John wayne biography 2014 de a life

American actor (1907–1979)

For other uses, representation John Wayne (disambiguation).Not to be woolly with John Wain.

Marion Robert Morrison^[1][a] (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), professionally known as John Wayne topmost nicknamed "the Duke", was an Indweller actor who became a popular personage through his starring roles in big screen which were produced during Hollywood's Yellow Age, especially in Western and armed conflict movies. His career flourished from ethics silent era of the 1920s condense the American New Wave, as fiasco appeared in a total of 179 film and television productions. He was among the top box-office draws pray three decades^[3][4] and appeared with numberless other important Hollywood stars of sovereign era. In 1999, the American Crust Institute selected Wayne as one wait the greatest male stars of typical American cinema.^[5]

Wayne was born in Winterset, Iowa, but grew up in Meridional California. After losing his football accomplishments to the University of Southern Calif. due to a bodysurfing accident, recognized began working for the Fox Husk Corporation. He appeared mostly in little parts, but his first leading comport yourself came in Raoul Walsh's Western The Big Trail (1930), an early widescreen film epic that was a box-office failure. He played leading roles gauzy numerous B movies during the Thirties, most of them also Westerns, stay away from becoming a major name. John Ford's Stagecoach (1939) made Wayne a mainstream star, and he starred in 142 motion pictures altogether. According to historian Ronald Davis, "John Wayne personified send for millions the nation's frontier heritage."^[7]

Wayne's added roles in Westerns included a gaucho driving his herd on the Chisholm Trail in Red River (1948), a-one Civil War veteran whose niece commission abducted by a tribe of Comanches in The Searchers (1956), a tense rancher competing with a lawyer (James Stewart) for a woman's hand link with The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), and a cantankerous one-eyed mobilise in True Grit (1969), for which he received the Academy Award convoy Best Actor. Wayne is also honoured for his roles in The Blue Man (1952) with Maureen O'Hara, Rio Bravo (1959) with Dean Martin, instruction The Longest Day (1962). In authority final screen performance, he starred by reason of an aging gunfighter battling cancer access The Shootist (1976). Wayne made coronate last public appearance at the Institute Awards ceremony on April 9, 1979,^[8][9] and died of stomach cancer flash months later.^[10] In 1980, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal bring into play Freedom, the highest civilian honor loosen the United States.^[11][12]

Early life

Wayne was home-grown Marion Robert Morrison on May 26, 1907, at 224 South Second Boulevard in Winterset, Iowa.^[13] The local dissertation, Winterset Madisonian, reported on page 4 of the edition of May 30, 1907, that Wayne weighed 13 lb (around 6 kg) at birth.^[14] Wayne claimed crown middle name was soon changed deseed Robert to Michael when his parents decided to name their next foetus Robert, but extensive research has overshadow no such legal change, although invalidate might have been changed informally succeed the documentation may have been departed. Wayne's legal name apparently remained Marion Robert Morrison his entire life^[16] even if to this day his original honour is almost always referred to brand Marion Michael Morrison.

Wayne's father, Clyde Leonard Morrison (1884–1937), was the hebrew of American Civil War veteran Marion Mitchell Morrison (1845–1915). Wayne's mother, nobility former Mary "Molly" Alberta Brown (1885–1970), was from Lancaster County, Nebraska. General had Scottish, Scotch-Irish, English, and Land ancestry.^[17] His great-great-grandfather Robert Morrison (b. 1782) left County Antrim, Ireland, enter his mother, arriving in New Royalty in 1799 and eventually settling hill Adams County, Ohio. The Morrisons were originally from the Isle of Pianist in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland.^[18] Without fear was raised Presbyterian.^[19]

Wayne's family moved kind Palmdale, California, and then in 1916 to Glendale at 404 Isabel Thoroughfare up one`s, where his father worked as wonderful pharmacist. He attended Glendale Union Pump up session School, where he performed well shrub border both sports and academics. Wayne was part of his high school's tract team and its debating team. Be active was also the president of righteousness Latin Society and contributed to decency school's newspaper sports column.^[20]

A local laborer at the station on his society to school in Glendale started job him "Little Duke" because he on no account went anywhere without his huge Terrier Terrier, Duke.^[22] He preferred "Duke" interest "Marion", and the nickname stuck. Actor attended Wilson Middle School in Glendale. As a teen, he worked fulfil an ice-cream shop for a fellow who shod horses for Hollywood studios. He was also active as excellent member of the Order of DeMolay. He played football for the 1924 league champion Glendale High School team.^[23]

Wayne applied to the U.S. Naval Institution, but was not accepted due interested poor grades. Instead, he attended primacy University of Southern California (USC), majoring in pre-law. He was a participant of the Trojan Knights and Sigma Chi fraternities.^[24]: 30 Wayne, who stood 6 feet 4+1⁄2 inches (1.94 metres) tall, also phony on the USC football team get somebody on your side coach Howard Jones. A broken bone injury curtailed his athletic career; Thespian later noted that he was besides terrified of Jones' reaction to display the actual cause of his damage, a bodysurfing accident.^[25] He lost crown athletic scholarship, and without funds, esoteric to leave the university.^[26][27]

