Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire June 11, 1979 - A Great Man died

On this day in 1979, John Wayne, an iconic American film actor famous for starring in countless westerns, dies at age 72 after battling cancer for more than a decade.

The actor was born Marion Mitchell Morrison on May 26, 1907, in Winterset, Iowa, and moved as a child to Glendale, California.

A football star at Glendale High School, he attended the University of Southern California on a scholarship but dropped out after two years. After finding work as a studio laborer, Wayne befriended director John Ford. His first acting jobs were bit parts in which he was credited as Duke Morrison, a childhood nickname derived from the name of his beloved pet dog.

Wayne’s first starring role came in 1930 with The Big Trail, a film directed by his college buddy Raoul Walsh. It was during this time that Marion Morrison became “John Wayne,” when director Walsh didn’t think Marion was a good name for an actor playing a tough western hero. Despite the lead actor’s new name, however, the movie flopped. Throughout the 1930s, Wayne made dozens of mediocre westerns, sometimes churning out two movies a week.

In 1939, Wayne finally had his breakthrough when his old friend John Ford cast him as Ringo Kid in the Oscar-winning Stagecoach. Wayne went on to play larger-than-life heroes in dozens of movies and came to symbolize a type of rugged, strong, straight-shooting American man. John Ford directed Wayne in some of his best-known films, including Fort Apache (1948), She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Rio Grande (1950), The Quiet Man (1952) and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).

Off-screen, Wayne came to be known for his conservative political views. He produced, directed and starred in The Alamo (1960) and The Green Berets (1968), both of which reflected his patriotic, conservative leanings. In 1969, he won an Oscar for his role as a drunken, one-eyed federal marshal named Rooster Cogburn in True Grit. Wayne’s last film was The Shootist (1976), in which he played a legendary gunslinger dying of cancer. The role had particular meaning, as the actor was fighting the disease in real life.

During four decades of acting, Wayne appeared in over 250 films. He was married three times and had seven children.

Don't make real men like that anymore in Hollyweird.

He was and is a true american hero. He taught millions of kids what the true values of life were. And he was one bad ass.

He was one of my favorite actors and a true American. He remained good friends with Maureen O'Hara until his death.

RIP Sir !

John Wayne will never really die.

He lives on and on...

He sure made his mark.

+1

+100 🤠

He certainly did.

Just watched “Red River” again last night. He made lots of good, clean, and entertaining movies. RIP John Wayne.

he was always a favorite of mine. I watch his movies over and over. he is missed

I have a copy of "The Big Trail" and while it wasn't all that great a story, I think it did a good job of portraying the hardships those early pioneers had to endure. Hell what do I know? I love watching old time silent movies too. Some are a hell of a lot better than the crap coming out of Hollywood these days. You a gun lover? Find a copy of the silent, Down To The Sea in Ships" sometime. The bad guy uses a Savage revolver. Whale hunting. The did a for real Nantucket sleigh ride in that one. Probably wouldn't work for the younger ones these days. They couldn't read the subtitles.
Paul B.

Yep he lives on through all of his movies!!

People will still know who John Wayne was 100 years from now, and will still be watching his movies.

The one thing John Wayne and I have in common. We were both born in Winterset Iowa. 46 years apart. We just celebrated his birthday with a movie fest and a parade.

kwg

The word "Hero" gets tossed around, and applied to a lot of people.
I got two. Duke and my Dad.
7mm

Watched that one as well.

WWJWD?