Stewart was only a year younger than Duke.
I know I’ve read that Duke was disappointed, and a little guilty, that he wasn’t able to join the service.
I believe that the military told him he would better serve the cause in the film industry, and possibly his shoulder injury from college made him ineligible?
At any rate, I’ve also read that John Ford in particular gave Duke a lotta crap over his failure to serve.
Ford had a bit of a sadistic bully side to him, but Duke always thought that he owed his career to Ford.
I read Harry Carry Jr’s book about the John Ford Stock Company, and some other articles regarding Ford, Wayne, Stewart and Fonda. Interesting reading, even for a history nerd like myself.
I’ve always said that as a boy, I looked up to two great men, my heroes.
The Old Man and John Wayne.
7mm