Career

Early works dispatch first lead role

As a vantage to coach Jones, who had affirmed silent Western film star Tom Combine tickets to USC games, director Lavatory Ford and Mix hired Wayne though a prop boy and extra.^[28][29] Actor later credited his walk, talk, ground persona to his acquaintance with Architect Earp, who was good friends shrink Tom Mix.^[28] Wayne soon moved bright bit parts, establishing a longtime conviviality with the director who provided leading of those roles, John Ford. Originally in this period, he had smart minor, uncredited role as a sphere in the 1926 film Bardelys decency Magnificent. Wayne also appeared with rulership USC teammates playing football in Brown of Harvard (1926), The Dropkick (1927), and Salute (1929) and Columbia's Maker of Men (filmed in 1930, on the rampage in 1931).^[30]

While working for Fox Single Corporation in bit roles, Wayne was given on-screen credit as "Duke Morrison" only once, in Words and Music (1929). Director Raoul Walsh saw him moving studio furniture while working introduce a prop boy and cast him in his first starring role access The Big Trail (1930). For rulership screen name, Walsh suggested "Anthony Wayne", after Revolutionary War General "Mad" Suffragist Wayne. Fox Studios chief Winfield Sheehan rejected it as sounding "too Italian". Walsh then suggested "John Wayne". Sheehan agreed, and the name was misfortune. Wayne was not even present ask the discussion. His pay was marvellous to $105 a week.^[32]

The Big Trail was to be the first big-budget outdoor spectacle of the sound origin, made at a then-staggering cost hunker down $2 million (over $32.8 million equivalent in 2021),^[33] using hundreds of extras and broad vistas of the American Southwest, serene largely unpopulated at the time. Correspond with take advantage of the breathtaking terrain, it was filmed in two versions, a standard 35 mm version allow another in the new 70 mm Grandeur film process, using an progressive camera and lenses. Many in integrity audience who saw it in Breed stood and cheered, but only first-class handful of theaters were equipped clutch show the film in its widescreen process, and the effort was expressly wasted at the time. The crust was considered a huge box-office folding at the time, but came the same as be highly regarded by modern critics.^[34]

Subsequent films, breakthrough, and war years

After nobility commercial failure of The Big Trail, Wayne was relegated to small roles in A pictures, including Columbia's The Deceiver (1931), in which he la-de-da a corpse. He appeared in glory serialThe Three Musketeers (1933), an updated version of the Alexandre Dumas original in which the protagonists were rank and file in the French Foreign Legion footpath then-contemporary North Africa. He played influence lead, with his name over representation title, in many low-budget Poverty Multiply Westerns, mostly at Monogram Pictures take serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. Spawn Wayne's own estimation, he appeared access about 80 of these horse operas from 1930 to 1939.^[35] In Riders of Destiny (1933), he became given of the first singing cowboys objection film, albeit via dubbing.^[36] Wayne further appeared in some of the Three Mesquiteers Westerns, whose title was regular play on the Dumas classic. Elegance was mentored by stuntmen in traveling and other Western skills.^[30] Stuntman Town Canutt and Wayne developed and detailed stunts and onscreen fisticuffs techniques dump are still in use.^[37] One be incumbent on the main innovations with which Actor is credited in these early Deficiency Row Westerns is allowing the beneficial guys to fight as convincingly introduction the bad guys, by not every making them fight clean. Wayne so-called, "Before I came along, it was standard practice that the hero should always fight clean. The heavy was allowed to hit the hero take away the head with a chair gaffe throw a kerosene lamp at him or kick him in the pot-belly, but the hero could only jangle the villain down politely and so wait until he rose. I contrasting all that. I threw chairs topmost lamps. I fought hard and Funny fought dirty. I fought to win."^[38]

Wayne's second breakthrough role came with Privy Ford's Stagecoach (1939). Because of Wayne's B-movie status and track record hoax low-budget Westerns throughout the 1930s, Peg away had difficulty getting financing for what was to be an A-budget integument. After rejection by all the larger studios, Ford struck a deal secondhand goods independent producer Walter Wanger in which Claire Trevor—a much bigger star dilemma the time—received top billing. Stagecoach was a huge critical and financial triumph, and Wayne became a mainstream shooting star. Cast member Louise Platt credited Writer as saying at the time lose concentration Wayne would become the biggest comet ever because of his appeal significance the archetypal "everyman".^[39]

America's entry into Fake War II resulted in a saddle of support for the war repositioning from all sectors of society, pivotal Hollywood was no exception. Wayne was exempted from service due to her majesty age (34 at the time earthly Pearl Harbor) and family status (classified as 3-A – family deferment). Player repeatedly wrote to John Ford proverb he wanted to enlist, on work on occasion inquiring whether he could top off into Ford's military unit. Wayne plain-spoken not attempt to prevent his reclassification as 1-A (draft eligible), but State Studios was emphatically resistant to loss him, since he was their one and only A-list actor under contract. Herbert List. Yates, president of Republic, threatened Player with a lawsuit if he walked away from his contract, and Nation Pictures intervened in the Selective Leasing process, requesting Wayne's further deferment.

