Saturday, April 30
By the time the 1970s rolled around, John Wayne had transcended movie stardom and crossed over to a rarified space that was earmarked for only the most influential names: living legend. No actor had become more identified with a genre than Wayne, the prototype of the American cowboy. Gruff, hard and intimidating, while many of his Golden Age peers found their careers in decline with the fall of the production code and the rise of New Hollywood, Wayne’s age seemed to only bring new layers to his persona, and he remained a top box office draw through his last film, “The Shootist” (1976).
John Wayne was born on May 26, 1907, as Marion Robert Morrison, in Iowa. His family ultimately made their way to the Los Angeles area. In the 1920s, Wayne was on a football scholarship at the University of Southern California (USC) when a broken collar bone forced him to drop out of school. He took odd jobs at the Fox Film Corporation, eventually landing bit roles in a variety of films. His first credit, under his nickname “Duke” and his real last name “Morrison,” was in “Words and Music” (1929). Director John Ford recommended him for the lead in Raoul Walsh’s “The Big Trail” (1930), an early attempt at using a widescreen aspect ratio. It was here he was minted “John Wayne,” but the movie itself was not a success. Wayne languished in B-level westerns for nearly a decade before John Ford gave him another break, the starring role in “Stagecoach” (1939), which catapulted Wayne to stardom.
Due to physical ailments, he was exempted from military service, which ironically allowed Wayne to become the preeminent figure of American patriotism. He starred in a series of World War II rally-cries, including “Flying Tigers” (1942), “The Fighting Seabees” (1944) and “Back to Bataan” (1945). By the end of the 1940s, he had transitioned to more thoughtful, revolutionary western material, like Howard Hawks’ “Red River” (1948). He continued to collaborate frequently with John Ford, with roles in “Fort Apache” (1948), “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” (1949), “The Quiet Man” (1952), “The Searchers” (1956) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962), adding new depths to his hard-edged screen persona.
But his personal views made him a controversial figure. He became more politically outspoken as time went on, particularly during the Communist red scare of the late-1940s and 1950s and the Vietnam War in the mid-to-late 1960s. His support of the conflict, and his position as a stalwart Republican, put him at odds with most American youth, and a generational divide in Wayne’s popularity became increasingly apparent. Marlon Brando said of Wayne in an interview with Dick Cavett, “We like to see ourselves as perhaps John Wayne sees us. That we are a country that stands for freedom, for rightness, for justice… it just simply doesn’t apply.”
So, while John Wayne started the 1970s on a high note, winning an Oscar in April 1970 for Best Actor in “True Grit,” his personal beliefs were at increasing odds with the social climate. In 1971, he gave a controversial interview with Playboy Magazine stating that he believed “in white supremacy until the blacks are educated to a point of responsibility.” This interview, which also includes quotes regarding his adamant support of the Vietnam campaign and questions on the effectiveness of social programs, has been of particular debate in recent years, as efforts to remove his name from Orange County’s John Wayne Airport have gained steam.
Controversy aside, Wayne remained a top audience draw throughout his last decade, and one of the highlights was a movie that paired him with a new wave director and a cast of young Hollywood names. “The Cowboys” (1972) has John Wayne as Wil Andersen, a role that plays into the paternal figures he so often favored. Wil’s a cattleman that trains a group of schoolboys for the big drive. Amongst the schoolboys are Roscoe Lee Browne and Bruce Dern. Mark Rydell served as both the director and the producer. Rydell was initially against casting Wayne, specifically because of the actor’s support of the war in Vietnam.
Politics reportedly had to be patently avoided on set. Even so, the actor ended up bonding with several of his co-stars, including Browne, with whom he shared a love of poetry. While no dust ups of any note seemed to have happened on set, actress Laura Dern, daughter of Bruce Dern, later said that some of her friends’ parents wouldn’t allow her to schedule playdates with their children as a result of the production, presumedly due to Wayne’s involvement in the film.
“The Cowboys” ended up being a big success, and the following year Wayne took the title role in “Cahill U.S. Marshal” (1973), a rare flop for the actor. Cahill is another typical Wayne part, this time a tough lawman who must bring his own sons in for a train robbery. Helmed by Andrew V. McLaglen, the movie also starred George Kennedy and Gary Grimes. By this point in his life, Wayne’s physical health had deteriorated significantly. In 1964, he had managed to beat lung cancer after surgery removed his entire left lung and a couple of ribs. Though cancer free, the lifelong chain smoker was never quite the same physically. He suffered a nagging cough in his later years, but he continued to make movies even after “Cahill.” He reprised the role of “Rooster Cogburn” (1975) from “True Grit” alongside Katharine Hepburn, and co-starred with Ron Howard, Lauren Bacall and his old friend James Stewart in his poignant swan song, “The Shootist.”.
By the late-1970s, public opinion on the actor had softened, and President Jimmy Carter even formed a friendship with Wayne, despite the actor having campaigned heavily for his 1976 rival President Gerald Ford. Carter would posthumously award Wayne the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Wayne also was given the Congressional Medal of Honor on his 72nd birthday, May 26, 1979.
His last public appearance was a sentimental moment at the 1979 Academy Awards ceremony. Introduced by host Johnny Carson, Wayne had been slated to appear at the prior year’s show but was unable to attend due to health issues. He was noticeably thinner and less agile when he managed to make the program in April 1979. But no better final moment could an actor ask for, as the entire auditorium rose to their feet in long, thunderous ovation as Wayne stepped onto the stage. “That’s just about the only medicine a fella would ever really need,” he said in response.
John Wayne, the Duke, died on June 11, 1979, from complications of stomach cancer. He had converted to Catholicism just days before his passing. In 1998, the American Film Institute named him the 13th greatest male screen legend in Hollywood history. He remains the top star on the list of box office money-makers, with a record 25 appearances on the annual top ten rankings.
