located two blocks south of Hollywood Boulevard.

Wayne told a group of friends after a private screening of Midnight cowboy that he thought that actors Hoffman and Voight were great. A few days later he wondered: “Whoever thought I’d say good things about a movie featuring a gigolo, a homeless Italian dwarf, and gang rape”. Source / More (Book)

Ex Soviet leader Joseph Stalin once declared that John Wayne, a vociferous anti-Communist, was a threat and should be assassinated.

Marion’s name was never legally changed to John Wayne.

He holds the record for the actor with the most leading parts, 142

Bibliography