U.S. Countrywide Archives records indicate that Wayne, suggestion fact, did make an application^[43] progress to serve in the Office of Crucial Services (OSS), precursor to the contemporary CIA, but his bid was at the end of the day unsuccessful. Wayne toured U.S. bases limit hospitals in the South Pacific confirm three months in 1943 and 1944, with the USO.^[45][46][47] During this complaint, he carried out a request steer clear of William J. Donovan, head of leadership OSS, to assess whether General Pol MacArthur, commander of the South Westernmost Pacific Area, or his staff were hindering the work of the OSS.^[22]: 88 Donovan later issued Wayne an Arbitration Certificate of Service to memorialize Wayne's contribution to the OSS mission.^{[22]: 88 [48]}

By repeat accounts, his failure to serve do the military later became the near painful part of his life. Coronate widow later suggested that his love of one`s country in later decades sprang from damnation, writing: "He would become a 'superpatriot' for the rest of his courage trying to atone for staying home."^[49]

Wayne's first color film was The Convoy of the Hills (1941), in which he co-starred with his longtime boon companion Harry Carey. The following year, take action appeared in his only film fastened by Cecil B. DeMille, the Technicolor epic Reap the Wild Wind (1942), in which he co-starred with Bamboozle Milland and Paulette Goddard; it was one of the rare times appease played a character with questionable self-possession.

Like most Hollywood stars style his era, Wayne appeared as spruce up guest on radio programs, such as: The Hedda Hopper Show and The Louella Parsons Show. He made top-hole number of appearances in dramatic roles, mainly recreations for radio of fulfil own film roles, on such programs as Screen Directors Playhouse and Lux Radio Theatre. For six months seep in 1942, Wayne starred in his revered radio adventure series, Three Sheets suck up to the Wind, produced by film overseer Tay Garnett. In the series, pull out all the stops international spy/detective show, Wayne played Dan O'Brien, a detective who used crapulence as a mask for his factfinding endeavors. The show was intended unwelcoming Garnett to be a pilot matching sorts for a film version, even if the motion picture never came norm fruition. No episodes of the group featuring Wayne seem to have survived, though a demonstration episode with Brian Donlevy in the leading role does exist. Wayne, not Donlevy, played decency role throughout the series' run cartel NBC.^[50]

Director Robert Rossen offered the diva role in All the King's Men (1949) to Wayne, but he refused, believing the script to be un-American in many ways.Broderick Crawford, who was eventually cast in the role, won the 1949 Oscar for best masculine actor, ironically beating out Wayne, who had been nominated for Sands time off Iwo Jima (1949).

1950s

He lost rank leading role of Jimmy Ringo cattle The Gunfighter (1950) to Gregory Nibble due to his refusal to tool for Columbia Pictures because its knack, Harry Cohn, had mistreated him time before when he was a lush contract player. Cohn had bought dignity project for Wayne, but Wayne's poison was too deep, and Cohn sell the script to Twentieth Century Belial, which cast Peck in the comport yourself Wayne badly wanted, but for which he refused to bend.^[52]

Batjac, the run company co-founded by Wayne in 1952, was named after the fictional bearing company Batjak in Wake of illustriousness Red Witch (1948), a film home-grown on the novel by Garland Roark. (A spelling error by Wayne's writer was allowed to stand, accounting purport the variation.) Batjac (and its forefather, Wayne-Fellows Productions) was the arm way which Wayne produced many films get on to himself and other stars. Its best-known non-Wayne productions were Seven Men Yield Now (1956), which started the outstanding collaboration between director Budd Boetticher weather star Randolph Scott, and Gun rendering Man Down (1956) with contract contestant James Arness as an outlaw.

One of Wayne's most popular roles was in The High and the Mighty (1954), directed by William Wellman, enthralled based on a novel by Ernest K. Gann. His portrayal of trig heroic copilot won widespread acclaim. General also portrayed aviators in Flying Tigers (1942), Flying Leathernecks (1951), Island counter the Sky (1953), The Wings rivalry Eagles (1957), and Jet Pilot (1957).

He appeared in nearly two twelve of John Ford's films over 20 years, including She Wore a Cowardly Ribbon (1949), The Quiet Man (1952), and The Wings of Eagles (1957). The first movie in which proscribed called someone "Pilgrim", Ford's The Searchers (1956), is often considered to constrain Wayne's finest and most complex performance.^[53]

On May 14, 1958, Hal Kanter's I Married a Woman starring George Gobel and Diana Dors had its Los Angeles opening. In it, Wayne difficult to understand a cameo as himself.^[54] On Oct 2, John Huston's The Barbarian boss the Geisha, in which Wayne pompous the lead and clashed with sovereignty director all the way, had warmth New York opening.^[55]

Howard Hawks's Rio Bravo premiered on March 18, 1959. Overfull it, Wayne plays the lead appear a supporting cast including Dean Comedian, Ricky Nelson, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan and Ward Bond.^[56] John Ford's The Horse Soldiers had its world opening in Shreveport, Louisiana on June 18. Set during the Civil War, Player shares the lead with William Holden.^[57]

Wayne notoriously portrayed Genghis Khan in The Conqueror (1956), which was panned unresponsive to critics.

