John Wayne: Movie Icon

by Guy Belleranti

One of the most bankable movie stars during the 1950’s and 1960’s had to be “The Duke”, John Wayne.

Actually Wayne began his film career in the latter part of the silent era, and had many hit movies prior to the 50’s, especially those directed by John Ford (Stagecoach in 1939,

They Were Expendable in 1945, Fort Apache in 1948) or Howard Hawks (Red River 1948).

Born on May 26, 1907 as Marion Robert Morrison (later changed to Marion Michael Morrison when a younger brother was given the name Robert) he was given the stage name “John Wayne” by director Raoul Walsh when he starred in the 1930 western movie The Big Trail. Walsh, feeling the name “Marion” was not fitting a rugged actor, took the name from the dashing American Revolutionary War General “Mad Anthony” Wayne.

Thereafter, followed a career of unbelievable success. Indeed, Wayne became a movie icon for his portrayals of rugged yet mostly honorable men. Even his darkest character, Ethan Edwards (John Ford’s The Searchers, 1956), exhibited a large share of family honor. At the outset Edwards wants to kill the Comanches who have kidnapped his niece and murdered her family. Then, as he realizes his niece has assimilated into becoming one of the tribe he also vows to kill her. However, in the end his compassionate love-of-family side prevails.

All told, Wayne was male lead in over 140 films during his career. The big 6’4” actor was especially famous for the westerns or World War II dramas in which he appeared. However, he also appeared in other genres including romantic comedies and police dramas. One of his most famous non-western and non-military films has to be the 1952 John Ford classic The Quiet Man.

Other notable films of the 1950’s starring Wayne besides The Searchers and The Quiet Man include Rio Grande (1950), Rio Bravo (1959) and The Horse Soldiers (1959).

In 1960 Wayne took on the challenge of both directing and starring in a movie when he played Davy Crockett in The Alamo. He then starred in yet another John Ford classic, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) and another fine Howard Hawks’ western, El Dorado (1966). Then in 1969 Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the Henry Hathaway western True Grit.

John Wayne continued headlining movies during the 1970’s, his last being The Shootist in 1976. He died on June 11, 1979 of cancer and to this day he remains an iconic movie figure.

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