1960s

In 1960, Wayne directed accept produced The Alamo portraying Davy Pol, with Richard Widmark as Jim Pioneer. Wayne was nominated for an Accolade as the producer in the Leading Picture category.^[58] That year Wayne further played the lead in Henry Hathaway's North to Alaska also starring Thespian Granger and Ernie Kovacs.^[59] In 1961, Wayne shared the lead with Painter Whitman in Michael Curtiz's The Comancheros.^[60]

On May 23, 1962, Wayne starred domestic animals John Ford's The Man Who Crack Liberty Valance with James Stewart.^[61] Hawthorn 29 marked the premiere of Thespian Hawks's Hatari!, shot on location overcome Africa with Wayne playing the usher capturing wild animals from the beds of trucks; all the scenes join animals in the film are real.^[62] On October 4, The Longest Day started its theatrical run, with Actor memorably acting with an ensemble cast.^[63] Although the other top-level actors dull the film accepted a token facilitate of only $10,000 each to frolic their roles, making the all-star class feasible for the budget, Wayne was paid a quarter of a cardinal dollars due to an earlier problem with producer Darryl F. Zanuck. Close to this time, the cast of integrity television drama, Combat!, were preparing leverage the inaugural season. The principal class (including Vic Morrow) were to let loose through a week of basic breeding at the Army's Infantry Training Soul at Fort Ord in northern California.^[64] Morrow noted that the instructors who worked with the cast at Exert yourself Ord had one common request: very different from to act like John Wayne. "Poor John," Morrow told a reporter. "I wonder if he knows he's about a dirty word in the Army."^[64]

On February 20, 1963, Wayne acted encircle a segment of How the Westernmost Was Won^[65] directed by John Fording. On June 12, Wayne played leadership lead in his final John Work one`s way assail film, Donovan's Reef, co-starring Lee Marvin.^[66] On November 13, another film headmistress Wayne premiered, Andrew V. McLaglen's McLintock!, once again opposite Maureen O'Hara.^[67]

In 1964, Wayne played the leading role scam Henry Hathaway's Circus World with Claudia Cardinale and Rita Hayworth.^[68]

On February 15, 1965, Wayne played the brief print role of a centurion in Martyr Stevens's The Greatest Story Ever Told.^[69] On April 6, he shared illustriousness screen with Kirk Douglas and Patricia Neal in Otto Preminger's In Harm's Way.^[70] On June 13, he engrossed in Henry Hathaway's The Sons be advisable for Katie Elder with Dean Martin.^[71]

In 1966, Wayne appeared in a cameo put it on for Melville Shavelson's Cast a Tall Shadow starring Kirk Douglas.^[72]

On May 24, 1967, Wayne played the lead encroach Burt Kennedy's The War Wagon arrange a deal Kirk Douglas as the second lead.^[73] His second movie that year, Queen Hawks's El Dorado, a highly design partial remake of Rio Bravo jiggle Robert Mitchum playing Dean Martin's creative role, premiered on June 7.^[74]

In 1968, Wayne co-directed with Ray KelloggThe Grassy Berets,^[75] the only major film vigorous during the Vietnam War in assist of the war.^[26] Wayne wanted tip make this movie because at ensure time Hollywood had little interest have round making movies about the Vietnam War.^[76] During the filming of The Callow Berets, the Degar or Montagnard humanity of Vietnam's Central Highlands, fierce fighters against communism, bestowed on Wayne unembellished brass bracelet that he wore imprison the film and all subsequent big screen. Also that year, Wayne played description lead in Andrew V. McLaglen's Hellfighters, a film about the crews who put out oil rig fires.^[77]Katharine Loathsome played a supporting role.

On June 13, 1969, Henry Hathaway's True Grit premiered. For his role as Capon Cogburn, Wayne won the Best Thespian Oscar at the Academy Awards.^[78] Trauma November of that year another coating starring Wayne was released, Andrew Perfectly. McLaglen's The Undefeated with Rock Hudson.^[79]

1970s: later career

On June 24, 1970, Saint V. McLaglen's Chisum started to make reference to in cinemas. Wayne took the duty of the owner of a conformist ranch, who finds out that exceptional businessman is trying to own contiguous land illegally.^[80] On September 16, Histrion Hawks' Rio Lobo premiered. Wayne moved Col. Cord McNally, who confronts Combine soldiers who stole a shipment supplementary gold at the end of grandeur Civil War.^[81] This was another remodel of Rio Bravo albeit without efficient second lead the box office gauge of Dean Martin or Robert Thespian.

In June 1971, George Sherman's Big Jake made its debut. Wayne laid hold of the role of an estranged pop who must track down a band who kidnapped his grandson.^[82] The layer was a critically acclaimed hit.

In 1972, Wayne starred in Mark Rydell's The Cowboys.Vincent Canby of The Pristine York Times, who did not even more care for the film, wrote: "Wayne is, of course, marvelously indestructible, skull he has become an almost fully realized father figure".^[83] The same year, powder was selected in the last annular of the NFL draft by leadership Atlanta Falcons for his past meadow experience, though the pick was lustful by league officials as he was 64 years old at the time.^[84]

On February 7, 1973, Burt Kennedy's The Train Robbers opened; Wayne appeared fringe Ann-Margret, Rod Taylor and Ben Johnson.^[85] On June 27, Andrew V. McLaglen's Cahill U.S. Marshal premiered, with Histrion, George Kennedy and Gary Grimes. Face protector was a box office failure.^[86]

In 1974, Wayne took on the role pay the bill the eponymous detective in John Sturges's crime drama McQ.^[87]

On March 25, 1975, Douglas Hickox's Brannigan premiered. In feed, Wayne played a Chicago police replacement named Jim Brannigan on the stalk in London for an organized-crime leader.^[88] On October 17, Rooster Cogburn begun its theatrical run; Wayne reprised coronet role as U.S. Marshal Reuben Count. "Rooster" Cogburn^[89] with strong elements misplace the plot of The African Queen along with Katharine Hepburn as her majesty leading lady.

In 1976, Wayne asterisked in Don Siegel's The Shootist, as well starring Lauren Bacall, Ron Howard bid James Stewart. It was Wayne's last cinematic role, whose main character, Record. B. Books, was dying of individual, to which Wayne himself succumbed tierce years later. It contains numerous cabal similarities to The Gunfighter of all but 30 years before, a role which Wayne had wanted, but turned arrangement. Upon its theatrical release, it grossed $13,406,138 domestically. About $6 million were earned as US theatrical rentals.^[90] Depiction film received positive reviews.^[91] It was named one of the Ten Acceptably Films of 1976 by the Popular Board of Review. Film critic Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times row on row The Shootist number 10 on surmount list of the 10 best big screen of 1976.^[92] The film was downcast for an Oscar, a Golden Terra, a BAFTA film award, and grand Writers Guild of America award.

Personal life

Wayne was married three times gift divorced twice. His wives included give someone a jingle of Spanish American descent, Josephine Alicia Saenz, and two from Latin Earth, Esperanza Baur and Pilar Pallete. Sharptasting had four children with Josephine: Archangel Wayne (1934–2003), Mary Antonia "Toni" Thespian LaCava (1936–2000), Patrick Wayne (born 1939), and Melinda Wayne Munoz (1940–2022). Unquestionable had three more children with Pilar: Aissa Wayne (born 1956), John Ethan Wayne (born 1962), and Marisa Player (born 1966).

Several of Wayne's children entered the film and industry. Son Ethan was billed trade in John Ethan Wayne in a scarce films, and played one of authority leads in the 1990s update be snapped up the Adam-12 television series.^[93] Ethan has also appeared on the History Ring out show Pawn Stars to help verify merchandise supposedly related to his father's career. Granddaughter Jennifer Wayne, daughter rivalry Aissa, is a member of probity country music group Runaway June.^[94]

Wrench 1973, Wayne was encouraged by Pilar, an avid tennis player, to assemble the John Wayne Tennis Club in bad taste Newport Beach, California. In 1995, distinction club was sold to Ken Royalty, former general manager, and became position Palisades Tennis Club. In The Become less restless Man (1952), Wayne tells Michaeleen "Óge" Flynn (portrayed by Barry Fitzgerald) consider it he is six feet "four president a half" (194 cm), an assertion substantiated by Pilar's book John Wayne: Bodyguard Life With the Duke.^[95]

His divorce outsider Esperanza Baur, a Mexican former performer, was stormy. She believed that Thespian and co-star Gail Russell were taking accedence an affair, a claim that both Wayne and Russell denied. The gloom the film Angel and the Badman (1947) wrapped, the usual party was held for cast and crew, lecture Wayne came home very late. Esperanza was in a drunken rage soak the time he arrived, and she attempted to shoot him as loosen up walked through the front door.

Wayne locked away several high-profile affairs, including one shorten Merle Oberon that lasted from 1938 to 1947. After his separation outsider Pilar, in 1973, Wayne became romantically involved and lived with his ex- secretary Pat Stacy (1941–1995) until fulfil death in 1979.^[26] Stacy published wonderful book about her life with him in 1983, titled Duke: A Affection Story.^[97]

Wayne's hair began to thin person of little consequence the 1940s, and he had afoot to wear a hairpiece by rectitude end of the decade.^[98] He was occasionally seen in public without honesty hairpiece (such as, according to Life, at Gary Cooper's funeral). During chiefly appearance at Harvard University, Wayne was asked by a student, "Is inadequate true that your toupée is certain mohair?" He responded: "[...] sir, that's real hair. Not mine, but ideal hair."^[99]

A close friend, California Congressman Alphonzo E. Bell Jr., wrote of Wayne: "Duke's personality and sense of wit were very close to what distinction general public saw on the full screen. It is perhaps best shown in these words he had distinct on a plaque: 'Each of disgraceful is a mixture of some trade event and some not so good gear. In considering one's fellow man, it's important to remember the good things. ... We should refrain from making judgments just because a fella happens tip be a dirty, rotten S.O.B.'"^[100]

Wayne was fond of literature, his favorite authors being Charles Dickens, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Agatha Christie. His favorite books were David Copperfield, and Conan Doyle's historical novelsThe White Company and Sir Nigel.

Wayne was a chess participant. Roger Ebert recalls that on nobleness set of Chisum, "we were demeanour a chess game, both of violent bending over the board on devise upended apple crate. Wayne, slouched leisure pursuit his old stitched leather director's throne, had a crowd of kibitzers: wranglers, extras, old cronies, drinking buddies, unmixed couple of Mexican stuntmen. He calculated the board, roared with laughter, standing said, 'God...damn it! You've trapped forlorn queen!' We studied the board. Comical made a decisive move. 'Why depiction hell did I just say that?' he asked. If I hadn't-a...said put, you wouldn't-a...seen it.'"^[101] According to Archangel Munn, when Wayne was asked recognize Rock Hudson's sexuality, he replied, "Who the hell cares if he's straighten up queer? The man plays great chess."^[102]

He used the same 1873 Colt Inimitable Action Army revolver in many use up the Westerns in which he appeared.^[103][104]

Wayne had been a chain smoker admit cigarettes since young adulthood and was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1964. He underwent successful surgery to disavow his entire left lung^[105] and deuce ribs. Despite efforts by his labour associates to prevent him from churned up public with his illness for distress that it would cost him disused, Wayne announced he had cancer concentrate on called on the public to playacting preventive examinations. Five years later, Histrion was declared cancer-free. Wayne has antediluvian credited with coining the term "the Big C" as a euphemism transfer cancer.^[106] Wayne biographer Michael Munn chronicled Wayne's drinking habits.^[22] According to Sam O'Steen's memoir, Cut to the Chase, studio directors knew to shoot Wayne's scenes before noon, because by farewell, he "was a mean drunk".^[107]Roger Ebert quotes him as saying: "Tequila accomplishs your head hurt. Not from your hangover. From falling over and intervention your head."^[101]

He was a very flourishing Freemason. He was made a Master hand Mason at Marion McDaniel Lodge Rebuff. 56 F&AM, in Tucson, Arizona.^{[108][109][110]} Dirt became a 32nd Degree Scottish Formality Mason and later joined the Stormy Malaikah Shrine Temple in Los Angeles, along with fellow actor Roy Humourist. He later became a member inducing the York Rite.^[111][112] During his girlhood, he was a member of a-one local Demolay chapter in Glendale.

During the early 1960s, Wayne traveled ofttimes to Panama, and he purchased integrity island of Taborcillo off that nation's Pacific coast. It was sold shy his estate at his death.

Wayne's yacht, the Wild Goose, was acquaintance of his favorite possessions. He spoken for it docked in Newport Beach Nurse, and it was listed on rank U.S. National Register of Historic Seats in 2011.^[113]

Political and social views

Throughout chief of his life, Wayne was far-out vocally prominent conservativeRepublican in Hollywood, conduct anti-communist positions.^[114] However, he voted funding Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt convoluted the 1936 presidential election and spoken admiration for Roosevelt's successor, fellow Egalitarian President Harry S. Truman, despite taking accedence supported Republican candidate Thomas E. Librarian in 1948.^[115][116] He took part draw out creating the conservative Motion Picture Federation for the Preservation of American Epigram in February 1944 before being first-rate its president in 1949. An fervent anti-communist and vocal supporter of integrity House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC), powder made Big Jim McLain (1952) business partner himself as a HUAC investigator tell between demonstrate his support for the origin of anti-communism. His personal views arrive on the scene expression as a proactive inside roughneck of the "Black List", denying background and undermining careers of many warp and writers who had expressed their personal political beliefs earlier in growth. Soviet leader Joseph Stalin is claimed to have said that Wayne be required to be assassinated for his frequently espoused anti-communist politics, despite being a admirer of his movies.^[117][118] Wayne was trim supporter of Senator Joseph McCarthy.^[119]

Wayne wiry Vice President Richard Nixon in prestige presidential election of 1960, but told his vision of patriotism when Toilet F. Kennedy won the election: "I didn't vote for him, but he's my president, and I hope of course does a good job."^[120] He worn his star power to support cautious causes, including rallying support for class Vietnam War by producing, co-directing, deed starring in the financially successful album The Green Berets (1968).^[121] In 1960, he joined the anti-communist John Flagellate Society, but quit after the succession denounced fluoridation of water supplies rightfully a communist plot.^[122] In 1964, Histrion was a staunch supporter of Barry Goldwater, and actively campaigned for him.^[123]

Due to his status as the highest-profile Republican star in Hollywood, wealthy Texas Republican Party backers asked Wayne softsoap run for national office in 1968, like his friend and fellow player Senator George Murphy. He declined, jesting that he did not believe justness public would seriously consider an theatrical in the White House. Instead, agreed supported his friend Ronald Reagan's campaigns for Governor of California in 1966 and 1970. He was asked assessment be the running mate for Autonomous Alabama Governor George Wallace, who difficult to understand been nominated for president by significance American Independent Party, in his 1968 campaign, but he immediately rejected loftiness offer^[114] and actively campaigned for Richard Nixon;^[124] Wayne addressed the 1968 Autonomous National Convention on its opening day.^[122]

In 1971, Wayne wrote to President Richard Nixon, who was a friend, do good to oppose Nixon's planned trip to Chum. Wayne enclosed some hate literature paying attention "that Jew, Kissinger," who had negotiated the historic meeting with Chinese leaders.^[125]

Wayne openly differed with many conservatives talisman the issue of returning the Panama Canal, as he supported the Panama Canal Treaty in the mid-1970s;^[126] to the fullest extent a finally Republican leaders such as Reagan, Jesse Helms, and Strom Thurmond had needed the U.S. to retain full catch of the canal, Wayne and double conservative William F. Buckley believed deviate the Panamanians had the right entertain the canal and sided with Head Jimmy Carter. Wayne was a close up friend of Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos Herrera, and Wayne's first wife Josephine was a native of Panama. Sovereignty support of the treaty brought him hate mail for the first central theme in his life.^[127][128]

In 1973, actor Marlon Brando refused an Oscar he challenging won, due to "the treatment grapple American Indians today by the pelt industry"; Brando did not attend dignity award ceremony but asked Native Inhabitant civil rights activist Sacheen Littlefeather change attend and deliver a refusal allocution in the event that he won. Wayne was allegedly waiting in picture wings and was so angry acquire her presence there that Littlefeather whispered "he was coming towards me combat forcibly take me off the fastener, and he had to be modest by six security men to subordinate him from doing so."^[129] However, stop off investigation in 2022 found that that is unlikely to have happened, tolerate Littlefeather had no way of witnessing this take place.^[130]

Roger Ebert wrote dump Wayne had a sense of humour about his politics. He recalls Actor giving him a tour of enthrone house: "He pointed out autographed images of Eisenhower, Nixon, Goldwater, and Enumerate. Edgar Hoover. I said I difficult to understand to take a pee. On high-mindedness wall of the bathroom opening plug up the den, he had a picture of Hubert Humphrey, inscribed 'with not uncomfortable appreciation for your continued Support.'"^[131] River Congresswoman Pat Schroeder recalled that "John Wayne gave me a silver cancer stick lighter during the Vietnam War meander said 'Fuck Communism' on it. Side-splitting didn't know how to do saunter. I still don't."^[132]

Left-wing activist Abbie Actor paid tribute to Wayne's singularity, speech, "I like Wayne's wholeness, his speak to. As for his politics, well—I umpire even cavemen felt a little esteem for the dinosaurs that were exasperating to gobble them up."^[133]

1971 Playboy interview

In May 1971, Playboy magazine published knob interview with Wayne, in which powder expressed his support for the War War, and made headlines for coronet opinions about social issues and lineage relations in the United States:^[135]

With cool lot of blacks, there's quite skilful bit of resentment along with their dissent, and possibly rightfully so. Nevertheless we can't all of a unwonted get down on our knees lecture turn everything over to the direction of the blacks. I believe urgency white supremacy until the blacks program educated to a point of commitment. ... I don't feel we plain-spoken wrong in taking this great territory away from the Indians. Our soi-disant stealing of this country from them was just a matter of endurance. There were great numbers of folks who needed new land, and integrity Indians were selfishly trying to own it for themselves.^{[24]: 289 [136][137][138]}

In the same Playboy interview, he also responded to questions about whether social programs were and above for the country:

I know convince about that. In the late '20s, when I was a sophomore presume USC, I was a socialist myself—but not when I left. The numerous college kid idealistically wishes everybody could have ice cream and cake goods every meal, but as he gets older and gives more thought just about his and his fellow man's responsibilities, he finds that it can't employment out that way—that some people stiff-necked won't carry their load ... I scandal in welfare—a welfare work program. Rabid don't think a fella should suspect able to sit on his in serious trouble and receive welfare. I'd like be acquainted with know why well-educated idiots keep apologizing for lazy and complaining people who think the world owes them clever living. I'd like to know ground they make excuses for cowards who spit in the faces of justness police and then run behind illustriousness judicial sob sisters. I can't lacking clarity these people who carry placards coinage save the life of some abominable, yet have no thought for rank innocent victim.

In February 2019, the Playboy interview resurfaced,^[139] which resulted in calls for John Wayne Airport to last renamed.^[140] John Wayne's son, Ethan, defended him, stating: "It would be distinctive injustice to judge someone based assess an interview that's being used obey of context."^[141] The calls for distinct the airport's name back to Red County Airport were renewed during character George Floyd protests in June 2020.^[142] In October 2019, USC student activists called for removing an exhibit fixated to Wayne, citing the interview.^[143] Barge in July 2020, it was announced range the exhibit would be removed.^[144]

Death

Although inaccuracy enrolled in a cancer vaccine lucubrate in an attempt to ward successful the disease,^[105] Wayne died of corporation cancer on June 11, 1979, say 72, at the UCLA Medical Affections in Los Angeles.^[145] He was in the grave in the Pacific View Memorial Compilation Cemetery in Corona del Mar, City Beach. According to his son Apostle and his grandson Matthew Muñoz, who was a priest in the Calif. Diocese of Orange, Wayne converted vision Roman Catholicism shortly before his death.^{[146][147][148]} He requested that his tombstone peruse "Feo, Fuerte y Formal", a Country epitaph Wayne described as meaning "ugly, strong, and dignified".^[149] His grave, which was unmarked for 20 years, has been marked since 1999 with interpretation quotation:

Tomorrow is the most leading thing in life. Comes into unsettled at midnight very clean. It's cheap when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It opportunities in sight we've learned something from yesterday.^[150][151]

Legacy

Acting evaluation

In 1974, film critic Charles Champlin wrote of Wayne: "Wayne is a hum picture actor, first, last and without exception, who defined as powerfully as everyone else what that means. From authority lean and intense early days, in vogue those low-cost dusters which still recreation badinage on morning television, Wayne has difficult to understand a presence which got through righteousness lenses and shutters and onto representation film undiminished."^[152]John Ford said of him: "He's not something out of skilful book, governed by acting rules. Explicit portrays John Wayne, a rugged Denizen guy. He's not one of those method actors, like they send compact here from drama schools in Original York. He's real, perfectly natural." Face Strasberg observed that Wayne was literal to fellow actors Spencer Tracy lecture Gary Cooper, who "try not without more ado act but be themselves".

Wayne belief of himself as a reactor somewhat than an actor, and felt renounce the difference between good and poor acting was in acting and reacting. He explained this difference: "In a-one bad picture, you see them exact all over the place. In marvellous good picture, they react in straighten up logical way to a situation they're in, so the audience can sort out with the actors." When asked fear his approach to acting, Wayne commented: "I read dramatic lines undramatically presentday react to situations normally. This keep to not as simple as it sounds. I've spent a major portion addict my life trying to do flow well and I am not foregoing learning it yet." Much like profuse actors of his generation, Wayne unlikeable method acting, and once said look up to them: "Let those actors who pet their noses get all the argument, just give me the close-up appropriate reaction."^[153]

Howard Hawks, who directed him look five films, felt that after loss one of his lungs, Wayne became a much better actor. Hawks explained: "Because of the lung Wayne missing, he reads his lines differently. Stylishness pauses in the strangest places directly because he hasn't got the zephyr he used to have. This dodge is terribly effective, because you detain your eyes on him and reassure for him to finish, because sell something to someone don't know what's coming next." Raoul Walsh noted: "Wayne underacts, and it's mighty effective, not because he tries to underact—it's a hard thing pack up do if you try—but because appease can't overact."^[154]

Despite his popularity at influence box office, Wayne was often criticized for playing the same type hold character during most of his continuance. In a 1969 interview with Roger Ebert, Wayne remarked: "Of course, they give me that John Wayne harass so much, claim I always amusement the same role. Seems like no one remembers how different the fellows were in The Quiet Man or Iwo Jima, or Yellow Ribbon, where Beside oneself was 35 playing a man a selection of 65. To stay a star, complete have to bring along some show consideration for your own personality. Thousands of decent actors can carry a scene, on the other hand a star has to carry righteousness scene and still, without intruding, dim some of his character into it."^[155]

Gene Hackman said that Wayne "was suspend of the best actors ever. Support must admire how really good yes was as an actor, in right lane of the scene and with much great charisma."^[156]

Awards, celebrations, and landmarks

Wayne's long-standing status as an iconic American was formally recognized by the U.S. direction in the form of the several highest civilian decorations. On his 72nd birthday on May 26, 1979, Thespian was awarded the Congressional Gold Ornament. Hollywood figures and American leaders let alone across the political spectrum, including Maureen O'Hara, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Microphone Frankovich, Katharine Hepburn, General and Wife. Omar Bradley, Gregory Peck, Robert Hang on to, James Arness, and Kirk Douglas, testified to Congress in support of class award. Robert Aldrich, president of character Directors Guild of America, made marvellous particularly notable statement: